Skin Patch May Boost Women's Libido

"Not tonight honey, I have a headache" jokes are almost cliché.

But for millions of women, it's no joke. Compounding the every day stresses of life and menopause, with its declining hormone levels, women are left lacking a sex drive.

But a hormonal skin patch may boost some women's libido. A study on transdermal, or skin patch, hormone replacement therapy was presented Tuesday at the 10th World Congress on the Menopause by University of Southern California researchers.

"Female sexual dysfunction -- low libido, slow arousal, difficulty reaching orgasms and painful intercourse -- is a problem that many menopausal women view as a normal part of aging and have simply decided to accept. Where men have the choice of the little blue pill, there is a lack of treatment options for women," said Dr. Subir Roy, lead researcher.

"The results presented today might be the first step in providing a new solution for postmenopausal women, since preliminary results show that HRT from a patch had positive effects on mood and libido, leading to more orgasms," Roy said.

Although millions of postmenopausal women complain of decreased sex drive after menopause, there are currently no treatment methods for female sexual dysfunction. Studies have indicated that testosterone or androgen supplements can have beneficial effects on women's sex drive, but none are currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in women.

"Administering testosterone or androgen therapies in women is very tricky," Roy said. "Since we don't have data on long-term effects and correct dosing, we often see unwanted side effects such as excessive hair growth and acne."

Oral hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, which usually involves a combination of estrogen and a synthetic version of progesterone, has traditionally been the first-line treatment for women to combat the physiologic effects of menopause, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness.

But HRT from a skin patch procudes higher levels of adrogens, including testosterone, which results in a greater degree of sexual satisfaction, Roy said.

The study on skin patches used the only combination estrogen/progestin patch approved by the FDA in the United States -- CombiPatch.

"The stereotype of older people not being interested in having good sex just isn't true," said Terry Linehan, a study participant from Los Angeles. "A satisfying sex life is very important to most marriages, no matter what your age. I wasn't looking for a miracle pill or a quick fix; I just hoped that if the reason behind my low libido was due to my hormone levels that I could help find a way to regulate the problem."

Roy cautioned that the study's results were preliminary, since the study group only consisted of 23 postmenopausal women with no mood or affective disorder. But larger and longer investigations, which are under way, will perhaps verify this study's results, Roy said.