The Los Angeles Times has an article on the G-spot in today’s “Health” section. If you are or have been a woman in my practice, and we’ve talked about the G-spot, then you already know what’s in the article: Not every woman seems to have a G-spot, and not every woman who locates the G-spot finds stimulation to the area pleasurable.

The reporter also mentions the G-spot shot, an injection of collagen where the G-spot is supposed to be and that is also supposed to increase a woman’s pleasure during intercourse. It’s a silly procedure that has never received FDA approval and that, like so many other things, puts pressure on a woman to have orgasm in a particular way at a particular time or face feelings of inadequacy and failure.

If you are a woman who wants to try G-spot exploration, then use your fingers, use a G-spot wand (usually an acrylic toy with a long handle), or a G-spot vibrator and see what happens. Have fun trying, and don’t put any pressure on yourself. If you enjoy it, great! If you don’t enjoy it, great! You had the experience of trying.

A highly respected colleague of mine sent me a NY Times story on a physician who started a “pelvic health spa” for women modeled after dental offices that whiten teeth. The idea is to lure women into the office to teach them how to exercise their Kegel muscles, though the physician calls them by their newer name, pelvic floor exercises.

There may be some merit to having a strong pelvic floor, because weakness can cause incontinence, or involuntary leaking of urine. The muscles of the vagina are also connected to the pelvic floor, so exercises can tone the vagina and, for some women, improve sexual sensation and orgasm.

But not every woman needs this type of treatment. It isn’t like teeth whitening–pretty much if you live on the planet you are guaranteed to have teeth stained from tea, coffee, wine, etc., though if you ask me there are a lot of people running around who, when they smile, make me think, “Oh, you’ve had your teeth whitened!” Back to the pelvic floor, though. Young women usually don’t need treatment. And just because a woman is near or in menopause doesn’t mean her pelvic floor muscles are slack.

In any case, the physician has discovered a way to prey on many women’s already low self-esteem. Like the G-spot shot and “revirgination” surgery, here is yet another message that women’s bodies are just not okay “as is.”

If you do have problems with incontinence or you have noticed that you aren’t feeling as much sensation, then by all means you should discuss this with your gynecologist or a urogynecologist–a urologist for women). But don’t just go running out to pay for yet another service you might not need.

Various organizations have named Japan as the least sexually active society. It comes to much surprise that this is also a place that craves pornography so much that it has been made into a billion-dollar industry. On top of this, according to TIME, the best selling genre is elder porn. The reason for this craze? One Japanese production company believes that the storylines are more real and relatable, along with the competitiveness of the industry. The article tells about the biggest pornstar of this genre, a 74 year-old man with over 300 films under his belt unbeknownst to his family. And although films featuring young stars sell fast for a few months, films that feature mature adults sell well in the long run for many years.

A recent article in MSNBC addresses the issue of intimacy for returning veterans. Being injured neurologically and physically can have major impact on adjusting back to civilian life, and one of the areas not spoken about is how those will regain the intimate emotional and physical functioning they had before being deployed. One couple who experienced this first hand has started to speak publicly about this issue since it’s an important topic that veterans may be embarrassed to talk about or their doctors feel bringing it up would cross the line, but whatever the case it’s there and not only effects sex, but also, relationships in general. Due to having to adjust to their changes, the injured encounter new insecurities that may hinder their previous and future relationships, but with the right information and tools this can be helped.

Much has changed in the sperm and egg donation industry. According to Newsweek, it is no longer a private matter that a parent hides from a child. Curiosity has led not only the children, but also the donors to search and meet their offspring. To make the search easier top sperm banks are creating a registry system that could help or hinder the industry depending on the donors’ preference of anonymity. Those for this idea agree for reasons such as heredity factors like the sudden knowledge of diseases that run in the family. But some speculators that are against this are looking at rights of the adults, how much information should be put on any sort of tracking system, and the cost of all this.

Reuters Health released that the FDA has approved the first hormone spray-on. After one spray application, the hormonal formula is absorbed into the skin and dries in sixty seconds. Depending on how severe the menopause symptoms, spray frequency ranges from one to three. Convenient application and successful results may make this new product a treatment of choice for post-menopausal women.

Of course, one of the reasons a company might be in a rush to have a new form of delivering hormones might be to get women thinking that there is something new in the world of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Many women have become confused about hormones since the Women’s Health Initiative study was stopped when one group of women being studied were shown to have health problems attributed to HRT. But, the women in the study were post menopause.

What’s a woman to do? Well, the current recommendation seems to be (and I say “seems” because this is up to debate) to use HRT to manage menopausal symptoms in the lowest possible dose for the shortest amount of time.

More physicians seem to be prescribing topical estrogen to ease the vaginal dryness that comes with menopause, as well as other problems.

Of course, you should always talk with your physician about your own particular body and its needs.

One of the things that changes with menopause is sexuality. And if that’s something that interests you, then by all means come in for a discussion.

Also, I have used hypnosis with some good success for helping women to manage symptoms such as hot flashes and insomnia.

Bottom line: Use thoughtful judgment when it comes to taking any medication.

It is once again the time of year students wait for their acceptance letters from colleges. The question some incoming college students ask themselves is if they should reveal anything from completing drug rehabilitation to being diagnosed with a mental disorder. Although this information is confidential more and more colleges are accepting applications based on more than just SAT scores and overall academic performance. According to US News, college admission departments select based on an individuals performance as a member of society since college life would not only represent a smaller version of the real-world, but because in the past few years there has been a boom in the scrutiny of overlooked student files of those that have caused massive use of on-campus security. Professionals say that the decision of if and when to reveal past psychological history is a collaborative effort that involves those in close relationship to the incoming student since that could make or brake a students acceptance.

Games have long been the means to teach people various topics ranging from reading for children to training pilots how to fly. In an article from the New York Times an online game will jump on the bandwagon as a new way of educating the public about H.I.V. This strategy has much to do with the popularity for the gaming industry and internet sources, such as YouTube. This educational game, from the website www.posornot.com, is intended to break social stigma by presenting pictures and bios of people of various ages and cultures then asking the player if he/she thinks that person is H.I.V. positive.

Although this tactic is directed at the younger generations, it could gain popularity with parents since it could be taken in one of two ways: as a benefit to sex education or as too upfront and controversial. Take a look and see what you think.

According to Fox News, within the next four to five years Dutch scientists are expected to reveal a blood test to predict when a woman will hit menopause. With menopause ranging somewhere along 20 years after a woman hits 40-years old, this could be beneficial to know when planning one’s life. Women are on a time clock when it comes to having children so this test, which scientists claim to be less expensive than fertility tests, would be helpful since many plan pregnancy around other factors like school and pursuing a career. Is this something you would take advantage of?

What does the adult industry and teacher unions have to do with each other? Well, according to one lobbyist, nothing. In a recent article from the Orange County Register strip clubs and novelty sex stores could face a 25% increase in tax to help school districts affected by strong budget cuts. This tax would fund education and its social services. The president of one teachers association feels that if a person could afford to buy luxuries due to their income, then they should pay tax on it. This bill, prompted by Assemblyman Charles Calderon, states the negatives of adult venues that some say are based on opinions rather than facts.

As a former teacher, I don’t really find this amusing. Most parents and children would not appreciate funding from a strip club tax. Most strip clubs would feel that they were being unfairly penalized. I don’t know that I would call novelty sex toys “luxury items”; the only thing that makes them so is that you can’t just find them in the drugstore—though you can find stuff for just about any other system of the body!

I don’t think picking on an industry is the way to go. Why not tax Mercedes or lobster or tickets to the OC Performing Arts Center? Why discriminate in this way?