Dr. Siri.V.Ragavendra

Birth control pills commonly known as hormonal pills, oral contraceptive pills, or just pill's are an effective female hormonal birth controlling pill. Young women and adolescent girls are very frequently prescribed birth control pills for heavy or irregular menstrual flow, acne, PMS, hormone therapy, menstrual cramps. In Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which causes irregular menstrual flow due to hormonal changes, often birth control pills are given to lower the hormones and bring them within normal range. This also regulates the menstrual flow. Often adolescent girls who do not respond to acne treatment are prescribed hormonal pills. Also, these are given to girls who have endometriosis, irregular periods, and genetic conditions like Turner's syndrome.

Concerns associated with pills:

1) Do the Pills have any health benefits: Yes, it has benefits like treatment of PCOS, acne, regulates menstrual flow, decreases cramps, and lowers the risk of cancers and anemia (know more about anemia affect on health).

2) What are the side effects of the pill: Mostly it has no major problem as such. Pills containing estrogen might increase the risk of developing clots in eyes, lungs, and legs. If a woman complains of ACHES then she should be taken to the emergency.

3) Is there a risk of developing stroke or heart attacks while using the pill: A healthy woman who does not smoke and is on pills does not have any risk of getting a stroke or a heart attack. Smoking should be avoided when birth control pills have been prescribed.

4) Are there chances of getting cancer: Taking birth control pills actually protects the woman against ovarian and uterus cancer. Some experts also feel that the pill also reduces the chances of breast cancer.

5) Does the pill cause blood clots: Yes, there is little risk of developing clots in the legs. In adolescent girls the risk of forming clots is 5-50 per 100,000 every year. In pregnant women the risk is 4.3-10 folds more than those who do not use the pill.

6) Does the pill cause birth defects: The pill has not been associated with any birth defects and also does not harm the health of the child.

7) How does the pill help in irregular menstrual flow and acne: 
In case of irregular menstruation the pill helps by regulating the menstrual cycle to every 28 days. It also helps to reduce the amount and the length of the menstruation.

The hormones present in the pill help to stop the acne. OTC or prescribed drugs can be taken for moderate to severe acne.

The Aging Penis and Its Impact on Sexual Health

When a guy is in his prime of life, it's hard to even imagine that a day could come when his interest in sex might have died down. Young guys feel "up and at 'em" on what seems like a 24-hour-a-day basis. But what about when they get older? Society's perception of older men tends to be one of guys who have much less sexual desire than they used to; worse, the stereotype is that even when they do feet hot and bothered, they often can't attain the erectile status that they need to satisfy the desire. But is there a basis for this view? Can keeping an eye on proper care have an impact on a man's aging penis?

Research

A 2009 article from the Journal of Sex Research provides a good starting point for looking into this issue. The article states that "biological factors have an indisputable effect on sexual activity among the elderly, but they do not directly determine it." Yes, aging does have a direct impact on the physical functioning of the male sexual apparatus, and other indirect health factors, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, which may increase in prevalence among an aging population, can also play a big role.

With information drawn from two national sex surveys from Finland in the 1990s, the study found that aging men had more sex than aging women and that sexual activity among aging men depended largely on an individual's sexual self-esteem, good health and an active sexual history. In other words, those who took care of themselves physically, had a good opinion of their general sexual ability and had been sexually active earlier in life generally continued to be more sexually active later in life.

More recent research

A 2016 study ("Sexual Quality of Life and Aging: A Prospective Study of a Nationally Representative Sample") looked at this perceived problem and came up with a different point of view. Analyzing data from more than 6200 men and women from the Midlife in the United State study, the scientists sought to include aging with such sexual factors as frequency, number of sexual partners, etc. When incorporating all of these factors, aging went from being negatively correlated with sexual quality of life to being positively correlated with it. It was felt that the sexual quality of life of older adults (both male and female) was affected more by the quality rather than the quantity of sexual activity. In other words, aging brought with it a kind of sexual wisdom in which sexual satisfaction had a changing definition for the participants.

More recently, a 2018 article looked at the sex lives of elderly men and women in Europe. "Seventy-Five Years Old and Still Going Strong: Stability and Change in Sexual Interest and Sexual Enjoyment in Elderly Men and Women Across Europe" examined about 3800 people in Denmark, Norway, Belgium and Portugal. It concluded that "good health, an active sex life throughout the lifespan, direction of relationship, and feeling emotionally close to partner during sex" were the major factors for sexual satisfaction among the aging set.

All these studies indicate that, while there may be some changes as one ages, it is quite possible to have a satisfying sex life in the later years.

One common factor is the state of one's penis health, so men should really consistently make use of a top drawer penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). The most sought-after cremes will include a wide range of healthy, beneficial vitamins, including A, B5, C, D and E, the topical application of which can more directly target the penis. Also desirable in a crème is L-arginine, which helps boost nitric oxide production and thereby aids in keeping penile blood vessels open for increased blood volume.