Can You Orgasm Your Way To Better Skin? I Tried

JESSICA DEFINO

There’s a reason why one the number-one blush in the world is named “Orgasm,” and why you can always kind of, sort of tell when someone’s just had sex: After a particularly satisfying romp—in which you actually climax—your skin takes on this other-worldly glow that seems to radiate from within. And for me, that means 15 minutes when my face doesn’t look acne-prone and irritated, but rather pure, flushed, and glowy.

In fact, I love my “sex skin” so much, that I set out to see if I could make it last forever (or, at the very least, longer than a Friends rerun). So after doing a little research and talking to a few experts to make sure my idea wasn’t totally crazy, I decided to conduct an experiment: 14 orgasms, seven days, and a whole bunch of selfies. Even if my test was a failure, I figured I’d at least end up with a happy ending—14 of them, to be exact.

Could It Really Work?

I’d like to clarify that I didn’t embark on this experiment blindly. The idea came from a book I read called Pussy: A Reclamation by Regena Thomashauer, in which Thomashauer, a “pleasure” advocate and the founder of The School of Womanly Arts, writes, “I am a firm believer in the power of orgasm to fuel a woman’s radiance.” Sure, she meant “radiance” in the abstract, but my interests were still piqued.

Stocksy

After some deep-dive research, I did find a link between consistent orgasm and clearer, brighter, younger-look skin. In the ‘90s, Researcher David Weeks studied 3,500 people and found that women who had three orgasms a week looked, on average, 10 years younger than those who only had two. Furthermore, recent studies prove that female orgasm releases hormones that benefit skin (like estrogen, which helps maintain collagen), lowers cortisol levels (the stress hormone that can wreak havoc on skin), and boosts blood circulation, which stimulates and repairs collagen. I started to think of orgasming as a really, really fun version of retinol.

I called Thomashauer to get her thoughts on my skin-clearing theory. “Actually, I had terrible acne into my thirties, and the only thing that impacted my skin was when I had an orgasm a day,” she says. “If I were to design an experiment for you, I would aim for two daily orgasms, because I think it evens out your skin chemistry in the most remarkable way.” (Note: There’s no science that actually says this, but hey, why not try it?)

My plan was to masturbate once in the morning and have sex with my husband once in the evening (which, I admit, was ambitious), but it was surprisingly hard to find a convenient time to experience so much pleasure. With family visiting, a facial scheduled (which would alter the appearance of my skin), and just feeling blah overall, it took a few false starts before I was finally (getting) off.

The Big-O Experiment

On day one, I made some notes in my journal: “Skin is a little dull, and there’s some scarring and redness, especially under my nose.” After my first (self-administered) orgasm, I checked the mirror immediately to note any changes. My cheeks had a nice, healthy flush—as was expected—but that was about it. A last-minute scheduling mix-up with my husband also meant that I was on my own again that night.

The next day, I compared day two’s selfie to the previous. My skin was definitely a little glowier, right? Right?! But as the initial excitement wore off, I found it harder to fit two sessions into my day—I didn’t anticipate how much time actually goes into getting in the mood and working myself up to the orgasm, let alone setting time aside for sex. By the third morning, I journaled, “I don’t want to do this. I feel like I’m forcing myself.” But force myself I did, in the name of science.

On day four, I was pretty much over it. My skin was looking a bit brighter and calmer, but the work that went into orgasming was seriously stressing me out. And then, to top it off, my period started. I was totally taken by surprise. Usually, a smattering of cystic zits on my face is a sign that my period is coming, but during my experiment, I didn’t break out at all. This was revolutionary—did I just find the cure for zits?!

The thrill of my discovery didn’t last long. On days five and six, I could only manage one attempt at masturbation per day, proving you can turn anything into a chore. The final morning of my experiment, though, as I scrolled through my week’s worth of selfies, I felt shocking satisfaction: Compared to day one, my seventh-day skin was noticeably less inflamed, sported fewer pimples, and looked definitively flushed and glowy. It was hard to notice a change day to day, but from start to finish the pictures didn’t lie—my skin looked, well, better.

