Summary:  Female Sexual Arousal Disorder is characterized by a decline in sexual desire and ability to experience arousal. O Shot is the latest technique that uses platelets extracted from patients’ blood to rejuvenate the declined sensitivity of the vagina and recovers the sexual response.

To be fair, medical science has evolved very slowly around female sexual dysfunction for the sole reason that women’s sexuality and problems related to it were not considered significant enough to fund research in that direction for a very long time. Even little attention was paid to the sexual satisfaction of women that in fact for a significant period in history scientists believed that women were not capable of experiencing orgasms. All thanks to the feminist movement women started talking about their sexuality and started demanding solutions to their specific problems.

What is Female Sexual Arousal Disorder?

This is a sexual dysfunction in women related to lower sexual desire and a decline in sexual arousal. It was previously referred to as Hypoactive Sexual Drive Disorder HSDD, but later, psychologists argued that sexual desire and sexual arousal are the two sides of the same coin and hence the name of the disorder was changed to Female Sexual Arousal Disorder.

Symptoms of Female Sexual Arousal Disorder

The symptoms include a decline in interest in initiating or participating in sexual activities, a lower level of sensitivity towards sexual stimulation, vaginal dryness, and an inability to experience orgasms or a level of sexual satisfaction that was once present. The symptoms have to be present for almost six consecutive months and must be serious enough to cause personal distress or distress with the physically intimate partner.

Causes of Female Sexual Arousal Disorder

Sexual desire and experience of sexual satisfaction are more complicated in women than men as it is dependent on more factors than one factor like neurochemicals in the brain, the cycle of hormones associated with monthly menstruation, and physical conditions like pregnancy and menopause. Psychological factors like stress and anxiety can impact sexual desire in women and low sexual desire can further cause stress and anxiety. Thus, a decline in sexual desire and arousal can be caused by both physiological factors and psychological factors or a combination of both types of factors.

Physiological causes may include urinary tract infections, swelling, throbbing due to vaginal fungal infections, painful intercourse due to intact hymen, childbearing, advancing menopause, hormonal balance, imbalance in neurochemicals, anemia, and neuropsychiatric drug-induced. Psychological factors can include stress, low self-esteem, depression, bereavement, and problems with a sexual partner.

Female Sexual Arousal Disorder Treatment Options

Since this disorder can be caused by several different reasons, the patient and doctor must sit together and discuss in detail to uncover the underlying cause. The treatment plan should be designed accordingly. 

If psychological factors are at play psychotherapy must be considered as a mode of treatment.

•  If the problem is drug-induced, the pink pill also known as Addyi is known to help improve low sexual drive caused by SSRIs and SNRIs. A single tablet needs to be taken every day in the evening or night.
• If the reason includes an underlying health condition like anemia, it should be treated as a priority.
• If the problem is due to hormonal reasons, or an imbalance in chemicals in the brain a course of self-administered Vyleesi shots can help improve the sexual drive. The patient will need to inject the drug into their abdomen or thigh 45 minutes before the intended sexual activity. A maximum of eight shots is recommended each month.
• If the disorder was caused due to childbirth and wear and tear of the vagina over the years or upcoming menopause, and symptoms include vaginal dryness and inability to reach orgasms, an O shot is known to help in such a situation. 

What is O Shot?

O shot is a patent procedure, a technique that uses Platelet Rich Plasma PRP therapy to rejuvenate the vagina. PRP therapy was initially used to quickly heal athletic injuries, later this technique was successfully used for facial rejuvenation and is now popularly used as vampire facial. PRP technique has also been used to combat the hair fall problem and help treat erectile dysfunction (P Shot). Later this technique was tested for vaginal rejuvenation to address the problems of vaginal dryness and declined sensitivity in the vaginal area leading to lower sexual arousal and overall libido. 

A few trials were run to test the efficacy of PRP to improve the sexual experiences of women, and the procedure seemed promising so in 2011 Dr. Charles Runels patented the procedure so now only trained and certified doctors can legally administer the O-Shot.

What is the O Shot Procedure? 

