The in2 patch from Virility Medical is part of a new wave of sextech products for men with premature ejaculation.
If you’re in the UK, you can buy the in2 patch right now through their online store. And Virility will be rolling out globally – see their website for news and updates.
I work with guys with PE, and I’m intrigued to know how effective this patch is. So a couple of clients kindly volunteered to give the in2 patch a go, and their feedback is coming right up.
How does the in2 patch help with premature ejaculation?
How can a small device, applied to the skin of your perineum area (the space between your balls and your anus) help you last longer in bed?
If you’re a guy, you’ve probably noticed that just before you ejaculate, there’s some twitching and tensing going on down there. That rapid, rhythmic contraction of pelvic muscles drives the ejaculation process.
And that’s why men with PE are advised to do kegels and pelvic floor exercises: to get more familiar with these sensations and know how to relax their PC muscle more during sex.
Inside the in2 patch are a couple of tiny electrodes that stimulate these muscles, holding them in a gentle, sustained contraction.
So it’s the opposite of relaxation, and the objective is to temporarily stop those contractions happening. The muscles are kept slightly activated and ejaculation is thus delayed. That’s the principle behind this product.
What does it feel like when you’re wearing this patch and being gently activated?
Well you definitely know it’s switched on. There’s a pulsing, tingling sensation right where the patch is. I stuck one on and it feels a bit strange at first, but you’d get used to it. It’s not unpleasant at all.
A couple of the guys said they felt some sensation a while after removing the patch, after sex, sitting in front of Netflix. But they thought they might be imagining it, it’s just a feeling. It’s not every day you receive electrical pulses to your perineum, after all. That’s probably just a getting-used-to-it thing.
How practical is wearing this patch between your legs while having sex with your partner?
It’s fine actually. The patch is tiny and made out of soft, black rubber. One guy found it slightly inflexible and it rubbed against his thighs now and again. But this wasn’t a showstopper and he just changed up his position.
And the patch doesn’t make a buzzing noise or weird smell or anything like that. The in2 is about as unobtrusive as it could be. It looks like a sexual enhancement product, like a cock ring or toy, rather than a medical device.
You are advised to trim your hair down there first, to make sure the patch adheres properly. Trim, not shave. And the patch comes away after sex no problem at all.
The instructions direct the user to apply the patch before switching on, and switch off before removing it.
There’s a raised on button in the corner, and it needs quite a firm click. The guys found that they needed to put their finger under the patch slightly to get that click, or they were just prodding at their perineums.
And this means slightly unsticking it in the corner and fiddling a bit, so not perfect. But I’m sure Virility Medical will address that if customers report it.
Is the patch easy to use?
The instruction leaflet is clear, with lots of technical info included. I guess this is legally required for a product that sends electrical pulses to your most delicate areas.
And there are some specific safety warnings.
It’s clearly stated that the in2 patch isn’t tested by men who ejaculate before penetration – so with very minimal sexual touch. The patch is for men aged 18-60 who ejaculate within two minutes of penetration.
Never use the patch if you’re having treatment for pelvic cancer, wear a pacemaker, have skin issues around your pelvis, or have had surgery in this area. This includes vasectomy or inguinal hernia treatments.
Don’t apply to any other area than between your genitals and your anus. Fair enough.
And don’t reuse the patch, even if the battery still has some life. After use, it will lose its adhesion anyway.
Don’t use more than two patches a day. That’s enough pelvic pulsing for one day.
And don’t use while driving or operating heavy machinery. Otherwise explain that on your insurance claim form.
The instructions say to switch it on just before you’re fully erect for intercourse. But if that’s too late for you, if you tend to come sooner – say during foreplay – then I don’t see why you couldn’t experiment with switching it on sooner.
Virility very specifically say it isn’t tested for this purpose, but not that you can’t. I suspect that the electrical pulses take a little time to get up to speed and hold that contraction.
The battery life is between 12 and 15 minutes, and you can switch it off and on again.
How much does the in2 patch cost?
The starter kit is £48 and includes two patches for you to try. Try the low intensity one first, then the higher intensity version and see what works best for you.