My Seven-Day Orgasm Results

Day 1

JESSICA DEFINO

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What Was Actually Happening

Seeing as this experiment was completely biased, uncontrolled, and not-at-all scientific, I was afraid that my results could partially be a placebo effect. So I consulted a dermatologist to get a professional opinion. Am I crazy? “No,” says Jennifer Vickers, M.D., of Sanova Dermatology in Texas. Though Dr. Vickers admits orgasms, particularly women's orgasms, are not well studied, she was able to validate some of my findings.

Stocksy

“Orgasming causes your brain to trigger an oxytocin release,” she says, noting that the oxytocin (which is a happy, feel-good hormone) lowers cortisol levels, leads to better sleep, helps the skin heal itself, and decreases inflammation in the body. And while orgasming can’t necessarily reverse the effects of stress on the skin, Dr. Vickers speculates that it may stop stress-related skin disorders from flaring up in the first place.

At this point you may be thinking, If orgasms are so good for my skin, why haven’t I heard about this before? “Because orgasms are free,” says Thomashauer. “In this culture, if it’s not tied to a product, it’s not really promoted.” It’s also likely due to the fact that the benefits of orgasms are, sadly, only temporary. Hormone levels even out after the initial post-O glow, so in order for your skin to reap any long-term benefits, your orgasm routine needs to be a consistent—like, at-least-once-a-day consistent.

Still, based on how my skin looks now, I feel like it’s my duty—both as a woman and as a skincare-obsessed citizen of the world—to do my part to make “sex skin” a lifelong look. While I can’t guarantee that consistent orgasm will entirely rid you of acne or wrinkles, I can guarantee that it’s arguably more fun (and way less expensive) than a trip to the dermatologist.

Why Having Orgasms Is THE BEST Thing For Your Skin

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True story, orgasms will make you look younger and glowier! Seriously, after-sex skin is a real thing, and by that we mean super glowy, literally lit-from-within skin. It sounds too good to be true, and you’re probably thinking, well that glow’s not gonna last long, but here’s where it gets really interesting; there are tons of studies that show having more orgasms will actually make you look younger while the short term benefits include decreasing stress, helping with sleep, and improving your skin. Even if you’re still not convinced, it’s worth a try, right?!

The thing is, having an orgasm as often as you can could be the cheapest wellness hack you discover this year. Oh, and for the record, Medical News describes an orgasm as “a powerful feeling of physical pleasure and sensation, which includes a discharge of accumulated erotic tension,’ which they also state has numerous health benefits. Here’s all the proof and all the ways orgasms are going to make you look and feel ten times better.

Orgasms Will Make You Look Younger

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One study examined 3,500 people and found that women who had three orgasms a week looked, on average, 10 years younger than the women who only had two! Another study, which came to the same conclusion, revealed the reasons behind why having orgasms can make you look so much younger:

Endorphins: The release of the ‘feel good’ chemical, endorphins, naturally acts as a painkiller and helps to reduce anxiety, thereby helping you sleep better – and sleep is the key to health!

Human growth hormones: Orgasms cause human growth hormones to release, which helps improve the skin’s elasticity.

Another study by the University of Michigan showed that orgasms increase estrogen levels, which also has anti-aging benefits: it maintains collagen, which we all know is a protein that promotes more youthful skin. Higher estrogen levels also help skin thickness and elasticity, and may even help lock in the skin’s moisture, thereby keeping the skin plumper and more resistant to wrinkles.

Orgasms Will Make You Feel Better

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Okay, so that’s obvious, but it will make you feel better in the unobvious ways! When you orgasm, your body releases what people refer to as the love hormone, aka oxytocin. Oxytocin helps to decrease stress by lowering cortisol levels and it also helps release tension by stimulating feelings of warmth and relaxation.

All this oxytocin and de-stressing leads to better sleep, decreased inflammation in the body – less inflammation means less acne and puffiness – while the lower levels of cortisol improve collagen production, helping the skin to heal better.

