September is sexual wellness month. Patients can benefit from platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and support their sexual well-being. Sexual activity in later adulthood is proven to increase quality of life and helps to maintain healthy personal relationships. (1) Moreover, learning to adapt to age-related changes can make a real difference in any partnership.
Navigating our own sexual health can become more complicated as we age. As the World Health Organization states, sexual health is “a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality.” (2) Part of this experience is mitigating the effects of aging on the body, including how it affects intimacy. For women, some of the biggest changes, such as vaginal dryness and urinary dysfunction, occur during menopause. While for men, a decline in sexual function is commonplace after age 40, which can cause difficulty achieving and maintaining an erection.
At Daisy Stem Cell Therapy, Dr. John C. Haasis provides tailored PRP therapy to improve his patients’ quality of life and support their intimate relationships as they enter their golden years. As the Medical Director and Founder of Daisy Stem Cell Therapy and Advanced Regenerative Medicine Centers of the Carolinas, Dr. Haasis is at the forefront of sexual wellness. And, with South Carolina offices in Greenville, Spartanburg, Columbia, and Anderson, and North Carolina locations in Asheville and Gastonia, patients can choose the location that is most convenient. For more information about the P-Shot, and to book your personal consultation with us, please call (864) 775-5682 or complete our online form.
Contents
Sexual Health and Aging
Most men and women notice a gradual decline in sexual functionality as they age. As with many areas of life, intimacy, relationships, and sexual dynamics can profoundly affect a person’s overall health. The National Institute on Aging has released several pieces of information regarding sexuality, expected changes, and ways to treat sexual dysfunction. They identified several factors that can affect our sexual health over time. These include:
- Weight Changes: Our weight, skin, and muscle tone can interfere with our ability to have and enjoy sex. Where the body deposits fat may change over time, making it harder to maintain a healthy body weight, which may put a strain on sexual relations with a partner.
- Sexual Anatomy Changes: With age, the sexual organs change. In women, the vagina can shorten, narrow, and become less flexible. In men, erectile dysfunction (ED) can make it more difficult to maintain an erection, and the erection itself may not be as firm or as large as before.
- Hormonal Changes: The onset of menopause in particular affects sexual wellness in women. Patients may have less desire to have sex, and sex may become uncomfortable due to a lack of natural lubrication. This is due to a dramatic decrease in the female sex hormone estrogen. Low testosterone (or “low T”) in men can also cause difficulty with ED.
- Medical Conditions: Diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis can affect a person’s physical ability to have intercourse. Similarly, changes in bladder function, alcohol use, and chronic pain from disease or injury can affect our desire and ability to share intimate moments with a partner.
- Confidence: Many older adults feel increasing discomfort in their aging bodies. They may have concerns that they are no longer attractive to their partner, or that their efforts to change their weight or energy levels happen too slowly. (3)
What is PRP?
Autologous PRP is the specially treated plasma used in the P-Shot to help patients improve their sexual well-being. Plasma is the liquid part of your blood that transports red blood cells, white blood, cells, platelets, and important nutrients. The word autologous refers to the fact that these treatments utilize harvested plasma from a patient’s own body. Because of the way it is treated, PRP has a high concentration of growth factors derived from platelets; tiny blood cells that help the body heal. Growth factors are special biologically active protein molecules that affect the growth of cells in numerous ways. (4)
Growth Factors:
- Promote wound healing
- Grow and maintain skin cells
- Repair blood vessels
- Form new blood vessels
- Encourage collagen production
- Support and regulate cell growth
Both growth factors and platelets play key roles in communicating messages between cells. These messages help with the creation of new cells, wound healing, and cell growth.
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Overcoming Embarrassment
Symptoms of menopause can often be daunting, disconcerting, and embarrassing for aging women. The Journal of the American Menopause Society conducted a survey of over 4400 women. The data showed that sexual functioning is strongly related to the physical health of the patients themselves, and their intimate partners. Menopause-related symptoms, particularly vaginal dryness and dyspareunia (genital pain) were frequently mentioned. In some cases, patients were reluctant to discuss sexual issues with their healthcare provider because of embarrassment.(6)
At Daisy Stem Cell Therapy, we can help you overcome feelings of shyness and embrace treatment that will help to enrich your life. And, with over 25 years of experience, Dr. Haasis and his team will ensure your patient experience is one of dignity and privacy.
