Created by the same doctor who pioneered the celeb-fave “vampire facial,” the O-shot—short for orgasm shot—promises its patients more sexual satisfaction by injecting their own blood-drawn plasma-rich platelets (PRP) into their clitoral tissue. A doctor starts the procedure by drawing a patient’s blood, and separating out the platelets, which contain at least 15 growth factors that can help the body heal itself.
“When you scrape your knee, it is the platelets that begin the clotting and form the scab,” says Dr. Teresa Cody, author of You Healing You, a book about PRP therapies. When your own platelets are injected into the vaginal and clitoral tissues, these growth factors may be able to help spur more firmness to the region, improving orgasms by increasing blood flow and reducing urinary incontinence by tightening the surrounding tissue—though the jury’s still out in terms of large studies on its effectiveness.
What do Studies Say?
In one small study of women with self-reported sexual dysfunction, 64 percent of women reported improvement in arousal, desire, orgasm, and lubrication after receiving a PRP injection in their vaginal and clitoral tissue, which the study’s authors attributed to improved blood flow to the clitoris and nerve regrowth in the area.
Researchers theorize the shot could also help women who suffer from urinary incontinence by tightening the ligaments that support the bladder, though they admit that more studies are needed in the field.
In general, many doctors and researchers find PRP therapies like the O-shot to be promising because of the non-surgical nature of the treatment. “Because the procedure involves your own cells, there’s minimal risk of rejection,” says Dr. Alexis May Tran Kimble, D.O., a board-certified urogynecologist.
Does It Hurt?
While a shot in the clitoris sounds incredibly painful, a local anesthetic numbs the area so patients don’t feel anything during the procedure. Though the needle method is the most commonly requested in Kimble’s practice (thanks to the celebrity interest in the procedure), she also offers a proprietary, needle-free method for those who may not be able to stomach the thought of an injection. The tool, called the Collagenizer NEO, is more commonly used in dermatological treatments and works by delivering the treatment through the skin via special electric currents, so doesn’t require puncturing the skin.
From start to finish, the procedure only takes about 25 minutes, which means patients can return home right away. Women who’ve opted to undergo the procedure have reported side effects like increased short-term sensitivity and light bleeding or bruising in the genital region.
What About Men?
Women also aren’t the only ones who can benefit from sexual health-related PRP therapy. Men can receive the same treatment when injected into the penis—called the “P” shot—in order to enhance sexual endurance and improve the length and width of an erection. One recent study found noticeable improvement in erectile dysfunction symptoms after receiving a PRP injection, even after six months.
Women looking for better “G-spot” orgasms can also receive the “G-Shot,” which works the same way as the “O-Shot” but is injected within the vagina near the G-spot itself, usually under local anesthesia.
What Else Do I Need to Know?
While the procedure can be on the pricey side (up to $2,000 per shot!), most clinics report the results can last anywhere from 12 to 18 months. (In one study, women still reported being satisfied with the procedure six months later.). And while many women have anecdotally reported an increase in sex drive and improvement in the quality of their orgasms, keep in mind that the O-shot, P-shot, and G-shots aren’t FDA-approved, and peer-reviewed research is still in the works.
Lindsay Galloway is a writer and editor with more than 15 years experience covering health, beauty, travel, and business. Her work has been published in major online news outlets like BBC and The New York Times, as well as print magazines and travel guidebooks. She lives in Boulder, Colorado, where she enjoys local food, walking her dogs—a Shiba Inu and pug—and making fun art in her spare time.
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