Orgasms Will Make Your Skin Glow

via Giphy

After an orgasm, the increased rate of blood flowing through your body coupled with blood-vessel dilation means your system is flooded with oxygen, which boosts collagen production that stimulates and repairs the skin. All that increased blood flow also gives your cheeks what’s referred to as an ‘orgasm flush’ – hence the name behind NARS’ iconic Orgasm Blush – as your body pushes all the blood to your skin to make your face look flushed.

Finally, increased blood flow means more water is transferred to your skin (your largest organ), and we all know hydration is essential for a glowy complexion.

So, other than the initial glowy appearance that you’ll get after an orgasm, the results of orgasming often are actually much longer lasting than you’d think – not just for your skin and body, but for your mental wellbeing too! And the best thing about orgasms is they’re completely free, and you don’t need anyone else to help you!

Diabetes and menopause: A twin challenge

Diabetes and menopause: A twin challenge

Diabetes and menopause may team up for varied effects on your body. Here's what to expect — and how to stay in control.
By Mayo Clinic Staff

Menopause — and the years before it — may provide some challenges for women who have diabetes. If you have diabetes and you're going through menopause — or soon will be — learn what to expect. Then consider what to do about it.

Diabetes and menopause: What to expect

Menopause is the phase of life after your periods have stopped and your estrogen levels decline. Menopause can also occur as a result of surgery, when the ovaries are removed for other medical reasons.
Diabetes and menopause may team up for varied effects on your body, including:
•Changes in blood sugar level. The hormones estrogen and progesterone affect how your cells respond to insulin. After menopause, changes in your hormone levels can trigger fluctuations in your blood sugar level. You may notice that your blood sugar level changes more than before, and goes up and down. If your blood sugar gets out of control, you have a higher risk of diabetes complications.
•Weight gain. You might gain weight during the menopausal transition and after menopause. Weight gain may require an adjustment in your diabetes medication.
•Infections. Even before menopause, high blood sugar levels can contribute to urinary tract and vaginal infections. After menopause — when a drop in estrogen makes it easier for bacteria and yeast to thrive in the urinary tract and vagina — the risk is even higher.
•Sleep problems. After menopause, hot flashes and night sweats may keep you up at night. In turn, the sleep deprivation can make it tougher to manage your blood sugar level.
•Sexual problems. Diabetes can damage the nerves of the cells that line the vagina. This can interfere with arousal and orgasm. Vaginal dryness, a common symptom of menopause, may worsen the issue by causing pain during sex.

Diabetes and menopause: What you can do

Menopause can wreak havoc on your diabetes control. But there's plenty you can do to better manage diabetes and menopause.
•Make healthy lifestyle choices. Healthy lifestyle choices are important aspects of your diabetes treatment plan. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean poultry and low-fat dairy products. Aim for about 30 minutes of physical activity — such as brisk walking — a day. Healthy foods and regular physical activity can help you feel your best after menopause, too. Also quit smoking if you smoke.
•Measure your blood pressure often. Make sure your blood pressure levels are within a healthy range. Ask your doctor if you have questions or concerns about your blood pressure. If you take medications for high blood pressure, be sure to take them as prescribed.
•Measure your blood sugar frequently. You may need to check your blood sugar level more often than usual during the day, and occasionally during the night. Keep a log of your blood sugar readings and symptoms. Your doctor may use the details to adjust your diabetes treatment plan as needed.
•Ask your doctor about adjusting your diabetes medications. If your average blood sugar level increases, you may need to increase the dosage of your diabetes medications or begin taking a new medication — especially if you gain weight or reduce your level of physical activity. Likewise, if your average blood sugar level decreases, you may need to reduce the dosage of your diabetes medications.
•Ask your doctor about cholesterol-lowering medications. If you have diabetes, you're at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The risk increases even more when you reach menopause. To reduce the risk, eat healthy foods and exercise regularly. Your doctor may recommend cholesterol-lowering medication if you're not already taking it.
•Seek help for menopausal symptoms. If you're struggling with hot flashes, vaginal dryness, decreased sexual response or other menopausal symptoms, remember that treatment is available.

