By Anayansy Hernandez
For five years, Daniella Levy searched for relief from bacterial vaginosis (BV), cycling through doctors who all prescribed the same ineffective solutions, antibiotics, with no long-term guidance. The recurring infections took a toll on her confidence, mental health, and hope for a cure.
“It took a toll on my self-esteem, mental health, and overall sanity. I thought I had to live with this for the rest of my life because there was no other solution and nobody was talking about it,” Levy shared with Refresh Miami. About 21 million women in America are affected by the vaginal infection which causes an imbalance of bacteria in the vagina.
When traditional medicine failed her, she turned to home remedies she found online, but nothing provided lasting relief. She then took matters into her own hands. Teaming up with nutritionists and formulators, she set out to develop a real solution. After months of research and testing, she developed a probiotic that finally ended her struggle with BV.
That same probiotic is now the top-selling product at Happy V, her feminine wellness company that emerged from Levy’s journey with BV. In five years she has grown the Miramar-based company to 20 full-time employees with over 55,000 customers and multi-million dollar sales. Her products are sold on Amazon, TikTok shop, Shopify, and Walmart’s online platform.
The boot-strapped company is now part of a billion-dollar industry setting itself apart with a key differentiator – its ingredients. “We don’t use generic ingredients,” Levy said.
Happy V products use only clinically proven ingredients, meaning they’ve been tested in rigorous human trials to confirm their safety and effectiveness. Generic ingredients, on the other hand, may have some scientific support but aren’t necessarily tested in controlled clinical settings. They also lack a consistent concentration of active compounds, making their effectiveness inconsistent. According to Levy, this commitment to proven ingredients is what makes Happy V stand out. “What Happy V really values is that the data is there to back up our claims,” she said.
Happy V’s success has taken the brand beyond what Levy originally envisioned. Today, it offers a range of products, including probiotics for vaginal health, urinary tract health support, digestive enzymes, and menopause supplements, many of which were developed in response to customer feedback. But Levy’s vision goes beyond supplements. She aims to break the stigma around vaginal health and encourage open conversations. To drive real change, she is committed to funding research in historically underfunded areas of women’s health. She has also partnered with over 300 physicians to educate them on effective solutions they can recommend to their patients.
Happy V is also set to launch an app in the future. The app would allow women to better control their health. Users would track their health, sync their supplement intake, and connect with healthcare professionals, all in one place. More than just a tool, the app represents Happy V’s larger mission to ensure women have the resources they need to take charge of their well-being with science-backed solutions and break the stigma about vaginal health.
READ MORE IN REFRESH MIAMI:
- Meet the startups shaping the future of healthcare, from Miami to the world
- Peli Health: A one-stop shop for pelvic health education and support
- South Florida native launches consumer product feminine care system using AI tools
anayansy@yansymedia.com.