At the Center, we often treat women with low desire by giving them testosterone. Whether a woman is 24 or 54, they generally fear that testosterone will “turn them into a man”. Though high enough doses can have masculinizing side effects, we use such small doses that we rarely see them. Women make testosterone just like men do and they need it to have optimal sexual functioning. We see in women with either short or long term issues with desire that they become sexually alive in a way they had not been when they use the testosterone treatment.
I recently saw a woman who was 56, single and newly comfortable with sex toys. She came back to the Center after having been away for many months, because she had stopped using the testosterone and she really missed having her sex drive. She said, “my friends think I am crazy. But I had been told that if I don’t use it I will lose it.” We agree. The more sex someone has either alone or with a partner the more sex they’ll want to have. And feeling alive in a sexual way can add to your energy level, health and overall wellbeing. So don’t think that because you are single, too young or too old you have to accept having low desire. I have seen over and over again that women who lack desire generally don’t feel as good about themselves. This patient was an inspiration – everyone deserves a good sex life at every age, and if you aren’t having one we can help you create one!