For example, your doctor may recommend a vaginal lubricant to restore vaginal moisture or vaginal estrogen therapy to correct thinning and inflammation of the vaginal walls. Your doctor may also recommend hormone replacement therapy to relieve the symptoms if you don't have conditions that could cause a higher risk of complications.
If weight gain is a problem, a registered dietitian can help you revise your meal plans. Hormone replacement therapy might be a good option, too.

Having diabetes while going through menopause can be a twin challenge. Work closely with your doctor to ease the transition.

The Riddle of the Sphincter

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Everything You Need to Know About Male Orgasms

1. Is this a certain type of orgasm?
No, it’s an all-encompassing term for any kind of orgasm related to male genitalia.
It could be ejaculatory or non-ejaculatory, or even a mix of both! That’s right, you may be able to have multiple orgasms in one session.
All that said, your genitalia isn’t your only option when it comes to achieving the big O.
Read on for tips on where to touch, how to move, why it works, and more.

2. It can be an ejaculatory orgasm
Orgasm and ejaculation often happen simultaneously, but they’re actually two separate events that don’t necessarily have to happen at the same time.
If your pleasure mounts and you shoot — or dribble — semen from your penis, then you’ve had an ejaculatory orgasm.
Try this
Here’s a doozy from our Masturbation Guide called “The Stranger.”
To give it go: Sit on your dominant hand until it falls asleep, then use it to masturbate with. It’ll feel like someone else is doing the job.

3. Or a non-ejaculatory orgasm
Again, you don’t need to expel semen to have an orgasm.
Not everyone ejaculates with orgasm, and even those that do may not ejaculate every time.
This is also referred to as a dry orgasm.
Unless you and your partner are trying to conceive — in which case you should see a doctor — dry orgasms are usually harmless and just as enjoyable as an ejaculatory orgasm.
Try this
Make some noise. We know that masturbation is often quick and quiet. There’s nothing wrong with a discreet quickie, but letting loose and making all the noise that comes naturally can be freeing.
Get into it and let out every moan and groan your body wants to — just be sure to save this one for an empty house or company that’ll enjoy the sound show.

4. Or even multiple orgasms
Though not as common for someone with a penis, multiple orgasms are possible. And who doesn’t like a challenge?
Try this
The key to multiple orgasms may be in learning to extend the period of high arousal before you come.
Masturbate almost to the point of orgasm and change the stimulation by switching hands or rhythm, or breathing slower.
When the urge to come subsides, bring yourself to the edge again, and then back down again using the techniques we just described.


5. Or a mix of all of the above
Chances are that if you have multiple orgasms, you’ll experience a mix of ejaculatory and non-ejaculatory orgasms.
Try this
Try sex toys to change things up and practice prolonging your level of high arousal as described above. You can find all kinds of sex toys online, each offering up different sensations.
Some common options are:
Fleshlights
pocket strokers
vibrating cock rings


6. But you can orgasm from other stimulation, too
Your penis doesn’t have all the power when it comes to orgasm — your body’s loaded with pleasure points that are just waiting to get you off.
Prostate
Your prostate is the way to an intense, full-body orgasm. This walnut-sized gland is located between your penis and bladder, just behind your rectum.
You can access it by inserting a finger or sex toy in your anus.
Try this: Start by slowly rubbing the outside and inside of your anal opening with your finger. Insert your finger and massage your prostate, slowing increasing your speed as your pleasure builds.
If you’d rather not use your finger, there are plenty of toys you — or a partner — can try. Shop now for anal sex toys.
Nipple
Nipples are full of nerve endings. They’re also connected to the brain’s genital sensory cortex, so almost anyone can get pleasure from their nipples.
Nipple orgasms are said to sneak up on you and then send pleasure shooting through your whole body.
Try this: If you’re flying solo, get comfortable and let your mind wander to whatever gets your juices flowing. Use your hands to rub your chest and nipples to find what feels good and then keep at it.
For partner play, have them use their hands, lips, and tongue to caress, flick, pinch, and lick the area.
Erogenous
Your body is full of erogenous zones that go beyond the obvious ones we’ve just covered. These are sensitive spots on your body that lead to some serious arousal and possibly a full-body orgasm when touched just right.
Try this: Get comfortable and begin touching yourself starting at your scalp and working your way down, lingering on any parts that feel especially amazing.
Increase your speed and pressure as your pleasure intensifies. If you can’t take yourself over the edge like that, let one hand head south for a hand job while the other keeps pleasuring the rest of your body.

