Topical Treatment of Premature Ejaculation: The Rise of Anesthetic Spray Formulations?

Topical anesthetics are one of the first line therapeutical options for men with premature ejaculation (PE). Real-life PE management often involves a range of interventions including systemic drug treatments (such as off-label and on-label selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5Is)), topical anesthetic creams and sprays, and behavioral approaches. Among them, on-demand dapoxetine and lidocaine/prilocaine spray formulations are the only approved treatment options for lifelong PE. The earliest strategy to treat PE was based on the use of topical anesthetic agents. The rationale behind the use of anesthetics is that by reducing the glans penis sensitivity, the spinal and cerebral input of sexual arousal impulses may also be reduced. Oral SSRI proved to be effective to treat PE, but their high rate of side effects limit treatment adherence and both short and long term follow up data are lacking. Conversely, topical anesthetics have proved to increase ejaculatory latency, control, and sexual satisfaction in couple affected by PE with limited rates of adverse events. In this context, we aimed to perform a narrative review to summarize the most recent findings regarding the use of topical treatments for PE.