Tips on How to Cure Premature Ejaculation, From Guys Who’ve Been There

Premature ejaculation (PE) affects up to 30 percent of men worldwide (even though estimates can vary), making it one of the most common sexual problems. While there’s no one-size-fits-all “premature ejaculation cure,” there are many effective treatment options.

But, if you’re here because you want to know how to cure premature ejaculation, know that this guide will walk you through some of the top treatments, backed by real results from men who’ve been there.

Keep reading to gain a better understanding about PE, explore proven solutions, and learn real-life tips to get your sex life back on track.

Premature ejaculation is a sexual dysfunction that involves ejaculating, or coming, earlier than you or your partner would like during sexual activity. It can happen during penetrative sex, oral sex, or other forms of sexual contact.

Like erectile dysfunction (ED) and other male sexual issues, PE is common. In fact, it’s sometimes considered the most common sexual disorder in men.

Precise definitions of premature ejaculation vary, but here’s how the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) outlines it: Ejaculation that occurs within one minute following vaginal penetration, before the individual wishes, during all or almost all sexual activity.

To qualify as PE, this issue needs to persist for at least six months, cause distress, and not have a clear nonsexual explanation, such as a mental disorder, medical condition, or medication that’s associated with changes in sexual function.

Another widely accepted definition comes from the International Society for Sexual Medicine: PE refers to ejaculation that happens sooner than desired, typically within one minute of vaginal penetration in lifelong cases, or within about three minutes in cases that develop later.

Like other forms of sexual dysfunction, PE can also vary in duration. For some men, premature ejaculation begins to develop at a certain period in life. This is referred to as “acquired PE.” Premature ejaculation is viewed as “lifelong” when it affects someone since their first sexual experience.

In some cases, the condition is relatively mild and allows at least some time for sexual contact before ejaculation. In others, it can be so severe that the affected person may reach orgasm and ejaculate before any sexual activity takes place. 

Premature ejaculation can also be generalized or situational. Some men may ejaculate prematurely in all sexual situations with all sexual partners (generalized). For others, it may be limited to certain situations, partners, or types of sexual stimulation (situational).

Because of this variety of circumstances, there isn’t exactly a single permanent cure for PE. But identifying the kind of premature ejaculation you have — and what could be causing it — can help you find an effective treatment option.

Symptoms of Premature Ejaculation

The most significant symptom of premature ejaculation is a shorter time to ejaculation than you and/or your partner would like. This may cause other symptoms, including some that could affect your self-confidence, mental health, and the well-being of your sexual relationship and connection with your partner.

If you have premature ejaculation, you may experience the following symptoms:

• Short time to ejaculation. Formally known as a short intravaginal ejaculatory latency time, or IELT, this refers to the total amount of time that passes following penetration but before ejaculation. If you almost always reach orgasm and ejaculate within one minute of penetration, you may be affected by PE.

• Little or no control over ejaculation. If you have PE, you might feel like it’s difficult or impossible to prevent yourself from ejaculating for long enough to satisfy your partner.

• Less pleasurable sex. Premature ejaculation can potentially make sex less pleasurable for you and/or your partner, both by preventing you from enjoying the sensation of sex and by making it harder to relax during sexual contact.

• Psychological distress. Because of its effects on sexual intimacy and pleasure, PE can have a psychological impact on you and/or your partner. This can cause issues such as sexual frustration, reduced sexual satisfaction, and performance anxiety.

When it comes to the underlying causes of premature ejaculation, most research suggests that a combination of biological and psychological risk factors could all play a role. 

These potential causes of premature ejaculation include:

• Abnormal hormone levels. This includes changes in levels of prolactin, luteinizing hormone, and thyroid-stimulating hormone.

• Low levels of serotonin. This neurotransmitter is involved in regulating moods and feelings, and possibly in delaying ejaculation.

• Infections. Infections and/or inflammation that affect the prostate or urethra may contribute to PE.

• Mental health issues. These include depression, feelings of guilt, poor body image, a history of sexual abuse, and sexual performance anxiety.

• Relationship issues. Problems in your current relationship that affect intimacy or sexual desire may contribute to PE.