7. Where does the G-spot come in?
Stumped about the male G-spot? That’s because what’s often referred to as the male G-spot is actually the prostate.
We’ve already covered how to find it via your anus, but you can actually stimulate it indirectly by massaging your perineum.
Also known as the taint, the perineum is the landing strip of skin between your balls and your anus.
A finger, a tongue, or a vibrating toy over the perineum can all work magic on the prostate.

8. Isn’t ejaculation the same thing as orgasm?
Most people refer to ejaculation and orgasm as one in the same, but they are actually two separate physiological events.
Orgasm includes the pelvic contractions and intense pleasure and release you feel when you come. Ejaculation is the expulsion of semen from the penis.

9. What happens in the body when you orgasm?
An orgasm is just part of the sexual response cycle, which happens in stages. Every body is different, so the duration, intensity, and even order of the stages can vary from one person to another.
Excitement
The excitement phase is the kick-off to the sexual response cycle. It can be triggered by thoughts, touch, images, or other stimuli depending on what turns you on.
During this phase your heart rate and breathing speed up, your blood pressure increases, and increased blood flow to the genitals causes an erection.
Plateau
This is an intensified version of the excitement phase, during which your penis and testicles continue to increase in size.
Orgasm
This is when your pleasure peaks and releases. It can last from a few seconds to a few minutes. If you’re going to ejaculate, this is when it usually happens.
Resolution and refraction
During the resolution phase, your body begins to return to an unaroused state. Your erection gradually subsides, your muscles relax, and you feel drowsy and relaxed.
Some people go through refractory period after orgasm, during which you may not be able to get an erection or have an orgasm. Further stimulation may feel too sensitive or even painful.


10. What makes a male orgasm different from a female orgasm?
Turns out there isn’t much difference. Both experience increased heart rate and blood flow to the genitals. Ejaculation is also possible for some.
Where they differ is in duration and recovery. For example, “female” orgasm can last up to around 20 seconds longer.
Individuals who have a vagina are less likely to experience a refractory period, so they may be more likely to have more orgasms if stimulated again.

11. Is there anything I can do to have a more intense orgasm?
Absolutely! Here are some things you can try.
Edging
Also called orgasm control, edging involves maintaining a high level of arousal for a longer period by holding off your orgasm.
To do this, stimulate yourself until you feel like you want to come and then change the stimulation until the urge to come subsides.
Pelvic floor exercises
Pelvic floor exercises, such as Kegels, help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which may improve orgasm control.
To do this, tense the same muscles you would to stop from passing urine. Hold for three seconds, then release for three seconds, and repeat 10 times.
Do this every day, building up to holding for 10 seconds.
Breathing exercises
Learning to slow and focus on your breathing plays an important role in the practice of tantric sex, which is all about maximizing pleasure.
Zeroing in on your breathing while masturbating or having sex can intensify sensation.
Take slow deep breaths as you become aroused to help keep you in that state of high arousal longer for a more powerful orgasm.

12. What can affect my ability to orgasm?
Lifestyle factors, your mental health, and other medical conditions are just some of the things that can affect your ability to orgasm.
These include:
Premature ejaculation. Ejaculation that occurs sooner than you want is premature ejaculation. The main symptom is a regular inability to control ejaculation for more than a minute after penetration. Psychological factors, certain medications, and hormonal imbalances can cause it.
Retrograde ejaculation. Retrograde ejaculation occurs when the muscles that help expel ejaculate from the penis fail, causing the ejaculate to end up in the bladder. The most common symptom is very little or no semen when you orgasm. It can be caused by nerve damage due to diabetes and other conditions. Certain medications and surgical procedures can also cause it.
Anorgasmia. Also called orgasmic dysfunction, this occurs when a person has difficulty having an orgasm or has unsatisfying orgasms. Psychological, emotional, and physical factors can cause it.
Alcohol or substance use. Drinking too much alcohol can make it difficult to orgasm. Smoking marijuana and using other drugs can also cause it.
Depression, stress, and anxiety. It can be hard to get aroused enough to have an orgasm if you’re dealing with stress, anxiety, or depression. Fatigue, trouble concentrating, and feeling sad or overwhelmed are common symptoms.

