MyHixel CEO and founder Patricia López Trabajo is no stranger to the business of men’s sexual health. During her time in sales and marketing for Fleshlight Europe, she stumbled across a sobering statistic. It was a study that determined 31 percent of men between 18 and 56 years old suffer from premature ejaculation. Furthermore, 85 percent opt to never seek help or talk to others about this issue.
Around this same time, López Trabajo noticed another curious trend. It was becoming more mainstream to address women’s sexual health and wellness issues from a holistic perspective. Products celebrating female sexuality were flooding the market while men’s sexual health was still shrouded in stigma. The fact that so many men suffered in silence while treatable dysfunctions derailed their sex lives was concerning. Not only were men uncomfortable discussing intimate issues, there weren’t many accessible private resources or tools to help.
We offer a medical solution for climax control, that is the point of our product.
This realization was the impetus for the MyHixel brand. In 2016, López Trabajo set out to combine her expertise in male pleasure products with sexual science and the latest in sextech to create a pioneering premature ejaculation treatment. López Trabajo adds, “I was 100 percent convinced that I had to do this from a health and wellness point of view. That's why we started investing in scientific research with a group of sexologists.”
MyHixel collaborated with the University of Murcia and Elche, The Sexology Institute of Murcia, and the Urology department of Rafael Mendez Public Hospital to study the causes and effects of premature ejaculation. Over the course of five years, they worked to develop a groundbreaking methodology for controlling ejaculation. In their latest clinical trial, participants that used MyHixel delayed climax seven times longer.
MyHixel’s system consists of the "MyHixel I" pleasure device and a coordinating smartphone app called MyHixel Play. The app uses cognitive behavioral therapy techniques designed to teach the user how to control ejaculation over time. The device itself is a penetrable sleeve with a heating element that replicates a partner’s body temperature. It also has a vibration feature that is tied to the progressive climax control training program. López Trabajo explains, “If you have ever tried a mindfulness or workout app where everything is gamified, this is similar. It’s a whole program divided into different stages that includes different activities and exercises to be performed. It has educational content, tutorials and explanations about how to perform longer.” She continues, “But we don't consider ourselves a tech startup or a sex toy brand. We offer a medical solution for climax control, that is the point of our product.”
In the early days of development, López Trabajo knew this type of product was desperately needed. What was uncertain was how appealing it would be to consumers. Although the MyHixel team spent years concentrating on research and development, market projection remained an unknown variable. López Trabajo recalls, “We got very, very good feedback from doctors and physicians. It was fantastic. But we realized that we didn't know what the feedback from the market would be because this concept was so new.”
In 2018, the company launched a Kickstarter campaign with a goal of $20,000. Interest from this campaign would help gauge MyHixel’s viability from a profit standpoint. To López Trabajo’s surprise, their fundraising goal was reached in just 20 hours. It totaled over $76,000 by the end of the campaign. A climax control product that didn’t include the unwanted side effects that often accompany pills or creams was clearly something men wanted.
During its first few months of production, MyHixel was primarily sold in Spain where the company is headquartered. Recently, they have expanded to 42 countries including the U.S. Product release was delayed in the states until December 2019 when MyHixel was approved as an FDA Registered Class II medical device for the treatment of premature ejaculation and climax control. The company recently opened a second warehouse in Clearwater, Florida to keep up with U.S. demand.
Currently, two versions of the program are available. Both are based on scientific methods but each is customized to meet different needs. The MyHixel Med is designed for people with more severe control issues that meet the medical definition of premature ejaculation. This is defined as reaching climax in less than three minutes during penetrative intercourse. The medical version also includes a virtual appointment with a doctor.
The MyHixel TR is made for men who can last longer than three minutes but would still like to improve their climax control. This version is currently sold by a number of online retailers, including Lovehoney.
At the start of 2020, MyHixel concentrated on B2B sales mainly targeting urologists who could sell MyHixel Med to patients during office visits. After the COVID-19 shutdown, MyHixel adjusted its focus to the consumer market and was well received. This success has accelerated plans to introduce companion products that address other areas of male sexual health. In addition, the company has redesigned its consumer website and beefed up consumer outreach through PR efforts.
Their line of natural supplements for premature ejaculation, MyHixel Max, was just released, plus there’s more in the works. In the spring of 2021, the updated MyHixel II will hit the market. Longer-term plans include accessories and complementary men’s health products ranging from prostate devices, to lubricants, sexual health solutions, and more.
Currently, MyHixel is embarking on additional research partnerships including studies with urologists in California and Turkey. Erectile dysfunction and delayed ejaculation are among the targets for their latest research and product development.
When asked why she was passionate enough about men’s health to found a company addressing it, López Trabajo said, “We have created this brand to help eliminate barriers men have to sexual health resources. Women can now talk aloud about getting better orgasms or using all kinds of products for more pleasure because it's considered part of our health.” She continues, “In the case of men there remains a lot of taboo and stigma. They don't feel comfortable talking about the sexual conditions they are battling. We want to help them eliminate these barriers so they can talk openly. Having a healthy sex life is a right. There is no shame. And hopefully, we can spread this message.”
