Aonghus O’Donovan, the co-developer of the MyCelsius bracelet.
The MyCelsius cooling bracelet.
The development of a “revolutionary” bracelet that helps manage a key menopause symptom has been led by a Co Offaly man.
The MyCelsius bracelet is worn like a wrist watch and is now on the Irish market.
It works by cooling the user’s wrist by 10C in under 10 seconds and aims to reduce the discomfort caused by hot flushes.
The technology was co-developed by 33-year-old Offaly native Aonghus O’Donovan, who said the bracelet has an 80pc efficacy rate for women experiencing hot flushes.
He co-developed it alongside MyCelsius co-founder and CEO Maxime Kryvian.
“The wrist is one of the most thermally sensitive parts of your body and applying cold to it sends a signal to the hypothalamus (the body’s thermostat), to stop the sweating and flushing associated with a hot flush,” Mr O’Donovan said.
“It uses advanced thermo-electric cooling to create a soothing, cold sensation directly onto the wrist. By lowering local skin temperature, it helps the full body feel cooler in moments of sudden heat.”
The bracelet also aims to counteract uncomfortable heat caused by hormonal changes, stress or anxiety.
Three years of research have been put into the device. Mr O’Donovan said it had a cooling system five times more powerful than competitors.
Hot flushes are described as an intense heat, originating in the torso and moving upwards into the neck and chest.
They can be accompanied by sweating and flushing of the skin, palpitations and feelings of anxiety, and can occur several times a day.
A survey carried out by treatment provider The Menopause Hub found that nearly four in 10 women in Ireland have considered quitting their job due to menopause symptoms.