Application of Sex Aids in Men With Sexual Dysfunction: A Review

Trends, safety, and efficacy of wearable male sexual devices

INTRODUCTION

The prevalence of male sexual dysfunction (MSD) increases with age, with >50% of men aged >40 years reporting erectile dysfunction (ED). In recent years, wearable male sex devices (WMSDs) have been increasingly utilized by patients and recommended by sexual medicine clinicians.

OBJECTIVES

This study seeks to investigate the safety and efficacy of products currently marketed for the treatment of MSD.

METHODS

Available products for WMSDs were reviewed by analyzing product websites, forums, advertisements, and clinical recommendations. Qualitative comparisons were based on patient reviews, cost, and specific features. Investigatory evidence and Food and Drug Administration status were also reviewed. Additionally, Google Trends was used to determine the popularity of devices over time.

RESULTS

Eight WMSDs for the treatment of MSD and enhancement of sexual pleasure were reviewed. Constriction bands, such as the Maintain Ring Loop, Eddie by Giddy, and Xialla, have shown significant benefits in clinical trials and were the most popular devices among patients. Smart devices can provide real-time feedback on erectile quality and/or sexual performance. Similar to the RigiScan, the Adam sensor provides feedback on erectile quality while monitoring changes in penile tumescence during sleep with additional analysis available through a mobile application. Neuromodulation devices such as the Morari Patch and vPatch/in2 Patch use electrical stimulation to delay ejaculation and improve sexual function. The FirmTech Performance Ring uses sensors to track the vital signs of erectile fitness with clinical trials ongoing.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, this review describes the available investigatory evidence for a range of WMSDs and highlights the potential benefits and limitations of these devices in treating MSD and enhancing sexual pleasure. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of these devices and to determine which ones may be the most suitable for individual patients.

Do Sex Toys Make Me Satisfied? The Use of Sex Toys in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, France, and the UK

Sex toys are easily accessible in many countries in the Western world. Yet, cross-country studies on sex toy ownership and use and their association with relationship, sexual, and life satisfaction are rare. Using a cross-country convenience sample of 11,944 respondents from six European countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, France, UK), we investigated the rate and factors linked to sex toy ownership and use and their associations with sexual, relationship, and life satisfaction. Data were collected in May and June 2022 through respondent panels by Cint, a market research software platform. Participants received an e-mail invitation for the study and completed an online self-report survey. We found that more than half of respondents owned or had owned a sex toy, with the most common sex toys owned being dildos and vibrators, followed by handcuffs, penis rings, and anal sex toys. Across countries, the majority of sex toy owners reporting using these either alone or with a steady partner (55-65%) and a minority with casual partners (10-15%). Controlling for socio-demographics, parental status, sexual orientation, number of sex partners, and relationship status and length, we found that sex toy ownership and use were significantly associated with higher sexual and life satisfaction, while higher relationship satisfaction was only significantly associated with currently owning a sex toy (but not number of sex toys) and frequency of use with a partner (but not alone). Across results, we generally found little cross-country variation.

Pornography and sexual function in the post-pandemic period: a narrative review from psychological, psychiatric, and sexological perspectives

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns had significant impacts on sexual functioning and behavior. Partnered sexual activity decreased overall, while solo sex activities such as masturbation and pornography consumption increased exponentially. Given the ongoing debate about the effects of pornography on sexual function, it was prudent to consider how the increase in porn consumption during the pandemic might have impacted sexual function in the post-pandemic period. Results indicated that despite the increased rates of use during lockdowns, there remains no evidence supporting the relationship between sexual dysfunction and porn use during and following the pandemic period. On the contrary, pornography consumption and solo sex activities offered an alternative to conventional sexual behavior during a highly stressful period and were found to have positive effects of relieving psychosocial stress otherwise induced by the pandemic. Specifically, those who maintained an active sexual life experienced less anxiety and depression, and greater relational health than those who were not sexually active. It is important to consider factors including frequency, context, and type of consumption when analyzing the impact of pornography on sexual function. While excessive use can have negative effects, moderate use can be a natural and healthy part of life.

