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To treat erectile dysfunction, men have many medications to choose from, including Cialis, Levitra, Stendra, and Viagra, also known as the “little blue pill.” For women, the treatment options are less robust.
While drugs designed for men aim to increase blood flow to the penis, thereby enabling erection and sexual function, most women are physically able to have intercourse without the aid of drugs. The clitoris, the female equivalent of the penis, fill with blood when aroused, but arousal is not necessarily necessary to have sex. Therefore, there is no true equivalent of a Viagra-like drug for women on the market, simply because genital function is different by gender.
Yet women suffer from sexual dysfunction and there are medications that can help them. Female sexual dysfunction can include things like pain during intercourse or physical changes that affect intimacy. However, the drugs currently on the market target a woman’s sexual desire – although it should be noted that when it comes to libido, it’s a bit more complicated than popping a pill and jumping into bed.
Dr. Jennifer Wider, women’s health expert, told Yahoo Life: “There are many reasons why women may have a lower libido, including depression, anxiety, stress, side effects of medication and pain during intercourse, which leads to a decrease in desire. .”
However, a single drug cannot cure all the problems. these problems. Although medications can help some people lift their mood, they are not a one-size-fits-all solution.
“Little Pink Pill”
That said, there are drugs that claim to make women want to have sex. This includes flibanserin, whose trade name is Addyi. So far, the drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration only for premenopausal women.
“When they first came out, they marketed themselves as female Viagra – the ‘little pink pill’ instead of the ‘little blue pill’. It’s really misleading, because it was always a matter of libido,” says Dr. Lauren Streicher, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University.
Addyi is a pill that must be taken by mouth every night. Clinical studies show that after eight to 12 weeks, sexual desire increases, says Streicher.
“It doesn’t make someone want to have sex all the time, but it puts them more in the ‘normal’ range,” she says.
Unlike Viagra, Addyi is not an “on-demand” drug, says Streicher.
Although the drug works by attacking neurotransmitters that play a role in sexual desire, Streicher points out that there is more to libido than any drug can provide. For example, past sexual experiences may prevent some people from having a pleasurable sexual experience.
Vyleesi
Another FDA-approved drug, Streicher says, is Vyleesi, which is similar to Addyi in that it acts on neurotransmitters. But unlike this drug, Vyleesi is an on-demand drug that works by injection into the thigh or abdomen in 45 minutes.
“It’s about the same effectiveness – we envision that maybe 50% of women will really notice a significant difference, enough to keep using it,” she explains.
Testosterone
A third drug sometimes used to boost libido is the hormone testosterone, which is not FDA approved for this use.
“It’s safe and effective, but you have to go to someone who knows how to dose it and how to do it to make sure you don’t experience side effects, hair growth and acne” , explains Streicher. “You don’t want to borrow your male partner’s testosterone, because women need about a tenth the level of testosterone.”
Although medical intervention is possible for women with low libido, it may not be the first step one wants to take.
Understanding Desire
Chicago-based sex therapist Rachel Zar tells Yahoo Life that there are two types of desire: spontaneous desire and reactive desire. Men tend to have more spontaneous desire, in the sense that they can find “desire before taste.” Women, however, “tend to experience desire insofar as taste must come before desire. So I like this experience. Sounds sexy to me, so now I want sex.’
Zar says that when she works with patients looking to increase their libido, she asks them to identify things that feel sexy to them, whether it’s snuggling up to a partner or kissing. Rather than jumping straight into sex, you can arouse your desire through these actions, so you don’t just “wait for the desire to come”.
Planning a sexual encounter also allows you to mentally and emotionally prepare yourself for sex.
“People with penises can take a pill and they know that in half an hour they are going to have sex,” Zar explains. “Women can do the same thing – they can pop a green bowling pin if they want – then spend half an hour before planning sex, thinking about how you make love. If you can think about it in a way that excites you, you are setting yourself up for success.
In addition to preparing you mentally and emotionally, you can also get blood flowing to your genitals, which is the purpose of Viagra.
“You can give yourself a massage or use a vibrator, and it doesn’t even have to be in the form of masturbation,” Zar explains. “You can also do some Kegels. Blood flow keeps our vaginal walls moist and lubricated, as well as plumped and stretchy – all those physical signs of arousal that get the body ready for particularly penetrating sex.
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