Answer:

For quite a while, women have been applying testosterone lotion/cream to the vulva (the external female genitals, the vagina being inside the opening). These lotions are often made by a compounding pharmacy. They often make a lotion that has 10 milligrams of testosterone per milliliter and dispense 20 milliliters to be used in a month's time.

For women who overdo this, there can be a condition called clitoromegaly (an enlargement of the clitoris). For some women, that would be considered a problem, for others it would not.

The incidence of hair growth, deepening of the voice, and other masculinization is very low, though many physicians are quite wary of prescribing testosterone for women. Some are lawsuit-conscious and some are simply prejudiced against the idea that women would want to have a strong sexual drive.

This whole field is evolving -- though that evolution is maddeningly slow at times. The setback of the Intrinsa patch by Proctor and Gamble this spring was a loss for many women whose physicians would have likely given it a try.

The entire situation resembles much of the attitude toward male erectile dysfunction prior to the release of Viagra. Up until then, many cases of erectile dysfunction were attributed incorrectly to psychological issues, which despite diligent work by both client and therapist, never could get "fixed." The issue of female sexual desire is currently going through the same cultural obstacles. And so, we are all just waiting it out.

Meanwhile, there are some very knowledgeable physicians on the forefront of female sexual health who are prescribing Testim 1% to women. A tube that a man would normally use entirely in one day, a woman would use over a ten day period. It contains 50 mg of testosterone per 5 g tube. This product is used on the back of the calf/thigh. I favor this approach.

Generally women who have very low free testosterone levels have very little sexual desire. This can happen to women who earlier in their lives had high levels of desire and for some physiologic reason (like a hysterectomy), no longer do. These women know the difference in how they once felt and how they feel at a low testosterone level. Supplementing restores them to a level of desire that resembles their former experience. Women who have never had a medium to high level of sexual desire have no basis of comparison. They can only try it and see if they like how it affects them.