Just like any other standard PRP procedure, The doctor will withdraw some blood from the patient’s arm and put it in a centrifugal machine to separate the platelets. These platelets will be activated by adding a catalyst to it, and after numbing the vaginal area using a numbing creme, local anesthesia, or a nerve blocker shot, the activated platelets will be injected around the vagina and inside the vaginal wall. The procedure takes around one hour and is painless thanks to the numbing of the area. Although you may experience some swelling and mild discomfort after a few hours, it will settle down within 48 hours.

What is the science behind O Shot?

The platelets are believed to rejuvenate the vaginal walls which in turn help in a better lubrication of the vagina, making intercourse more pleasurable The rejuvenated or restored vagina is also more sensitive and more responsive towards external stimulation. These injections restore your ability to feel sexually aroused. Since sexual desires just like your appetite for food increases the more you feed it, better sexual experiences and stronger, more frequent orgasms can in theory increase your sexual desire.

Is O Shot safe?

Although there are no reported cases of O-shot-related complications, and no drug is administered through the injection so you are less likely to face any adverse effects but the procedure is not FDA-approved.

Does O shot help with  Female Sexual Arousal Disorder Treatment?

Since 2011, it is estimated that over 20,000 women have had the procedure done, and Dr. Charles Runels claims an 85% success rate. But how reliable are his claims for a procedure from which he directly makes a profit? Are there any other independent studies to test his claims? 

Unfortunately, there are no independent studies conducted with a large sample size to back up Runels’ claim or to establish any efficacy of O Shot in helping to achieve stronger more frequent orgasms and elevated sexual drive. It is mostly Runnels’ word for his invention based upon a pilot study that was done by him recruiting only 11 women. Technique-speaking orgasms are synchronized rhythmic contractions of the vagina, uterus, and pelvic floor, while this technique focuses solely on strengthening and rejuvenating the vaginal wall.

Also while this technique looks good on paper it focuses on only heightening the sensitivity of the vagina, while neglecting many other erogenous zones that can play a role in sexual arousal.  Does O shot somehow help improve the sensitivity of other erogenous Zones, too?

The sparse research and the fact that this procedure is not FDA-approved calls for you to think a hundred times before experimenting with the technique. It is best to get in touch with women who have already tested this procedure and request them to share their experiences.

What are the Other Benefits of O Shot?

Other than improving sexual arousal and desire issues, helping vaginas lubricate better, and producing better orgasms, Runnels claim that this technique can make intercourse less painful and help resolve the urinary incontinence problem women face as they age.

What are the possible side effects of O Shot?

O shot is not a drug but only part of your own blood that is injected back into your body thus you are very unlikely to experience any allergic reactions or side effects. Mild discomfort, swelling, or numbness in the area after the injection was administered is to be expected just like any other shots administered after numbing the area locally. If administered by a certified experienced doctor correctly the procedure itself has no side effects. In Runnels’s small sample size for his pilot study, women reported ejaculatory orgasms, spontaneous orgasms, sexual arousal during urination, and a continuous state of being sexually aroused.

It is worth noticing that as the injections need to be administered to particular locations around and inside your vagina, in the hands of an incompetent doctor, you run the risk of bruising, bleeding, infection, soreness, and even neural damage which can lead to loss of sensation and urinary incontinence.

How long do the results last?

According to Dr. Runnels, most women have reported that they experienced some improvement within a week, and the results can last up to a year or even longer. But of course, every individual and the nature and severity of their problem can be different. Thus, varied results are expected, especially when conclusions are drawn from a very small sample size. The results are likely to peak after three months and might start fading away after 6 or 8 months. You can request another round of O Shot but there has to be a minimum 8-week gap between the two administrations.   

Does it hurt?

The procedure is relatively pain-free as injections are administered after numbing the area or giving local anesthesia however, you may feel uneasiness down there for a few days to follow. However, you can return to your normal life immediately after and even engage in sexual intercourse two days after the injections. The two days wait is recommended to reduce the chances of any bruising or infection in the vagina.

Where can I get O Shot from?

Here is a list of a handful of certified doctors in the US and around the world who are certified to administer O Shot. If you choose to go for O Shot, please sit down with the doctor and have a detailed discussion and refer to their success stories so you can have an open discussion about O Shot and its results.