Because premature ejaculation can vary in origin, onset, and severity, treatment can take multiple forms and result in different outcomes. For instance, if a person with mild PE caused by an underlying condition treats that contributing issue, doing so may potentially resolve their PE symptoms. 

Sometimes, PE goes away on its own, and sometimes it doesn’t. But there are a variety of options for the treatment of premature ejaculation, including lifelong PE.

Treatments for premature ejaculation include over-the-counter products, prescription medications, behavioral techniques, and therapy that addresses the psychological causes of PE, like relationship issues or anxiety about sexual performance.

Topical Treatments

Topical products that lower the sensitivity level of your penis can treat premature ejaculation, helping you to last longer without missing out on the sensation of sex. 

Most topical products for PE contain anesthetic ingredients like benzocaine or lidocaine that reduce sensitivity without overly numbing your penis. Our Clockstopper Climax Delay Wipes — which use benzocaine for fast-acting relief from PE — are no exception. 

Research shows that when applied shortly before sex, these ingredients can help to slow down ejaculation and increase sexual stamina. For example, a study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research found that a spray containing lidocaine significantly improved intravaginal ejaculation latency time (reminder: that’s the time after penetration before ejaculation) in men with lifelong PE. The men in the study also reported having sex more frequently than those using a placebo.

Similar research has found that benzocaine wipes produce a significant increase in ejaculatory latency time for men with PE.

Prescription Medication

For some men, over-the-counter products like benzocaine or lidocaine aren’t enough.

“I have tried everything: lotions, sprays, gas station pills, and thinking about baseball,” says one 44-year-old Hims customer*. "These things might buy me a minute or two.” Wanting more than a minute or two, he turned to prescription PE medication from Hims. “Little did I know that it would work so well that I would be getting in the sack almost every day and sometimes twice a day,” he adds. “My sexual disappointment has been replaced with teenager-like energy.”

When it comes to prescription remedies for premature ejaculation, there are two main options: antidepressants and PDE5 inhibitors.

Antidepressants for PE

Currently, there’s no prescription medication approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat premature ejaculation. However, several antidepressants are commonly prescribed off-label as treatments for PE, including paroxetine, fluoxetine, and sertraline (the active ingredient in Zoloft^®).

Sertraline belongs to a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It works by increasing serotonin levels, which can reduce the severity of depression symptoms.

Low levels of serotonin are thought to be associated with rapid ejaculation. Experts think that a sertraline-induced increase in serotonin levels inhibits orgasm and ejaculation, treating PE and improving sexual stamina.

Research largely backs this up. One systematic review and meta-analysis from 2019 found that sertraline helps to prolong intravaginal ejaculation latency time and improve sexual satisfaction for partners.

PDE5 Inhibitors for PE

Other research suggests that PDE5 inhibitors, which are approved and  prescribed for erectile dysfunction, may help to delay ejaculation. These include medications like sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra^®).

In fact, several studies have found that sildenafil appears to increase the time to ejaculation, improve sexual satisfaction, and increase self-confidence and frequency of sex in men affected by premature ejaculation.

“I've always been on the quicker side when it came to reaching orgasm,” says one 38-year-old Hims customer*. After being prescribed sildenafil, he used the medication immediately and experienced fast results. “Not only did it cut down the refractory period between our sessions—which she loved as much as I did—but it also had a positive side effect on my confidence in bed. This, in turn, helped me to control better and last longer. Being an ED treatment, sildenafil also tends to make my erections a bit harder as well, which is always a plus, too.”

Hims offers generic sildenafil for PE online as part of our range of evidence-based premature ejaculation treatments. However, you should always ask your healthcare provider before using ED medications for PE.

Other ED medications that may help include tadalafil (Cialis^®), chewable ED meds like Hims Hard Mints, or Sex Rx + Climax Control, a 2-in-1 treatment for ED and PE.

Blake, 32,* is a Hims customer who turned to the Sex Rx + Climax Control product because sex didn’t last longer than a few minutes: “What interested me was the fact that one pill had the effects of two pills,” he says. “I now last probably three times as long.”

Physical Techniques

You may be able to alleviate PE symptoms using simple behavioral techniques that help delay orgasm and ejaculation. These include the stop-start method and the squeeze technique. 

