Incontinence is a subject that isn’t particularly comfortable to talk about.
Not only is incontinence often considered a taboo topic, it is also an area of women’s health that has seemingly been forgotten, as it has not shown any true innovation since the invention of the tampon.
When you hear the statistics behind the number of women that suffer from bladder leaks, you’ll be incredibly curious as to why more attention has not been paid to this condition. One in three women in the United States experience bladder leaks and are spending over $2 billion a year on products that have not seen any advancement since tampons first came on the scene.
However, in an industry ruled by giants Proctor & Gamble and Kimberly-Clark, the tides are about to change.
Enter Soft Health Technologies—a company here to bring the female incontinence market to the 21st century and carry women’s health into modern times.
How exactly do they plan to do this?
By introducing a revolutionary product that will change the way women live their lives. Say “hello” to Finess—the product here to bring relief, comfort and confidence back to women dealing with mild to moderate bladder leaks.
Seeing that there was an opportunity for significant development, Soft Health Technologies pioneered Finess.
Finess is the first product of its kind, stopping mild to moderate bladder leaks before they even happen. And it does so in a way that provides comfort and peace of mind for the women using it.
The Product
“Nothing on the market today takes lifestyle into account and actually looks to women and asks, ‘How can bladder leaks be something you don’t have to think about any longer?’” says Jenna Mons of Soft Health Technologies.
Realizing this, Mons’ colleagues, and the masterminds behind Finess, Thomas Berryman, John Nguyen and John Taylor, worked to make the product a reality.
Boasting years of experience in R&D, including creating catheters that provide endovascular access to both the brain and the heart, Nguyen’s background perfectly sets the stage to be a part of the Finess team.
With 34 years of medical device experience both the manufacturing and product development side, Taylor specializes in women’s health care and creating solutions for stress urinary incontinence (SUI).
Berryman, Nguyen and Taylor came together to form the dream team for a product geared towards younger, active females who want a modern solution for their mild-to-moderate bladder leaks.
How it Works
Finess “is pretty simple to use—after you try it two or three times,” Mons says.
Think about the first time you used a tampon—it was bit challenging and took a few times to get the hang of it.
“You want me to put what where?” Mons reminisces.
Finess is along the same lines.
Mons walks us through the process of using the product:
“You take the Finess product by the fin, grasp it with your two fingers, pull the adhesive backing off and place it gently over the opening of the urethra. Once you place it one or two times, you get the hang of it.”
This application of Finess covers the opening of the urethra to keep any urine from leaking out.
And the best part of the product? Unlike a pad, it goes beyond soaking up leaks — it stops leaks before they start.
Women suffering from bladder leaks have two main fears:
- Sitting in uncomfortable leaks
- Experiencing odors
Finess is the only product on the market that mitigates both of those major concerns.
By stopping leaks before they begin, and by utilizing materials that keep odors from developing, women are able to continue on with their lives without fear of anyone becoming privy to their bladder leak issues.
Proven Success
Products such as this in the industry surprisingly do not require any clinical testing.
However, “we felt that it was really important to do clinical studies, especially on an area that was so sensitive,” Mons says.
Thus, Soft Health Technologies proceeded to do a study with 56 women and had them utilize Finess over the course of 30 days.
And the result? Over 90% of the participants after the 30 days stated they would recommend this product to other women.
“The efficacy was incredible,” Mons says. “It far surpassed expectations on frequency of use, how the product held up and the types of activities women were using it for in their everyday lives.”
“We all had this moment of ‘Wow we have a fantastic product.’ Couple that with reviews about how the product has changed the lives of these women and we knew we could truly have an impact.”
Currently in the commercialization stages, Finess is revolutionizing the market. Not only is it delivering positive changes to the lives of women struggling with bladder leaks, it has also opened the door for future advancements and innovations.
Mons and the innovative team at Soft Health Technologies are simultaneously looking to what may be next. “Our hope for the future is to raise awareness for the more than 20 million women in the United States alone that are dealing with this issue and haven’t found an alternative yet,” she says. “We will be focusing for the next 2-3 years on adding new products to the pipeline.”
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