13. Should I see a doctor?
Orgasms aren’t the same for everyone, and what makes one person climax won’t necessarily work for another.
If you have concerns or feel like you’re having trouble climaxing, talk to a doctor or sexual health specialist.
They can answer any questions you may have and may be able to make some recommendations.

What Can Orgasms Do for Your Skin?

Orgasms have benefits
It might be time to start saying “an orgasm a day keeps the doctor away” because besides feeling amazing, the Big O also has plenty of important benefits for the body, especially on your skin.
That elusive glow you’ve been chasing after? You just might see it in your reflection the next time you finish a spin in the sack!


 Beat down flare-ups from stress
Ever find that having an orgasm calms you down? You’re not alone. In fact, getting it on can actually help skin maintain itself. Planned Parenthood reports that in a 2000 survey, 39 percent of 2,632 U.S. women reported masturbating to relax.
Other studies have found that low levels of oxytocin in the bloodstream are correlated with high levels of stress, tension, and anxiety disorders. And when you’re stressed out, a big organ like your skin might take the hardest hit. Not only can stress trigger inflammation in conditions like rosacea and psoriasis, it can also trigger those oh-so-annoying breakouts we all experience.
Get your beauty sleep in too
There’s a strong correlationTrusted Source between lack of sleep and acne, so doctors recommend sleeping for a full eight hours in order to allow skin to perform the maintenance necessary for glowing skin. The immune system and inflammation heals itself during deep, long sleep stretches, too. So take advantage of that urge to roll over and fall asleep right after you climax.

All hail estrogen
A 2009 study at the University of MichiganTrusted Source found out that having an orgasm raises the levels of estrogen in your body. And that’s good… why? Because estrogen actually appears to aid in the prevention of aging skin in a number of ways.
First, it prevents the decrease of collagenTrusted Source, an important protein for maintaining the appearance of youthful skin. It also helps with skin thickness, keeping skin resistant to wrinkles. Mentioning wrinkles — estrogen’s effects on the elastic fibers of the skin prevent them as well! And finally, estrogen may also lock in the skin’s moisture, keeping skin plump.


 Glow on
If you’re wondering where exactly that post-sex glow comes from, we’ve got the goods. During sex, there’s an increase in the rate of blood flowing through your body, meaning more of those blood cells carrying oxygen can reach your face.
When your blood vessels start to dilate, you get that rosy flushed look, and an increased amount of oxygen stimulates collagen production. So it’s hello collagen, goodbye wrinkles!

 Say cheese
Science supports the idea that frequent sex and affection make people happy. You’re no longer sleepy, completely stress-free, and glowing — so we wouldn’t blame you if you’re grinning ear to ear in the morning as well. And that smile does wonders, like making people think you’re younger. A 2016 studyTrusted Source confirms this correlation, noting that when people smiled they were actually perceived as looking younger.
The fabulous thing about the benefits of orgasm on your skin is that it doesn’t involve any fancy and expensive creams or lotions. But the best part is that you can reap all the good benefits orgasming alone, just as much as you can with a partner!
So go forth, get your glow on, and thank us when you take your next selfie

The case of the female orgasm

At the risk of being yet another male offering an opinion on a female issue, and on top of that a scientist outside the field, I nevertheless respond to Jessica Hamzelou's description of men arguing about the size of their pet theories on the female orgasm (12 March, p 27). I suggest females experience orgasm for the same reason men do: humans like intensely pleasurable things and seek to repeat them.
Unless females are enslaved, it seems to me that a woman who enjoys and seeks out intercourse with her mate would be more likely to reproduce than one who does not. The lesser frequency of female orgasm may be due to pervasive sexist cultural conditioning, which is rampant in the mass media even in the most liberal of countries.
I think the wrong question is being asked. It isn't a matter of whether the orgasm serves any purpose in women: it is what compelling argument exists for evolution to exclude one gender from getting any enjoyment out of intercourse. I cannot think of how that could possibly promote greater reproduction.
San Antonio, Texas, US

