Whether you’re a woman who has always had a low libido or if you find it waning as the years pass, you are not alone: One-third of women ages 18 to 59 report the issue (known in the medical community as HSDD, or hypoactive sexual desire disorder). And those who are older may experience it even more often, as declining hormones send sexual desire south, too.
If you can relate and wish you felt hot and bothered more often, listen up: The FDA just approved Vyleesi, the second prescription drug to help with this condition, having approved Addyi in 2015.
“There are women who, for no known reason, have reduced sexual desire that causes marked distress, and who can benefit from safe and effective pharmacologic treatment. Today’s approval provides women with another treatment option for this condition,” Hylton V. Joffe, MD, MMSc and director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research’s Division of Bone, Reproductive and Urologic Products, said in the FDA’s statement. “As part of the FDA’s commitment to protect and advance the health of women, we’ll continue to support the development of safe and effective treatments for female sexual dysfunction.”
Interestingly, both medications target pre-menopausal women, but experts expect doctors to prescribe them to post-menopausal women as well once they’ve evaluated other health considerations (such as whether the patient has heart disease or diabetes, which could increase health risks).
Read More: Is Scheduling Sex the Secret to Saving a Lustless Marriage?
How It Works
Image: AMAG Pharmaceuticals
While Addyi is a tablet that’s taken orally on a daily basis (and alcohol should not be consumed while on it), Vyleesi works differently. It’s an injection administered as needed, 45 minutes before you anticipate being sexually active, according to AARP. It targets brain receptors that impact desire.
Specifically, it’s said to activate the melanocortin receptors in the brain, reducing inhibitions and enhancing neural excitation.
If you are experiencing low libido and want to boost it, talk to your doctor about whether one of these medications might be right for you.
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