The P-Shot for Men
Erectile dysfunction is a common problem for men over the age of 40, especially if they have ongoing health concerns. Physical factors that contribute to the development of ED include cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and other comorbid health concerns. Coupled with psychological factors like depression and performance anxiety, sexual wellness can be more difficult to maintain for older men. (8)
ED by the Numbers
- Statistically, men over 50 with diabetes are almost twice as likely to have ED.
- Around 40% of men with ED will have high blood pressure (hypertension).
ED can be a difficult thing to overcome by oneself, and there is no shame in asking for medical assistance. In addition to Sildenafil (Viagra) and other medications that improve sexual performance, there are other ways men can support their sexual wellness needs.
Personal Consultation
Daisy Stem Cell Therapy Advanced Regenerative Medicine Centers of the Carolinas is here to ensure you get the most out of intimacy in your later years. Whether you’re looking for a P-Shot, Dr. Haasis can assess your needs at a personal consultation in Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, or Columbia, South Carolina. He has North Carolina offices in Asheville and Gastonia. He will use this opportunity to speak with you about your sexual wellness, and the areas of your intimate life you would like to improve. He can assure you that no information is too much information, and being open and frank about your concerns will help him devise the most effective treatment plan. He will then draw up a personalized treatment schedule for you, and explain the benefits of PRP. If you are a suitable candidate for treatment, we will schedule your P-Shot therapy session.
Cost of P-Shot in Greenville, SC
Every patient who receives treatment from Dr. Haasis has needs specific to their personal circumstances. Because of this, the cost of PRP therapy will vary from patient to patient. Support your sexual wellness and get a tailored PRP treatment at South Carolina’s premier sexual wellness center. For an accurate assessment of costs, and to discuss the P-Shot with Dr. Haasis in person, please contact Daisy Stem Cell Therapy at (864) 775-5682.
References
- Ports KA, Barnack‐Tavlaris JL, Syme ML, Perera RA, Lafata JE. Sexual Health Discussions with Older Adult Patients During Periodic Health Exams. The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2014;11(4):901-908. doi:10.1111/jsm.12448 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4657130/#:~:text=Several%20positive%20outcomes%20are%20associated,maintenance%20of%20healthy%20personal%20relationships.&text=However%2C%20the%20risk%20for%20sexually,a%20concern%20among%20aging%20populations.
- World Health Organization. Defining sexual health. www.who.int. Published 2006. https://www.who.int/teams/sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-research/key-areas-of-work/sexual-health/defining-sexual-health
- Sexuality and Intimacy in Older Adults. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/sexuality-and-intimacy-older-adults#:~:text=Normal%20aging%20also%20brings%20physical
- Stone WL, Leavitt L, Varacallo M. Physiology, Growth Factor. PubMed. Published 2022. Accessed August 29, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK442024/#:~:text=Some%20growth%20factors%20are%20small
- Sukgen, G., Ellibeş Kaya, A., Karagün, E., & Çalışkan, E. (2019). Platelet-rich plasma administration to the lower anterior vaginal wall to improve female sexuality satisfaction. Turkish journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 16(4), 228–234. https://doi.org/10.4274/tjod.galenos.2019.23356
- Harder H, Starkings RML, Fallowfield LJ, Menon U, Jacobs IJ, Jenkins VA. Sexual functioning in 4,418 postmenopausal women participating in UKCTOCS: a qualitative free-text analysis. Menopause. 2019;26(10):1100-1009. https://journals.lww.com/menopausejournal/fulltext/2019/10000/sexual_functioning_in_4,418_postmenopausal_women.5.aspx
- Runels, C. (2014). A Pilot Study of the Effect of Localized Injections of Autologous Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) for the Treatment of Female Sexual Dysfunction. Journal of Women’s Health Care, 03(04). https://doi.org/10.4172/2167-0420.1000169
- Sooriyamoorthy T, Leslie SW. Erectile Dysfunction. PubMed. Published 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562253/