The sextech industry and innovative devices for treating sexual dysfunction

Since the digital revolution, there has been a notable increase in the use and popularity of sex toys and innovative sexual devices, which can be attributed to advancements in technology. The sex toys industry strives to improve sexual experience, pleasure and sexual health, and to address sexual dysfunction through devices and technology. With the growth of this industry, new products that are considered "smart sexual devices" have gradually entered the market. Smart sexual devices feature wireless connectivity to a smartphone application that allows the user to control the device's features and provide personal or sexual data about their sexual experiences. Other smart devices have sensors and are able to collect physical data during usage. With the aid of this data, individuals may be able to understand their sexual behavior and arousal better, resulting in improved sexual experience or the overcoming of sexual dysfunction. The present article aims to explore the potential applications of technology-based devices, and smart sexual devices, in the treatment of male sexual dysfunctions, including premature ejaculation (PE), and delayed ejaculation (DE), as well as female sexual dysfunction (FSD), such as sexual arousal disorder and female orgasmic disorder. Furthermore, we examine the advantages and disadvantages of these devices. Given the limited literature available on this subject and the absence of controlled studies, we conduct a narrative review of the existing scientific research on technological and smart sexual devices.

Is Reddit a reliable source for information on erectile dysfunction treatment?

Patients may turn to social media websites, such as Reddit, for information on erectile dysfunction prior to seeking care from a physician. We sought to identify, characterize, and assess the quality of the erectile dysfunction treatments discussed on the highly influential Reddit website. We assessed 2634 comments from two subreddits, r/AskMen and r/ErectileDysfunction, for positive and negative statements regarding treatments for erectile dysfunction. A total of 45 unique treatments were discussed and consisted of changes in sexual behavior (30%), lifestyle changes (29%), medical interventions (23%), talking with a partner about ED (10%), and use of supplements (8%). Only 24.4% of all treatments discussed are in line with current American Urological Association guidelines. Only 43.8% of all positive statements made endorsed a guidelines-based treatment, indicating a high rate of self-proclaimed success with alternative therapies. Our results indicate that there is active discussion of erectile dysfunction treatment on Reddit with a wide range of therapies recommended, however, the majority of the recommendations are not supported by strong clinical evidence.

Penile Entrapment With Thick Penile Ring: A Case Report and Literature Review

The penis is one of the end-artery organs in the human body. The blood supply of the penis depends on the internal pudendal artery, which arises from the anterior division of the internal iliac artery. Subsequently, the penis is one of the organs that are highly affected by peripheral vascular disease. Furthermore, erectile dysfunction is a clinical sign that might precede coronary heart disease. Artificial entrapment of the blood into the cavernous bodies is one of the treatment options for erectile dysfunction. In addition, the same concept might be utilized in some sex aids to increase self-pleasure; hence, penile rings are widely used in some cultures. We present here a case of metal penile ring entrapment, which was managed successfully with the help of the hospital maintenance team. Therefore, it is of tremendous importance in unusual cases to seek advice from all possible resources. Such complications should be highlighted to increase the awareness of the users and the medical professionals as well.

Sexual Behaviour and Fantasies in a Group of Young Italian Cohort

Over the years, sexual behaviour has changed due to the growing interest in everything related to the sexual sphere. The purpose of the study was to collect information on the sexual habits and behaviours of Italian people of all ages, sexes and sexual orientations and to describe the patterns of sexual behaviour, with the aim of gaining a representative picture of sexuality in Italy, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants completed a survey with 99 questions about their sexual habits. In our group first sexual experiences occurred on average around the age of 15, whilst the median age of the first sexual intercourse was 17. The fantasies that most stimulated and excited our group (Likert scale ≥ 3) was having sex in public (63.9%), having sex with more than one person at the same time (59.4%), blindfolded sex (64.9%), being tied up (56.3%) and observing a naked person (48.6%). As for pornography, we have shown that 80% of our group watched porn at home, alone or from their smartphones. Our results have several practical implications for the areas of sex education and sexual health. It is necessary to safeguard the health of young people and support them increasing their sexual well-being.

