Finish too soon in the sack? You’re not alone. Premature ejaculation is the most common sexual dysfunction in men, affecting an estimated 30 percent of guys across the world.
Now, there may be a new treatment option out there for men who suffer from it: Benzocaine wipes may help men with premature ejaculation last longer in bed, a new study presented at the American Urological Association’s annual meeting found.
In the study, 15 men with premature ejaculation (PE)—those who lasted two minutes or less during sex, were unable to delay their orgasm, and were distressed about it—used a topical wipe with 4 percent benzocaine, a local anesthetic, and six men with PE used wipes without benzocaine before sex.
After two months of using the benzocaine wipes, the men lasted an average of about four minutes longer during sex. (Have the opposite problem? Here’s everything you need to know about delayed ejaculation.)
They also reported a greater improvement in distress and control over their ejaculation, as well as greater satisfaction with sex than those who used med-free wipes.
The average guy lasts just over 7 minutes during sex, a study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found. But a man with premature ejaculation? They tend to last about 1.8 minutes on average.
Although benzocaine wipes may be an effective way for guys with PE to increase their duration in the sack, it might not be a cure-all for your sex woes overall.
That’s because benzocaine can make sex less pleasant for her—using benzocaine on your penis and then having sex without a condom can numb your partner’s vagina, making sex feel uncomfortable for her, says Men’s Health sex and relationships advisor Debby Herbenick, Ph.D.
For more information on what to do if you’re finishing too soon, check out the surprising truth about premature ejaculation.
