For years, the menopause was the Cinderella of women’s health. Women suffered in silence as their symptoms were overlooked, underestimated and regularly mistreated.
However, the menopause has finally found its voice, and famous faces such as Davina McCall, Lorraine Kelly and Michelle Obama have all helped to remove the stigma around the M word.
Hot flushes are a very common menopausal symptom, and a brand-new cooling device, called the Zera Cooling Crescent, has been designed by a Brunel University London student to finally take control of them.
The creator of Zera is Brixton-born Industrial Design and Technology student Aphra Hallam, 22, who wanted to create a cooling device that was portable, discreet, diverse and small enough to fit inside a handbag.
The small, chargeable device sits on the back of your neck and can be hidden underneath your hair or clothing. It uses skin-safe, reusable silicone gel pads to stay in place, similar to the ones used on a TENS machine.
The Zera Cooling Crescent
The crescent is used alongside the Zera app, which activates the cooling via Bluetooth and also provides additional menopause support and advice.
Zera was unveiled at last month's annual Made in Brunel exhibition, which showcased gadgets and devices designed by final-year students from Brunel Design School.
Aphra Hallam showcasing Zera at the Made in Brunel exhibition
“Over 70% of women do not treat their menopause symptoms. This can be attributed to a lack of discussion and education surrounding the menopause, as well as a limited number of discreet and non-invasive solutions available," said Aphra.
“I wanted to create a discreet cooling device that could be used all day, every day, whether at home or outside the home. The size was important, and I was inspired by various earbud charging cases. The Zera Cooling Crescent is charged in a small case that can be easily carried around.
The Zera Cooling Crescent and charging case
“When activated by the Zera app, the device produces a cooling sensation that targets the blood vessels in the back of the neck. Its close proximity to the end of the brain stem allows your body to cool down.
“The app also provides additional support and tracking for other menopause symptoms. It has a community feature that provides a support system for women going through the menopause.
The Zera app
The name Zera is a nod to Aphra’s Nigerian heritage and a combination of two words. The Z is from the word ‘zen’, which means to relax, and the ‘era’ is from the Yoruba word Ilera, which means health.
Aphra was inspired to create Zera after observing her mother struggling with menopausal hot flushes. "Hot flushes were the symptom that I saw my mother struggle with the most, particularly when she was outside the house. She’s into natural products, and there weren’t many natural remedies available for hot flushes,” Aphra said.
“The wrist and neck are the two main points on the body that cool you down quickest, and the other cooling products I saw were similar to bracelets to wear around the wrist. My mum isn’t really into wrist jewellery, which is why I wanted to create a cooling device for the neck. Hair and clothes can also be used to cover it up, making it more discreet.”
The Cooling Crescent comes in different skin-coloured tones, and this was an important design feature for Aphra. “The menopause disproportionally affects black women, who experience symptoms for much longer than white women. They can last up to a decade, due to a mix of environmental factors and genetics,” Aphra said.
“As a black woman, I was inspired to create the product to help empower women and reduce the stigma of ageing while being sensitive to the racial disparities in reproductive ageing.
“The device comes in a range of skin tones, with a mission to include additional darker skin tones that are not always represented in the colour choice of products.”
Aphra hopes that the product will be a viable solution for all women experiencing hot flushes. “The menopause is not as widely talked about as it should be, even though it affects such a large proportion of the population. I hope that Zera raises awareness about menopausal symptoms and addresses racial disparities. The Cooling Crescent can be used on the go and will provide a quick and easy solution to hot flushes,” she said.
For further information on Industrial Design and Technology at Brunel, please visit http://www.brunel.ac.uk/ba-ides
Reported by:
Nadine Palmer,
Media Relations
+44 (0)1895 267090
nadine.palmer@brunel.ac.uk