For decades, pap smears—uncomfortable, often painful pelvic exams—have been the standard way to detect cervical cancer. That’s led many women to skip screenings altogether. But a San Francisco-based startup is aiming to change that.

Teal Health has developed an at-home screening tool called the Teal Wand, a self-swab device that they say will make cervical cancer testing more comfortable, more accessible—and way less intimidating. According to The New York Times, the company hopes this option will remove some of the fear and stigma that surround traditional exams.

The FDA has already signed off on the Teal Wand, which was “built with empathy,” per NPR. Instead of using a speculum to scrape cervical cells (the part everyone dreads), the Teal Wand involves a soft, sponge-tipped swab.

“Because when we make care easier to get, we help women stay healthy, for themselves and for the people who rely on them every day,” said Kara Egan, Teal Health’s CEO and co-founder.

Experts believe the easier, less invasive method could help save lives. Roughly 11,500 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year in the U.S., and 4,000 die from the disease. Yet, it’s one of the most preventable cancers—if caught early through regular screenings.

Other countries like Sweden and Australia already offer at-home cervical cancer tests. Bringing the option to the U.S. could be a game changer.

“What’s different about this new indication is that this sample can be collected at home and not in a medical setting,” said Dr. George Sawaya, a gynecologist at UCSF Health. “You have to logically believe that would increase access if people’s main barrier was getting to a medical setting.”

That barrier is real: around 25 percent of women in the U.S. haven’t been screened for cervical cancer in recent years. Experts say increasing access could help push the disease closer to extinction.

It could also help close longstanding racial health gaps. Black and Native American women are more likely to die of cervical cancer than white women, according to national data.

Teal Health plans to roll out its at-home kits in California starting next month. The tests will be available by prescription for women ages 25 to 65 who are considered “at average risk.” The company is also working with major insurance providers to help cover the cost.

In short: this could be a big step toward easier, more equitable health care—no speculum required.