Marilyn Thipthorpe
Viagra has transformed the love lives of millions of men over the last 20 years.
But is the famous little blue pill soon to be overtaken by a simple-to-use stick-on patch?
Scientists have developed a way to get the libido-boosting drug through the skin rather than the mouth.
It could slash the time it takes to work from up to an hour to a matter of minutes and increase the length of time it is effective for beyond the current ten hours.
The patch, which could be worn on the upper arm or abdomen, could also curb side-effects triggered by ingesting the drug, such as headaches and migraines, indigestion, disturbed vision and muscle pain.
Latest tests show it is possible to shrink sildenafil citrate, the drug used to make Viagra, down into tiny nano-particles small enough to penetrate the skin and get into the bloodstream. It has helped to transform the treatment of impotence – or erectile dysfunction – and restored the sex lives of countless couples.