Here’s how each technique works:

• The stop-start method. This method involves stopping sexual activity before you feel you’re about to reach orgasm, waiting for the level of sexual arousal to decrease, and then starting again once you feel more relaxed. Research suggests that around 45% to 65% of men experience short-term improvements using this method.

• The squeeze technique. This technique involves either you or your partner squeezing your penis at the point where the glans (the head of your penis) meets the shaft when you feel you’re approaching orgasm and ejaculation. Like the stop-start method, this stimulation can act as a reset before you continue sexual activity.  

You can repeat these techniques several times during sex to delay orgasm and improve your sexual stamina. You can also try mixing up sexual positions and activities. 

But keep in mind: Research on the effects of behavioral techniques for PE is mixed. A 2015 systematic review found that some studies of these techniques show large improvements in ejaculation latency, while others show little or no changes.

In other words, your experience may vary. However, since these techniques are easy to perform and cost nothing, they might be worth trying — either on their own or in combination with medical treatments for PE.

Masturbation

Though masturbation isn’t often considered a treatment for sexual problems, it could help with premature ejaculation.

Masturbating before sex may address the physiological issues associated with PE by temporarily reducing sensitivity and relieving some of the excitement you may feel leading up to an intimate engagement. But keep in mind that masturbating shortly before sex can sometimes make it harder to get or maintain an erection or reach orgasm, due to the natural recovery time known as the refractory period.

Vitamins and Supplements

Vitamin deficiencies are rare, but if you do have one, it may affect your sex life.

While there is not enough comprehensive research to conclude that any supplement or vitamin can improve premature ejaculation, it may be worth talking to your healthcare provider about any nutritional deficiencies.

Supplements for PE may include vitamins and minerals like vitamin B12, vitamin D, zinc, biotin, and folic acid. Many of these nutrients can also come from food, so doctors recommend eating a well-balanced diet to support sexual and overall health.

Pelvic Floor Exercises 

Often associated with women, pelvic floor exercises (also known as Kegel exercises) can help men strengthen the muscles sometimes associated with sexual problems and poor erectile control during sexual intercourse. 

Your pelvic floor muscles control ejaculation and urination (among other things), and they can weaken without regular exercise as we age. 

While they aren’t all that difficult, people often perform Kegel exercises improperly — check out our guide to ensure you do them right.

Behavioral Therapy and Psychotherapy

When early ejaculation is caused by a psychological issue such as depression, anxiety, or relationship problems, psychotherapy often helps.

Also referred to as talk therapy (or sex therapy if it’s with a specialized sex therapist), psychotherapy involves talking with a mental health provider to identify and work on emotions, thoughts, and patterns of behavior that might exacerbate PE. As a treatment for PE, this may involve changing negative thoughts and behaviors related to sex. 

Research largely suggests that a combination of pharmacotherapy (treatment with medication) and behavioral treatment is the most effective option for treating PE. Because of this, your healthcare provider might prescribe you medication in combination with therapy and other techniques.

Premature ejaculation can take a major toll on your sex life, especially if it’s something you’ve struggled with since your first sexual experience. While you can’t learn how to cure PE permanently, you can learn how to control the issue. Remember:

• Premature ejaculation is a common sexual dysfunction with various causes. Contributing factors to PE may include abnormal hormone levels, low levels of serotonin, mental health issues, infections, and relationship problems.

• There are home remedies and over-the-counter treatments for PE. Behavioral techniques include the stop-start method and the squeeze technique. To gain more control, you can also try desensitizing sprays, wipes, or condoms.

• Some men with PE control their symptoms with prescription medication. Whether your PE is considered lifelong or acquired, medications may improve your symptoms. A healthcare provider may prescribe antidepressants or ED drugs that help foster longer-lasting, more pleasurable sex.

If you’re among the many men affected by PE, you can access a range of premature ejaculation treatments, including over-the-counter products and prescription PE medications, following an online consultation with a licensed healthcare professional.

You can also learn more about addressing PE and improving your sexual performance in our guide to lasting longer in bed.

*Hims customers were compensated for their participation in this article.