Can a Cream Increase Arousal?
Redbook checks whether these products really heat up a sexual encounter:
By Janis Graham and Pamela Lister
| Product: | What's in it: | Does it work? |
| Zestra ($46.88, zestraforwomen.com) | This mixture of botanical oils dilates blood vessels in the area where it's applied, boosting circulation and intensifying sensations. | You bet. According to a study in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 85 percent of women reported increased arousal. |
| ProSensual ($49.95, prosensual.com) | This cream contains phytoestrogens, which mimic estrogen, a hormone in the body that increases vaginal blood flow and lubrication. | Perhaps. According to a small study by the West Virginia Health Science Center, subjects felt double the clitoral sensations. |
| VibraFem Gel ($21.95, vibrafem.net) | This gel contains L-Arginine (a chemical that boosts circulation and sensitivity) and menthol, which gives a cooling sensation. | The jury's out. There's no proof L-Arginine works this way; enthol can irritate vaginal tissue, says researcher David Ferguson, M.D. |
