Your Hair, Your Terms

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to achieve and sustain an erection long enough to have sex. You may achieve an erection, but not be able to sustain long enough to reach ejaculation. You may develop an erection that isn’t firm enough for sexual activity. Or you may just not be able to get it up at all.

While it’s a hugely frustrating condition, you’re not the only person to have erections affect their sex life. As many as 4.3 million men across the UK experience this common sexual dysfunction. Luckily, there is a range of treatments available to combat ED.

There are many potential causes of erectile dysfunction – from underlying medical conditions to unhealthy lifestyle habits, from psychological causes to hormonal changes. Alcohol abuse and smoking affect your erections, too. Erections are the result of complex internal processes – and your sensitive parts are not immune to any wider health problems that you may have.

The most common causes of ED are in your vascular system. When blood can’t flow easily around the body – due to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or heart disease – enough of it won’t get to where it’s needed. As a result, you won’t be able to achieve a fully firm erection.

However, other causes originate elsewhere. Diabetes, for example, can cause ED, with rates among diabetics potentially as high as 75%. It is thought to be caused by nerve and blood vessel damage, the result of chronic issues with high blood sugar levels.

Meanwhile, men who watch a lot of porn are at risk, too. It’s known as porn-induced erectile dysfunction. It’s thought that pornography can give men unrealistic expectations of what sex is – influencing their ideas of intimacy, sexual performance, and their partners’ bodies. As a result, those who habitually satisfy themselves through porn can struggle to get aroused in real sexual encounters.

ED can also be caused by low testosterone, prostate cancer, kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Peyronie’s disease. Meanwhile, relationship problems, abuse of recreational drugs, and mental health problems including low self esteem can also contribute.

There are many potential causes of erectile dysfunction – from underlying medical conditions to unhealthy lifestyle habits, from psychological causes to hormonal changes. Alcohol abuse and smoking affect your erections, too. Erections are the result of complex internal processes – and your sensitive parts are not immune to any wider health problems that you may have.

The most common causes of ED are in your vascular system. When blood can’t flow easily around the body – due to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or heart disease – enough of it won’t get to where it’s needed. As a result, you won’t be able to achieve a fully firm erection.

However, other causes originate elsewhere. Diabetes, for example, can cause ED, with rates among diabetics potentially as high as 75%. It is thought to be caused by nerve and blood vessel damage, the result of chronic issues with high blood sugar levels.

Meanwhile, men who watch a lot of porn are at risk, too. It’s known as porn-induced erectile dysfunction. It’s thought that pornography can give men unrealistic expectations of what sex is – influencing their ideas of intimacy, sexual performance, and their partners’ bodies. As a result, those who habitually satisfy themselves through porn can struggle to get aroused in real sexual encounters.

ED can also be caused by low testosterone, prostate cancer, kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Peyronie’s disease. Meanwhile, relationship problems, abuse of recreational drugs, and mental health problems including low self esteem can also contribute.