Women don’t need to ‘switch off’ to climax, orgasm study shows

Not switching off

Oleksiy Maksymenko /age fotostock/Superstock

The most detailed study yet of orgasm brain activity has discovered why climaxing makes women feel less pain and shown that ‘switching off’ isn’t necessary.
It’s not easy to study the brain during orgasm. “A brain scanner like fMRI is the least sexy place in the world,” says Nan Wise at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey. “It’s noisy, claustrophobic and cold.” There is also the problem of keeping your head still – movement of little more than the width of a pound coin can render data useless.
Despite these hurdles, Wise and her colleagues recruited 10 heterosexual women to lay in a fMRI scanner and stimulate themselves to orgasm. They then repeated the experiment but had their partners stimulate them.

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Wise’s custom-fitted head stabiliser allowed the team to follow brain activity in 20 second intervals to see what happens just before, during, and after an orgasm.

Pain relief

Back in 1985, Wise’s colleagues Beverly Whipple and Barry Komisaruk, both at Rutgers, discovered that, during self-stimulation and orgasm, women are less likely to notice painful squeezing of a finger, and can tolerate more of this pain. They found that women’s ability to withstand pain increased by 75 per cent during stimulation, while the level of squeezing at which women noticed the pain more than doubled.
Now Wise’s team has explained why. At the point of orgasm, the dorsal raphe nucleus area of the brain becomes more active. This region plays a role in controlling the release of the brain chemical serotonin, which can act as an analgesic, dampening the sensation of pain.
Her team also saw a burst of activity in the nucleus cuneiformis, which is a part of brainstem systems that are thought to help us control pain through thought alone.
“Together, this activity – at least in part – seems to account for the pain attenuating effect of the female orgasm,” says Wise.

Turn on, not off

Wise’s team also found evidence that overturns the assumption that the female brain “switches off” during orgasm.
In 2005, Gert Holstege at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands used a PET scanner to analyse brain activity in 13 women while they were resting, faking an orgasm and being stimulated by their partner to orgasm. While activity in sensory regions of the brain increased during orgasm, activity fell in large number of regions – including those involved in emotion – compared with their brain at rest.
Based on this finding, it was suggested that women have to be free from worries and distractions in order to climax. From an evolutionary point of view, the brain might switch off its emotional areas because the chance to produce offspring is more important than the immediate survival to the individual.
But the new study saw the opposite: brain activity in regions responsible for movement, senses, memory and emotions all gradually increased during the lead-up to orgasm, when activity then peaked and lowered again. “We found no evidence of deactivation of brain regions during orgasm,” says Wise.
The difference between the two studies may be because PET can only get a small snapshot of brain activity over a short period of time, unlike fMRI scanners.

Better understanding

It’s not yet clear why pain sensation decreases during orgasm, or if men experience the same phenomenon. It may be that, in order to feel pleasure in the brain, the neural circuits that process pain have to be dampened down.
Whipple suggests that the pain-dampening effects of the female orgasm could be related to child birth. Her research suggests that pain sensitivity is reduced when the baby’s head emerges through the birth canal. Vaginal stimulation may therefore reduce pain in order to help mothers cope with the final stages of birth, and promote initial bonding with the baby.
The ability to study what happens during stimulation and orgasm could be used to better understand and treat those who have mood disorders like anhedonia – the inability to experience pleasure, says Wise. “We know so little about pleasure in the brain, we are just now learning the basics.”
You might wonder what it’s like to participate in such experiments. Wise says people often think her participants must be exhibitionists, but it’s not the case, she says. “Some women do like that aspect, but most are doing it because it’s empowering to them. Some find it difficult to orgasm, others don’t. One of our participants in this experiment was a 74-year-old lady who had two fabulous orgasms in the machine. I said to her, ‘You go girl!’ ”


Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2150180-women-dont-need-to-switch-off-to-climax-orgasm-study-shows/#ixzz6OjgEZmXU

Oh, oh, oh! The clitoris certainly gives pleasure. But does it also help women conceive?

