A new gadget available to women in Asian and Middle Eastern countries promises to "restore" their virginity for the bargain price of $29.95. An ad claims that the "artificial virginity hymen" fits inside the vagina and oozes a blood-like liquid upon penetration, creating the illusion of a broken hymen.

The description of the device from the Web site where it is sold states: "Insert this artificial hymen into your vagina carefully. It will expand a little and make you feel tight. When your lover penetrate, it will ooze out a liquid that look like blood not too much but just the right amount. Add in a few moans and groan, you will pass through undetectable."

It may sound funny, but virginity is a serious issue for women in conservative countries like Egypt, where wealthy women pay for surgery to restore their hymens before their wedding nights, and news of a more affordable option has set off intense criticism from conservatives. One lawmaker said if the government doesn't keep the device out of the country, it would be a "mark of shame."

On the other hand, popular columnist and outspoken feminist Amy Mowafi worries it allows Egyptians to avoid the real issue: hypocrisy toward premarital sex. "The problem with a device like this," she told NPR, "is it makes it too easy for the woman to play by the rules of society instead of standing up and saying, 'No, you need to understand that I am a good person. And it should not all come down to this issue of a hymen.'"