Cognitive processes related to problematic pornography use (PPU): A systematic review of experimental studies

INTRODUCTION

Some people experience symptoms and negative outcomes derived from their persistent, excessive, and problematic engagement in pornography viewing (i.e., Problematic Pornography Use, PPU). Recent theoretical models have turned to different cognitive processes (e.g., inhibitory control, decision making, attentional bias, etc.) to explain the development and maintenance of PPU, but empirical evidence derived from experimental studies is still limited. In this context, the present systematic review aimed to review and compile the evidence around cognitive processes related to PPU.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines to compile evidence regarding cognitive processes related to PPU. We retained and analyzed 21 experimental studies addressing this topic.

RESULTS

Studies were focused on four cognitive processes: attentional bias, inhibitory control, working memory, and decision making. In brief, PPU is related to (a) attentional biases toward sexual stimuli, (b) deficient inhibitory control (in particular, to problems with motor response inhibition and to shift attention away from irrelevant stimuli), (c) worse performance in tasks assessing working memory, and (d) decision making impairments (in particular, to preferences for short-term small gains rather than long-term large gains, more impulsive choice patterns than non-erotica users, approach tendencies toward sexual stimuli, and inaccuracies when judging the probability and magnitude of potential outcomes under ambiguity).

CONCLUSION

This systematic review offers a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the cognitive features related to PPU, and points out new areas that warrants further research.

Clinical use and implications of sexual devices and sexually explicit media

Given that sexual pleasure is a core component of sexual health, devices that are designed to enhance and diversify sexual pleasure are particularly useful in clinical practice. Despite their growing popularity and widespread use in various biopsychosocial circumstances, many taboos still seem to exist, as indicated by the paucity of scientific literature on the prevalence, application and effectiveness of sexual devices for therapeutic use. However, sex toys and sexual devices are commonly used and have a variety of indications to expand individual and partnered sexuality and to treat sexual difficulties. Different devices are associated with specific advantages and potential risks, opportunities, barriers and ethical challenges when used in a clinical context. Increased knowledge about the aim and functional possibilities of sexual devices might help health-care professionals overcome potential embarrassment, preconceptions and other barriers, learn which patients might benefit from which products, consider their use in treatment programmes, educate about correct use and safety issues, and facilitate open communication about sexual pleasure with their patients.

A genome-wide association study to identify candidate genes for erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) can be caused by different diseases and controlled by several genetic networks. In this study, to identify the genes related to ED, the expression profiles of normal and ED samples were investigated by the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Seventeen genes were identified as associated genes with ED. The protein and nucleic acid sequences of selected genes were retrieved from the UCSC database. Selected genes were diverse according to their physicochemical properties and functions. Category function revealed that selected genes are involved in pathways related to humans some diseases. Furthermore, based on protein interactions, genes associated with the insulin pathway had the greatest interaction with the studied genes. To identify the common cis-regulatory elements, the promoter site of the selected genes was retrieved from the UCSC database. The Gapped Local Alignment of Motifs tool was used for finding common conserved motifs into the promoter site of selected genes. Besides, INSR protein as an insulin receptor precursor showed a high potential site for posttranslation modifications, including phosphorylation and N-glycosylation. Also, in this study, two Guanine-Cytosine (GC)-rich regions were identified as conserved motifs in the upstream of studied genes which can be involved in regulating the expression of genes associated with ED. Also, the conserved binding site of miR-29-3p that is involved in various cancers was observed in the 3' untranslated region of genes associated with ED. Our study introduced new genes associated with ED, which can be good candidates for further analyzing related to human ED.