Butterfly Health Tackles Big Health Taboo for Women and Men

LOS GATOS, Calif., May 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Butterfly Health, Inc., a small consumer packaged goods company with less than 10 employees, is tackling a big health taboo for over 30 million women and men over 40 called accidental bowel leakage (ABL).  ABL is a bowel health symptom that, for most people, results in 'little' bowel leaks and coincides with many common conditions.  Responding to this high unmet need, Butterfly has just expanded distribution beyond Walmart and Target and is now available in CVS pharmacy stores nationwide. 

Butterfly brings a totally new form of protection into the personal hygiene market for both women and men.  It's an absorbent, yet discreet body liner and the first and only product to adhere gently in between the buttocks.  Since most people who experience ABL don't talk about it, Butterfly is breaking a big taboo by taking its 'little bowel leaks' message directly onto the shelves of CVS.

The silence about ABL is ironic as the symptom has, for the past decade, been well documented in multiple peer-reviewed publications in Gastroenterology¹, the American Journal of Gastroenterology² and the International Journal of Clinical Practice^3,4.  The CDC⁵ also released a report noting the high prevalence. "The risk factors for ABL affect both women and men and include IBS, chronic diarrhea, diabetes, childbirth, menopause, prostate treatment, many of the neurological diseases like Parkinson's, advancing age and chronic stress.  Yet today, only one in three talk about it or seek care for it," says Kelly Lewis Brezoczky, CEO, Butterfly Health and co-author of two studies in the International Journal of Clinical Practice. "This is unfortunate, because there are things anyone with ABL can do to improve symptoms, but awareness is low."

"Online product reviews of Butterfly on Amazon, Walmart and Butterfly.com show very high consumer acceptance, so we are thrilled to be partnering with CVS pharmacy as the first national drug store chain retailer to launch our product.  With over 6,000 stores nationwide, CVS makes Butterfly a lot more accessible.  It also reflects CVS' strong commitment to consumer health and wellness innovation," says Ms. Brezoczky.

"Butterfly Body Liners help millions who are silenced with embarrassing bowel leaks that get in the way of daily living.  Most people who experience ABL do not need adult diapers because 90% of people living with ABL experience essentially light bowel leakage," says Steven Gregg, Executive Director, National Association for Continence (NAFC).

"We're proud that over 85% of users would recommend Butterfly to a friend, and that Butterfly is helping overcome this taboo.  Little bowel leaks deserve to be part of the everyday mature health and wellness conversation because there are things anyone can do to improve symptoms.  Today too many people are suffering without the right education and resources.  We're committed to changing that," says Ms. Brezoczky.

Butterfly Health's commitment to tackling the taboo about accidental bowel leakage has recently been highlighted in Forbes and in Nonwovens Industry Magazine. 

About Butterfly Health
Butterfly Health, Inc. is a small company with a big health and wellness mission. The company's award-winning product, Butterfly Body Liners, provides a category creating solution for accidental bowel leakage (ABL).  The company's founder, Kelly Lewis Brezoczky, is a published co-author of the Mature Women's Health Study in the November 2012 issue of the International Journal of Clinical Practice and is a consumer wellness advocate.  Butterfly Health is headquartered in California and Butterfly Body Liners are manufactured in Wisconsin.  Butterfly Body Liners for women are available at CVS, Target and Walmart stores. Butterfly Body Liners for Men are available at CVS and Target stores.  Butterfly Sport is available at Butterfly.com. All of Butterfly's products are available online at Butterfly.com and Walmart.com. For more information on Butterfly Health, Inc., ABL or to learn where to purchase Butterfly® Body Liners, please visit Butterfly.com

About Accidental Bowel Leakage
Accidental bowel leakage happens unexpectedly for 30 million women and men – many of whom are active and healthy.  Recent published peer-reviewed studies have shown that nearly 1 in 5 women over the age of 40 experience ABL and that men are affected in similar numbers.  Yet less than one in three talk to a healthcare provider about it.  90% of leakage is light to moderate and the average age of first onset is younger than 60 years old.  ABL is closely associated with common chronic conditions such as IBS, chronic diarrhea, diabetes, prostate cancer treatment, menopause, childbirth, and neuromuscular disorders. For more information about ABL visit NAFC.org, Sharecare.com, and ABLinfo.org

References
1 Gastroenterology, 129, 42-49, (July 2005) doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2005.04.006)

2 The American Journal of Gastroenterology, 110, 138-146 (January 2015) | doi:10.1038/ajg.2014.303

3 International Journal of Clinical Practice, 2012 Nov;66(11):1101-8. doi: 10.1111/ijcp.12018

4 International Journal of Clinical Practice, 2012 Nov;66(11):1109-16. doi: 10.1111/ijcp.12017

5 Prevalence of Incontinence Among Older Americans , Vital and Health Statistics  U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics report, June 25, 2014

For more information, contact:
Kelley Connors
Phone: 203-856-3732
[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150514/216012

SOURCE Butterfly Health

Related Links

http://www.butterfly.com