For women who are going through or are survivors of breast or gynecological cancer, sexual dysfunction can be a very unwelcome side effect. Common sexual health complaints for women after cancer treatment are vaginal dryness, low sexual desire, and pain during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia). Cancer and its treatments can also give rise to concerns about a partner’s sexual satisfaction and feelings of low self-esteem. 

Menopause is the point in a woman’s life when she permanently stops having her period. Specifically, it occurs 12 months after a woman’s last period, but most women go through a transition called perimenopause that lasts several years.

The BDSM (bondage-discipline, dominance-submission, and/or sadism-masochism) community has often faced stigma for their sexual preferences. In fact, past and present medical literature has described BDSM (or kink) as “bizarre,” “unusual,” and even indicative of a mental disorder or dysfunction.

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, have become an increasingly popular method of consuming nicotine in recent years, especially among young adults. Designed to look similar to actual cigarettes, e-cigarettes are electronic devices that hold a solution containing nicotine and other flavored ingredients. This solution is turned into vapor when people activate the device and inhale, which is why the practice is known as “vaping.”

Phalloplasty is a surgery in which the surgical team creates a penis and scrotum for the patient, the creation of which is known as a neophallus. This surgery may be used for men who have lost their penises due to injury or illness, but it is also a type of gender-affirming surgery for transgender men who wish to transition their genitals to align with their gender identity.

Many women experience changes in their sexual function as they undergo menopause and the drop in estrogen that menopause causes. Estrogen is one of the main female sex hormones that supports vaginal lubrication and healthy vaginal tissues. As such, postmenopausal women may be more prone to vaginal dryness, decreased vaginal elasticity, vaginal itchiness, and discomfort or pain during sexual activity due to their decreased levels of estrogen.

Many experts acknowledge that sexual function is an important component of a person’s overall health and therefore something that should be assessed and treated by health care providers. Nevertheless, most medical definitions of sexual function and the validated tools used to measure sexual function remain very cisgendered and heteronormative (i.e., dealing only with cisgender heterosexual sex). This situation highlights a major gap in the evaluation and treatment of sexual dysfunction in transgender, non-binary, and other gender diverse individuals.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is associated with several other medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and more.

Declining sexual desire for one’s partner is a common, though sometimes frustrating part of long-term relationships. For individuals who wish to increase their sexual desire for their long-term partner, it may be helpful to have a few strategies at hand.

Pornography use has become more common in recent years, despite the fact that the majority of religious institutions do not approve of individuals using pornography. Within the context of most religions, pornography is thought to be a sin and is forbidden. Plus, many religious leaders discourage the members of their faith from viewing pornography.

Gender-affirming vaginoplasty is a surgery to create a vaginal canal and vulva (including the clitoris) for transgender, non-binary, or gender diverse individuals who wish to align their physical characteristics with their gender identity. People who undergo gender-affirming vaginoplasty may have different goals or priorities related to their gender expression, the appearance of their genitals, and/or their sexuality when it comes to surgery. For some, the ability to orgasm after vaginoplasty is an important goal.

Radiation therapy is a common treatment for prostate cancer. Unfortunately, it has been shown to negatively affect a man’s sexual function in some cases. In particular, the association between prostatic radiotherapy and erectile dysfunction (ED) is well documented, despite it generally showing better sexual health outcomes than radical prostatectomy (surgery to remove the prostate and surrounding tissues) in the short term.