opinion

Women Don't Need a "G-Shot"

The so-called "G-Shot" procedure is the latest in a long line of medical or pharmacological interventions in sexual pleasure or functioning. Yes, it is the latest Big Thing in the sex world to debunk.

A Los Angeles plastic surgeon has come up with a new enhancement strategy that he's teaching to other docs. This procedure involves a collagen injection into a woman's anterior vaginal wall to purportedly emphasize sexual sensation from her G-spot.

Remember penis enlargement surgery, that staple of Internet spam? Remember last year's gizmo, stumbled upon by a chiropractor that purported to cause orgasm in women by the careful positioning of electrodes? Remember "Lady Viagra," the so-far-elusive pill that would get gals revved up as fast as their men, or ensure fabulous orgasms, or maybe even take care of the dishes and the lawn work so partners could book in a little more time for canoodling?

Think too of the last Big Thing the plastic surgeons unveiled for us women: labia work, so no woman has to wonder whether her pink bits look so different from Jenna Jameson's that a fellow wouldn't recognize them for what they are. Oh, and there's also vaginal tightening, that's apparently not just for postpartum moms any more.

To be sure, there are some women and men who suffer from true sexual dysfunction, who need and could really use pharmaceutical or other medical help.

But most people with sexual issues do not fall into this category. Most people who are unhappy with their sex lives have partners with whom they are incompatible in some way, or they (and their partners) suffer from insufficient or incorrect information about sexual arousal, pleasure and functioning.

Plus, Americans harbor the "Fix it, Doctor" belief that a visit to the physician can and will cure what ails them, even if "what ails 'em" is not, in fact, an ailment at all.

The real problem with innovations like the "G-Shot" is not that they might not work, though news coverage like the SF Chronicle's recent article about the procedure devoted scant ink to that possibility.

The real problem is that these Next Big Sex Things obscure the role of good, old-fashioned sexual and anatomical knowledge and the ability of partners to communicate about what they like, what they want, and what works best to arouse and satisfy. They also obscure the fact that different people may best be pleased by different things. That's because, simply, everyone is not alike.

But then, why would a plastic surgeon devote any time at all to explaining this? There's no money in that for him, as there assuredly is for doing the "G-Shot" and the next procedure and the next.

Just as most MDs don't take the time to look up from writing a prescription for Viagra to say "Oh, by the way, if you simply cut out fatty foods and nicotine, cut down on alcohol, and walk twenty minutes every day, you probably wouldn't need this stuff."

If most of the new breed of "G-Shot" docs won't take the time to tell their female patients the basic information needed to succeed at sex, who will?

Ever hear of sex educators? Where do you find them in America? Well, you find them on the sales floor at your local Good Vibrations store. Or, you find them teaching classes at the Center for Sex & Culture. Or, you find them doing individual consultations as members of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality or the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists.

Anyone dissatisfied enough with her or his sex life to consider a visit to a plastic surgeon might want to take some time to learn how sexual pleasure really works before allowing someone who hasn't been trained as a sex specialist to point needles or scalpels at their tender bits.

The "Two I's": Information and Intercourse
Fads like the "G-Shot" come along because of the "Two I's." One is "Information" or the lack of it. The other is "Intercourse" and the accompanying notion that this is or should be everyone's primary source of sexual satisfaction.

Take a look at these "Two I's." Look at them one at a time.

Information: It used to be that young people at the dawn of their adult sexual lives got at least a little information from sex ed. classes at school. But these days, the focus is on abstinence.

So, young people - who are eager to partner, fall in love, get married, or just get busy - go out into the world with truly alarming gaps in their sexual knowledge.

The idea that sex is "natural" still has great sway - except, maybe, what one hears referred to as the "unnatural" kinds - so people do not need to be taught how to do it. This is barely correct, and even people who have figured out how to make babies via Tab A and Slot B do not necessarily have the elements of pleasure worked out.

Women and their partners who are attracted to the quick fix idea of the "G-Shot" and its accompanying placebo effect, often don't have the necessary "how to" knowledge to have good and satisfying sex. After that placebo effect of the latest exciting new procedure wears off, they will still not have it. These women and their partners are often ones who may have heard of the G-spot but don't know where or what it is. They haven't given the clitoris the study it is due either, and they don't understand the elements of arousal, especially female arousal.

The "G-Shot" purports to make the G-spot more sensitive or easy to stimulate, but the technique hasn't been tested for either current efficacy or long-term effects.

Think about that. Have you ever seen with your own eyes the handiwork of the penis enlargement surgeons' art? It can wind up looking like the pig-in-a-blanket they used to serve in the school lunch room, or if not that, then lumpy like a potato.