Then you can buy packs of 4 patches, the low or high intensity versions, for £87. So that’s about £22 per patch, per sexual coupling with one’s partner. There are discounts for buying multiple packs.
Virility are working on a reusable patch, so that should get the price down in due course. These prices do include delivery and we found that shipment from Israel was super fast.
Does the in2 patch work? Does it help men last longer, and how much longer?
Let’s set expectations here. Virility have published their own test results on their website. Top marks to Virility for transparency.
In a 2019 study where guys masturbated while receiving the perineal stimulation, Virility found that they lasted on average 3.5 times longer.
In another test, 34 men with PE actively used the patch during sexual intercourse. They recorded an average increase from 67 to 123 seconds, so that’s pretty good going.
Now I’ve had three volunteers so far. So it’s a small test group and we haven’t been using stopwatches or lab conditions.
Three guys, all with lifelong premature ejaculation, trying the patches with their partners. None of them are taking any medication, by the way.
Volunteer #1 found that he lasted twice as long, maybe slightly more. He went from around 1 minute to 2-3 minutes and he was happy with that. Both the low and high intensity patches worked for him.
He said he would consider buying and using more of the product. But not consistently, not for every time he has sex. This is mainly due to cost and he wants to continue working on his own relaxation skills.
Volunteer #2 noticed a slight improvement, going from 1.5 minutes to around 2 minutes. He said he might use the patches again and see if he gets more used to them, especially when the reusable version comes out. He sees this as something he’d use for special occasions, when he wants to really go for it.
And volunteer #3 tried the low and high intensity versions on several occasions, and consistently found that he sped up. He went from averaging 1 minute to between 20 and 30 seconds. He checked he was using the patch correctly, and he tested it with masturbation too. He consistently came sooner than he usually would.
He said it felt like extra stimulation, it intensified things. So he was understandably disappointed but is continuing to work on his relaxation too. We wonder whether he’d get a better result from patches over time and continued use, but will probably never know in this case.
This little test echoes Virility’s testing to some degree. An average improvement on the whole, a positive result.
But just like some of Virility’s own findings, some guys will experience no difference OR the opposite effect – they come sooner.
Is the in2 patch a legitimate solution to PE?
Individual results will vary, and the trial kit is your way to find out. And if you get an increase in duration, this may well extend with further use.
In my opinion, the patch is more practical than numbing sprays and creams. There’s none of that bathroom routine before sex, getting the timing right, washing it off, etc.
And there aren’t the side-effects that often come with SSRI medication. And partners don’t mind the patch at all. It doesn’t ruin the moment.
On the one hand, this patch is a perfectly practical way to feel more sexually confident. But ideally, we want to feel confident about our own bodies, about our own capability, and not just confident that the patch (or pill, or spray, or whatever) gets us over the line.
If the patch works, we’ll take that. Of course. But it’s only natural that we might get a bit lazy with it. It delivers, so we stop doing the other things (the relaxation, breathing techniques, finding optimal positions, being more mindful during sex) that resolve premature ejaculation in the long term.
And then if we find ourselves having sex without the device, it feels like we’re back to square one. We don’t have our crutch. Guys feel this when they stop taking medication due to side effects and have to step up to non-medicated sex again. The anxiety can come right back.
This scenario isn’t a comment on the in2 patch or any other product, just something to bear in mind.
As a therapist, I see this as a useful training device. If you’ve never experienced lasting longer than 20-30 seconds, the in2 patch could give you the experience. The opportunity to settle into sex, to relax a bit more. You can discover a lot in that time.
This is the first premature ejaculation patch to come to the market. At least one other, from Morari Medical, is on the way and taking a slightly different approach.
And Virility Medical will no doubt tweak and tune things too. We know that a smart version that talks to an app is in the works, along with the reusable version.
Props to Virility for making a legitimate, clinically tested product, and being transparent about their research and testing. And offering high customer service and support.
Patches are a welcome addition to PE treatments, and I’m sure they’re here to stay. Just don’t expect to open the box, slap one on and simply last as long as you like. The reality is you’ll probably need to work on your skills a bit too.
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