The Francesa Luca Show — Women’s Sexual Wellness

Dr. Buckley emphasizes that sexual and overall wellness are integral components of health and well-being, comparable to physical and cognitive wellness. Sexual health is often viewed as a luxury, but it is actually a vital part of maintaining vitality as women age.

Maintaining a healthy sex life allows women to stay connected to their bodies and become more aware of potential physical concerns.

There are significant biological benefits to regular sexual activity:

• It acts as a stress reliever and stimulates hormones and neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and oxytocin.

• It supports cardiovascular health and can help treat or alleviate symptoms such as headaches and menstrual pain.

• While not a cure-all, it can help manage menopause-related symptoms.

A significant barrier to women’s sexual wellness is the societal pressure and shame surrounding female sexual pleasure. Dr. Buckley notes a double standard where male sexuality is openly discussed (e.g., medication like Viagra), while female sexual desire remains taboo.

This shame can affect patients profoundly, sometimes leading to serious health consequences—such as illness like breast cancer—if women are uncomfortable touching their own bodies for medical checks.

You can click the audio below to listen to the full podcast.

The conversation highlights a lack of proper education for young women. Many young women develop sexual desire between the ages of 11 and 14. But often turn to unreliable sources like porn for information.

This can result in a distorted understanding of the sexual response and activities like oral sex or intercourse. Dr. Buckley encourages parents to provide an open, honest education to prevent wrong information from taking root.

To improve intimacy and address difficulty with arousal or low desire, Dr. Buckley suggests an “ABCZ” treatment approach (similar to a treatment plan) to help women understand their sexual experiences and fantasies:

• Sensual Arousal (A): Identifying non-sexual things that feel good to the five senses.

• Sexual Arousal (B): Pinpointing specific things that increase libido and arousal.

• Exploration (C): Identifying new things to try (such as different sexual activities) to enhance the sex life.

• Hard No’s (Z): Establishing clear boundaries for things that are off-limits.

A healthy sexual connection is often the root (or root cause) of a strong relationship. While emotional factors are important, a total lack of sexual activity can cause a disconnection that may eventually affect the longevity of the partnership.

Understanding one’s own desire, orgasm, and sex drive is a vital first step before a woman can communicate her needs to a partner.

The topic also touches on broader women’s health topics often managed by a doctor or sex therapist.

Clinical issues such as female sexual dysfunction (including hypoactive sexual desire disorder, low libido, or low desire), painful intercourse, vaginal dryness, and the need for vaginal lubrication are important factors in wellness.

Various treatment options—ranging from pelvic floor physical therapy for pelvic health to medical interventions like estrogen therapy, testosterone, laser therapy, or reviewing the impact of birth control pills—can be part of a comprehensive treatment for sexual dysfunction.