‘Viagra for women’ finally arrives after 30-year wait – here’s how it works
Female sexual dysfunction
Research suggests that 43% of women – compared to 31% of males – experience some form of sexual dysfunction, often characterized by a lack of sexual desire or difficulty becoming aroused.
The condition, clinically referred to as Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder (FSIAD), may stem from numerous factors, including hormonal changes, menopause, psychological stress, depression, or trauma. It’s as prevalent as male erectile dysfunction, yet pharmaceutical options for women have lagged significantly.
‘Tingling, warmth, engorgement’
Dare to Play, developed by Daré Bioscience, offers a physical – not hormonal or psychological – solution that targets the actual physiological responses involved in arousal.
According to the company’s website, the product “is a fast-acting, non-hormonal topical formulation designed to increase genital blood flow and enhance natural arousal sensations – like warmth, tingling, swelling, and lubrication.”
And the cream reportedly boosts blood flow in as little as 10 minutes after application.
“It’s the blood flow that goes to the genital tissue that causes tingling, warmth, engorgement,” Sabrina Martucci Johnson, president and CEO of Daré Bioscience, told the New York Post. “It actually is what leads to the lubrication response in arousal in women, because that’s all mediated from the blood flow to the tissue.”
Topical delivery minimizes side effects
Johnson said that Daré Bioscience spent nearly 10 years developing this new product.
“Men got access to Viagra back in the 90s, but some 30 years later, women who are struggling with sexual dysfunction still don’t have the same pharmaceutical options. Filling that gap was the impetus for DARE to PLAY,” Johnson explained in Oprah Daily.
Initial attempts to create a female version of the Viagra pill proved impractical, as women would require significantly higher oral doses of sildenafil than men, making side effects more likely and potentially dangerous.
The breakthrough came when scientists shifted their focus to a cream you apply directly to the genital area. This targeted method means the medicine works right where it’s needed – without flooding the whole body – so women don’t have to deal with typical side effects like headaches, nausea, or blurry vision that can happen with the pill form.
