Sex

Will Science Fix The Female Orgasm?

open mouth with pill on tongue
From gels to injections, a round-up of all the ways science hopes to improve female orgasm.
Is there a logical explanation as to why lady parts can't orgasm consistently or (in some cases) ever during sexual intercourse? Can a pill, patch, cream, or vaginal collagen injection, morph a frigid woman into a sex pot with O-faces aplenty? Here's a round-up of how science has tried to help women reach orgasm.

Is there a logical explanation as to why women can't climax consistently or (in some cases) ever during sexual intercourse? Can a pill, patch, cream, or (gulp) vaginal collagen injection, morph a frigid woman into one who orgasms with male consistency? 

The answer: Nobody knows. Naturally. But that hasn't stopped science, bless its heart, from trying. But should they? A recently released documentary, Orgasm Inc., begs ladies to think twice before assigning themselves to "female sexual dysfunction" a disorder companies are attempting to treat with a variety of fix-its. Director Liz Canner questions whether or not FSD even exists, and advises women proceed with caution. Regardless, below is a quick round-up of some ways the men and women in white lab coats have attempted to tinker and tweak the female libido to reach its full potential. Lady Gaga Can Orgasm Without Touch—And So Can You

1.) Intrinsa, "the sex patch": Developed back in the 90s, Intrinsa, a testosterone-packed patch, was lauded as a miracle cure for women suffering from a myriad of sex problems. While never legal in the United States—regulators were weary of its link to cancer—those who slapped it on in Europe experienced an increase in satisfactory sexual experiences due to the waves of testosterone circling their systems. The caveat? Acne, hair loss, skin reactions, weight gain, migraines and insomnia. Yikes.

2.) LibiGel: In 2007 a little concoction of testosterone-in-gel-form burst onto the scene. LibiGel, to be applied to the upper area of a woman's arm, was created to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder. Or, in layman's terms, women who have a hard time becoming aroused. As of February 2010 the drug still wasn't FDA-approved, but researchers were in the midst of two double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III efficacy trials.

3.) Sexual arousal oil: Zestra Essential Arousal Oil is a topical solution of botanical oils and extracts to be applied directly to ladyparts before sex. Those who tested it experienced an "increase in clitoral and vaginal warmth, heightened arousal, and increased sexual pleasure" for up to 45 minutes. Caution: due to being oil-based, don't use latex condoms. Opt for polyurethane condoms instead.

4.) Orgasm shot: By far the wackiest scheme for achieving orgasms during intercourse, a UK-based gynecologist administers inner vagina collagen injections as a means to more orgasms. The logic? Enlarge the G-spot and the once-tiny bundle of nerves won't have any excuse to respond to contact during sex. In response, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists warns against these procedures and any other kind of vaginal plastic surgery, pointing out that variety is the spice of life when it comes to vaginas and women shouldn't fixate on altering theirs. Is Sex Therapy For You?

5.) Orgasmatron: As documented in Orgasm, Inc. doctors developed a chip—aptly named the Orgasmatron—to be placed in a woman's spine. This chip is meant to encourage orgasm, but unfortunately for Charlotte, a woman profiled in the documentary, her only side effect was a jerking left leg. 

6.) Flibanserin: Flibanserin is the next drug up for the coveted FDA approval. Initially Flibanserin was to be administered as an antidepressant, but research proved it reduced inhibitions and increased sexual desire instead. On June 18, 2010 the drug will face the FDA, but the outlook may not be so good. In trials, the placebo group versus the actual drug group produced results not too drastically different from each other. Stay tuned on this one.

Readers, would you or have you tried any of these methods? 

Is there a logical explanation as to why women can't climax consistently or (in some cases) ever during sexual intercourse? Can a pill, patch, cream, or (gulp) vaginal collagen injection, morph a frigid woman into one who orgasms with male consistency? 

The answer: Nobody knows. Naturally. But that hasn't stopped science, bless its heart, from trying. But should they? A recently released documentary, Orgasm Inc., begs ladies to think twice before assigning themselves to "female sexual dysfunction" a disorder companies are attempting to treat with a variety of fix-its. Director Liz Canner questions whether or not FSD even exists, and advises women proceed with caution. Regardless, below is a quick round-up of some ways the men and women in white lab coats have attempted to tinker and tweak the female libido to reach its full potential. Lady Gaga Can Orgasm Without Touch—And So Can You

1.) Intrinsa, "the sex patch": Developed back in the 90s, Intrinsa, a testosterone-packed patch, was lauded as a miracle cure for women suffering from a myriad of sex problems. While never legal in the United States—regulators were weary of its link to cancer—those who slapped it on in Europe experienced an increase in satisfactory sexual experiences due to the waves of testosterone circling their systems. The caveat? Acne, hair loss, skin reactions, weight gain, migraines and insomnia. Yikes.

2.) LibiGel: In 2007 a little concoction of testosterone-in-gel-form burst onto the scene. LibiGel, to be applied to the upper area of a woman's arm, was created to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder. Or, in layman's terms, women who have a hard time becoming aroused. As of February 2010 the drug still wasn't FDA-approved, but researchers were in the midst of two double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III efficacy trials.

3.) Sexual arousal oil: Zestra Essential Arousal Oil is a topical solution of botanical oils and extracts to be applied directly to ladyparts before sex. Those who tested it experienced an "increase in clitoral and vaginal warmth, heightened arousal, and increased sexual pleasure" for up to 45 minutes. Caution: due to being oil-based, don't use latex condoms. Opt for polyurethane condoms instead.

4.) Orgasm shot: By far the wackiest scheme for achieving orgasms during intercourse, a UK-based gynecologist administers inner vagina collagen injections as a means to more orgasms. The logic? Enlarge the G-spot and the once-tiny bundle of nerves won't have any excuse to respond to contact during sex. In response, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists warns against these procedures and any other kind of vaginal plastic surgery, pointing out that variety is the spice of life when it comes to vaginas and women shouldn't fixate on altering theirs. Is Sex Therapy For You?

5.) Orgasmatron: As documented in Orgasm, Inc. doctors developed a chip—aptly named the Orgasmatron—to be placed in a woman's spine. This chip is meant to encourage orgasm, but unfortunately for Charlotte, a woman profiled in the documentary, her only side effect was a jerking left leg. 

6.) Flibanserin: Flibanserin is the next drug up for the coveted FDA approval. Initially Flibanserin was to be administered as an antidepressant, but research proved it reduced inhibitions and increased sexual desire instead. On June 18, 2010 the drug will face the FDA, but the outlook may not be so good. In trials, the placebo group versus the actual drug group produced results not too drastically different from each other. Stay tuned on this one.

Readers, would you or have you tried any of these methods?