The first-ever testosterone patch could help increase sex drive in menopausal women

SCIENTISTS have invented a skin patch to boost sex drive in menopausal women.

Researchers at the University of Warwick will be testing the Medherant patch, which boosts testosterone levels, in the UK this year.

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Testosterone is important for a woman’s libido and zest for life, but decreases during the transition.

Patches are currently available for the female sex hormones, but none have been developed for testosterone, which is taken as a gel and only approved for use in men.

Professor David Haddleton said: “This is a very exciting development for us – the potential of this technology to improve women’s lives is enormous.

“This could deliver a product that is badly needed and simply not available.

“With the technology already proven, we can use our new patch to eliminate unnecessary misery from women’s daily lives.”

Access to topical HRT patches, which contain the female hormones estrogen or progesterone, has been a persistent problem in the UK, with severe shortages over the past year.

But with a win for the Sun’s Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign, hundreds of thousands of women are now saving £205 a year on the drugs.

The launch, which starts on Saturday, includes a one-off charge of £19.30 for 12 months’ supply in lieu of repeat prescriptions.

Despite the improvement, options for testosterone supplements remain few and far between as most women have to use infrequent doses of a formulation designed for men.

Activists like Davina McCall have championed the use of the hormone to treat decreased libido and clear brain fog.

This new patch – the first ever designed specifically for women – aims to fill that gap in menopause products.

It’s said to stimulate the lower back like current HRT patches, although the precise directions will be finalized as part of the clinical trial, which begins this fall.

Professor Haddleton said: “The work we do is not just theoretical, but instead aims to address a problem women face that can drastically affect their day-to-day life and work.”

Menopause can be a tough time for women, with symptoms typically beginning in the mid-40s and lasting for years.

The experience can range from person to person – while a lucky few will have no trouble making the “transition,” others will experience symptoms so debilitating that they are life-changing.