When it arrived, it was in a plain plastic bag. I guess you could use it to keep the speculum in, but then again, it's not very discrete, nor is it very practical. The speculum itself is a clear plastic, but definitely not mistakable for anything but what it is. I wouldn't suggest leaving this out unless you want people knowing you like to open yourself up to take a gander ( or in some cases, do your own pelvic exams, which is fine too ).
Like I said, not very discrete. However, as long as you store it somewhere appropriate, it doesn't need to be.
In use, this preforms pretty much exactly as it should. To get it in you close the 'beak' and apply some lube so it slides in easily, then you adjust the handle and lock it into place to hold yourself open. The device opens to about 3 inches at the end with 1.5 inches closer to the handle, though while it's in you can bank on the fact that a person's body will squeeze the beak enough to make it more like 2.5 inches. The beak itself is a little over 1 inch wide.
With the measurements aside, I was indeed able to slide the speculum in and take a gander at my insides with the help of a mirror. It gave me a clear view of my vaginal walls, as well as my cervix ( which I now know looks very healthy ). It works better if you insert it so the beak opens vertically instead of horizontally, though I found that it does give me some irritation if I leave it in for too long if it's opened vertically due to the fact that it presses against my urethra.
To be completely honest, I actually prefer the material of this a smidge more than steel. I like the extra visibility the clear plastic affords me, but there are some negatives to it. For one, I'm just plain uncomfortable with how... flimsy it feels. I'm worried that I'm going to snap it and cause some damage, though I've tested its tensile strength and it is sturdy. I doubt I could break it unless something startled me into sitting up abruptly.
However, there is one thing that IS easy to 'break' on it - though disassemble works too.
FTC Statement: Speculum was provided to AbsoluteDebauchery for free by Babeland in exchange for a review. This has not affected the opinions within the review and complies with FTC standards.
With the measurements aside, I was indeed able to slide the speculum in and take a gander at my insides with the help of a mirror. It gave me a clear view of my vaginal walls, as well as my cervix ( which I now know looks very healthy ). It works better if you insert it so the beak opens vertically instead of horizontally, though I found that it does give me some irritation if I leave it in for too long if it's opened vertically due to the fact that it presses against my urethra.
To be completely honest, I actually prefer the material of this a smidge more than steel. I like the extra visibility the clear plastic affords me, but there are some negatives to it. For one, I'm just plain uncomfortable with how... flimsy it feels. I'm worried that I'm going to snap it and cause some damage, though I've tested its tensile strength and it is sturdy. I doubt I could break it unless something startled me into sitting up abruptly.
However, there is one thing that IS easy to 'break' on it - though disassemble works too.
The handle is rigged together with a slot close to the beak through which two small plastic nubs stick. There's waves in the slot so you can have different levels of openness, while the plastic tab at the bottom locks it in place with those bumps.
Now, this would be a fine setup if they'd made everything a bit more... sturdy. The plastic nubs at the top are short enough that a little jiggling can make them pop free of the slot they rest in, which could lead to some really unpleasant situations in which the speculum could pinch something internally. The locking mechanism on the handle is also somewhat worrisome - I don't feel as if the bumps on it are enough to completely prevent a snap! closed. The whole set-up together is also hard to operate if you're doing it yourself; the plastic likes to give a lot of resistance when you're trying to open it.
I looked on Babeland's website and while I didn't see anything about it being disposable, I'm pretty sure it is - plastic speculums often are, and at 6$, this one is pretty affordable if it is. I don't intend to dispose of mine, however, since I can take it apart and wash the pieces separately. It's hard to clean because of all the nooks and crannies the design affords, but as long as you're careful and use soap and warm water, it should be alright.
I wouldn't suggest sharing this, however. Plastic can be porous and since there's no 'used materials' that I could find relating to this, I would definitely not share it with a partner unless you're fluid-bonded. They're cheap enough that it would be easy to buy two if you wanted to for safety purposes, though.
All in all, I'm giving this a 3 stars out of 5 - I like the material, but the design features could have been thought through better to afford more safety to the user. Thanks, Babeland!
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