Furthermore, many women don't even like direct G-spot stimulation. Many cannot tolerate the sensation that results until they are fully aroused, but the "G-Shot" does not guarantee full arousal.

If the idea is to help women catch up with male rates of arousal, then why focus on something that is not an erogenous area for all women, and that requires the same amount of attention to arousal as any other penetrative sex?

When orgasm expert Dr. Betty Dodson accuses G-spot mania of being just another way to focus on vaginal orgasms, she's absolutely right. The sensations of G-spot stimulation (for a woman with a sensitive one) can be exquisite, but the real craze is for a trick that will make women more satisfied with intercourse.

The irony of this belief, though, is that many intercourse positions don't optimally stimulate the G-spot at all - plenty of women don't discover their own G-spot sensitivity until they get a curved toy, plus some lube, and go hunting, or they meet a partner who knows how to curve his or her fingers.

Intercourse: It's practically the definition of "having sex" in America, and it is the lens through which many, many couples view their sexual satisfaction.

All the curved fingers and toys in the world don't count as much as the "real thing," even though study after study shows us that the majority of women do not reliably orgasm from penile-vaginal intercourse without direct clitoral stimulation.

"Many of these women try so hard to have an orgasm from intercourse alone," says OB/GYN physician Debra Shapiro, MD, "because their husbands are not giving the clitoris any attention and the women themselves don't know that they can stimulate their own clitoris while having intercourse. I tell them they can do this and they're amazed: 'I can?' They have no idea it's okay." Or, in fact, that it is a common practice.

Many women just have no reliable access to good, realistic information about how sex is conducted. What's more, they have not had the good fortune to find out what many in sex positive communities know: There are lots of other things besides intercourse that make up, and indeed may be crucial to, a good sex life.

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

Why BDSM Furniture and Sex Machines Make an Ideal Match

For BDSM enthusiasts and curious newbies alike, a big part of the fun is discovering and exploring exciting new sensations and scenarios. One way to level up is by combining or layering pleasures you already enjoy, and one surefire way to do that is with BDSM furniture.

Rebecca Weinberg ·
opinion

Tips for Boosting Ecommerce Revenue With Behavioral Insights

At our marketing agency, we focus on using real data to make better decisions for our clients. We believe every action a visitor takes on a website can tell us something important. This helps us shape our strategies and assist our clients in turning casual website visitors into loyal customers.

Lauren Bailey ·
opinion

A Look at the Do's and Don'ts of Gift-With-Purchase Promos

Imagine you’re at a store, deciding between two products with similar packaging, features and pricing. You’re not predisposed toward either brand and you haven’t seen any reviews — but one of them offers, “Free gift with purchase!” Does that win you over?

Vanessa Rose ·
opinion

Tips for Navigating a Completely Remote Job in Sexual Wellness

Anyone working in the sexual wellness and pleasure sector has at some point had to deal with issues like bias against the industry, as well as limited marketing and advertising options.

Bryony Lees ·
trends

Meet the 2024 Class of Up-and-Coming Pleasure Brands to Watch

With each new year that rolls in, new pleasure brands emerge, and 2024 is no exception. Already this year, a slew of new entrants are rapidly gaining traction and recognition via social media, among retailers and distributors — and most importantly, end consumers.

profile

WIA Profile: Sarah Franson

When you do what you love, they say, you’ll never work a day in your life — and when your job involves educating the masses about sex toys, it’s hard not to love what you do.

Women In Adult ·
profile

Popsi Lingerie CEO Sam Golshan Discusses Brand's Growth, Mission

Lingerie: a sexy French word for an alluring little something to spark things up in the bedroom, teasingly wear out to clubs, dress up in to celebrate a special occasion or just wear under everyday clothes to feel excited and desirable.

Kim Airs ·
profile

Honey Play Box's Joreail Armstrong Reflects on Company's Growth

Today, Armstrong serves as business development manager for boutique sex toy brand Honey Play Box, but he began his role there as a one-man marketing department, assisting CEO Shirley Wang with nearly every aspect of launching the brand.

Sofia Barrett-Ibarria ·
opinion

How Awareness Revolutionized Materials Used in Pleasure Products

Today’s manufacturers and consumers are material-savvy, giving rise to pleasure products that are safe to use, beautiful to look at, high-quality and even environmentally responsible.

Eric Lee ·
opinion

How Sex-Ed Lays the Groundwork for Well-Informed Shopping

We often do some research before making purchases, whether by delving into a company’s background, exploring specific products or simply making sure we understand how to use something before we buy it.

Nathan Hammerle ·
Show More