Roman Swipes is a new product from a popular men’s health brand called Roman. They're applied to the penis prior to sex, and the brand claims that the Swipes are "clinically proven to help you last longer in bed."
But can topical wipes really improve sexual performance? What's actually in these wipes? Do they contain any dangerous ingredients? And are Roman Swipes better or worse than popular male enhancement products like Bluechew?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we review research studies on the active ingredient in Roman Swipes, to give our take on whether or not this brand is likely to be effective.
We'll also compare the effectiveness of Roman Swipes to therapy (which is often recommended to patients experiencing premature ejaculation), discuss the risk of side effects, and compare the brand to other popular male enhancement products to pick our winners (and losers).
Key takeaways:
- Active ingredient clinically proven to be effective
- Time-to-ejaculation increased by around 4.5 minutes
- Very mild side effect profile
Do Roman Swipes Work?
Roman cites one clinical trial on the Swipes page of their website, and claims that this trial proves that their product can increase sexual endurance by 340%:
Benzocaine at a concentration of 4% is the active ingredient in Roman Swipes.
Benzocaine is part of a class of medications called topical local anesthetics. This means that the drug reduces the sensitivity of nerve endings where applied.
The linked trial, published in the Journal of Men’s Health, examined whether benzocaine wipes at the same concentration as in Roman Swipes could reduce severity of premature ejaculation.
The treatment was successful, with the average time-to-ejaculation increasing from 75 seconds at baseline to 330 seconds by the end of the second month. There was a significant increase in sexual duration between months one and two, which suggests that there may be even greater benefits to using benzocaine wipes for a longer period of time than two months.
We have not seen the results of this trial replicated in other clinical trials, but given that various local anesthetics have been successfully used to treat premature ejaculation for decades, according to medical research, we consider Roman Swipes likely to be effective.
Roman does not publish the full ingredients list on the product page of their website, which we believe they should, but we can confirm from the product’s FDA label that there are no potentially harmful additive ingredients.
Ethyl alcohol (used as a solvent), propylene glycol and purified water are the three inactive ingredients, and all should be safe and non-toxic.
Do Roman Swipes Cause Side Effects?
One benefit of Roman Swipes in our opinion is that it’s unlikely to cause any side effects, given that it’s a topical treatment.
Very little benzocaine, if any, will be absorbed systemically. This makes it a potentially safer option than prescription medications.
As we noted in our Bluechew reviews article, oral sexual enhancement drugs like Bluechew and Viagra can cause long-lasting side effects such as back pain and headache due to the systemic absorption of these drugs.
The clinical trial linked to in the previous section noted zero meaningful side effects. One patient using the medicated wipes reported a mild headache and back pain, but a patient using the placebo wipes reported a hernia. This suggests that neither symptom was related to the active drug ingredient.
One patient reported a mild, temporary irritation on the penis, which we consider to be a more likely side effect given that Roman Swipes are topical.
We consider Roman Swipes to have a superior side effect profile to most pharmaceutical drugs, and believe this is a significant benefit of the product.
Can Therapy Treat PE?
Behavioral therapy is often recommended to treat premature ejaculation, because the condition can be psychological in nature.
If a patient is experiencing anxiety about sex, then speaking with a licensed therapist can help them work out those anxieties and last longer in bed.
A meta-study published in the Medical Sciences journal evaluated research on the various ways of treating premature ejaculation.
The researchers found that behavioral therapy was an effective approach, but didn’t fully treat the problem over long periods of time in most cases.
65% of patients receiving behavioral therapy for premature ejaculation experienced short-term benefits, but only 25% of patients experienced long-term benefits.
This data suggests that while therapy improves time-to-ejaculation, and should likely be considered because it has no downsides from a health perspective, it may not be effective for most men.
We consider Roman Swipes more likely to be effective than behavioral therapy for premature ejaculation, but patients can also try both approaches to see what works for them.
Roman Swipes vs. Popular Enhancements
Here's how Roman Swipes compares to other popular sexual enhancement products in terms of formulation quality, in our opinion:
Bluechew
This oral supplement contains FDA-approved active ingredients like tadalafil, which is clinically shown to last over 24 hours and resolve ED.
Upon our most recent analysis, the inactive ingredients in Bluechew were not clearly published on the brand's website, which is a consumer safety risk.
Winner: Roman Swipes
Black Bull Honey
This gas station sexual enhancement supplement has an unclear manufacturer, and the exact same ingredient list as a different supplement that was the subject of an FDA ban.
As we documented in our Black Bull Honey Extreme reviews article, we consider this brand to be a serious consumer safety risk.
Roman is the more reputable brand, and the safer choice here.
Winner: Roman Swipes
Horny Goat Weed
Very limited clinical backing in humans; most of the studies showing enhanced libido are animal studies.
Most of the online sellers of this herb that we've come across haven't been reputable.
Winner: Roman Swipes
Our Clean Men's Health Picks
Illuminate Labs Panax Ginseng Extract is our top erection quality pick.
Panax ginseng was shown in a clinical trial published in The Journal of Urology to increase erectile function scores "significantly" compared to participants taking placebo pills.
MBG Vitamin D3 Potency+ is our top testosterone support pick.
Vitamin D3 supplementation has been clinically shown to increase total testosterone levels by over 25%.
Both of the products recommended in this section are free of ingredients that we consider unhealthy.
Roman Swipes Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Likely effective
- Better option than therapy
- Free of major side effects
- May be safer than oral supplements in similar category
- Healthier than competitors
Cons:
- Not many clinical trials on active ingredient proving effectiveness
- The brand itself doesn't appear clinically tested