New research reported in the media says the clitoris plays an important role in fertility and reproduction, making it more than an organ that exists purely for sexual pleasure.
But some media headlines were misleading, including:

The truth about the clitoris: why it’s not just built for pleasure
and

New clue reveals how a woman can conceive, and it all comes down to the clitoris
The reports were based on a controversial review by retired UK scientist Dr Roy Levin published this week in the journal Clinical Anatomy.
He brings together evidence to support a new theory that the clitoris is equally important for reproduction as it is for sexual pleasure, which he first proposed in 2018.
This is controversial as the clitoris has not previously been given a direct role in reproduction. Levin says this is because other researchers have been so fixated on its role in sexual pleasure they have completely overlooked its other role.
How the clitoris has courted controversy
Levin’s review is the latest development in a long history of controversy about the clitoris. Over the centuries, anatomists have debated its function, a discussion often dominated by men.
As early as 1559, Matteo Realdo Colombo, an anatomist at the University of Padua in Italy, termed the clitoris:
However, his contemporary Andreas Vesalius, known as the “father of modern anatomy”, dismissed the proposition. He said the clitoris was an anomaly and simply does not exist in normal healthy women.

Others saw the clitoris as a liability.
In the 1820s, English surgeon and president of the Society of British Medicine Isaac Baker Brown thought the clitoris was a source of “hysteria” and epilepsy. And he said it should be removed to cure hysteria and other forms of “female madness”.
And as late as 1905, Sigmund Freud considered clitoral orgasm to be a sign of a woman’s psychological immaturity.
Where are we today?
Today, most scientists agree the main function of the clitoris is for sexual pleasure. But how did we come to have such an organ and why would we need one?
Researchers just last month proposed the clitoral orgasm is a remnant of our evolutionary past that once served to induce ovulation during intercourse.
Another view of the clitoris argues it allows women to discriminate between sexual partners based on who can help them reach orgasm with the right type of stimulation.
A third common view is clitoral orgasms lead to stronger bonding between sexual partners preparing them for childbearing and parenting.
So how does this fit with the latest claim?
This latest paper argues stimulation of the clitoris activates parts of the brain, leading to multiple physiological changes in the vaginal tract.
These changes lead to vaginal lubrication, an increase in vaginal oxygen, an increase in temperature and decrease in acidity, so facilitating reproduction by creating the right environment for the sperm.
While it’s not unusual for organs to have two functions, Levin’s view needs further investigation.
Some of the physiological changes he describes occur when a woman is sexually aroused, before her clitoris is stimulated.
For example, women can experience vaginal lubrication and engorgement of erectile tissues while watching erotic movies, without clitoris stimulation.
He also discusses how female genital mutilation reduces a woman’s fertility, implying this is a result of circumcision of the clitoris. However, he does not cite any evidence for this.
While there is some evidence for a decline in fertility after female genital mutilation it varies between studies. The link seems to be strongest where not only the clitoris, but parts of the labia are also removed and stitched together during the procedure, narrowing the opening into the vagina.
In these cases, infertility may also be caused by the difficulty in sexual intercourse due to the narrowing of the vaginal opening, infections or other complications of the procedure.
With this equivocal evidence, Levin’s conclusion that “the reappraisal of the functions of the clitoris as both reproductive as well as recreative are of equal importance is clearly now unavoidable”, could be disputed.
The conclusion is not quite that definite.
However, this does not mean Levin’s theory is incorrect; it just requires further investigation and discussion.
His review highlights that often the science around the clitoris has been heavily influenced by the cultural context — from feminism, through to religion and simply the morals of the time. While cultural context is important, this has diverted attention away from objectively examining scientific evidence.
Perhaps the most important aspect of this review is it may trigger a discussion on the functions of the clitoris and bring that discussion back to science.
As Levin highlights, the two proposed functions of the clitoris as an organ of both “procreation” and “recreation” are not mutually exclusive and can be of equal importance, a proposition worth examining.