You used to enjoy your sex life, but now it’s become uncomfortable thanks to vaginal dryness. You’re certainly not alone in this — 17% of American women between the ages of 18 and 50 report vaginal dryness, and this percentage rises exponentially after age 50 as women transition through menopause.
If vaginal dryness is getting in the way of a pleasurable and satisfying sex life, Dr. Gary Willen and the team here at Tahoe Women’s Care want to help. In this month’s blog post, we review some of the common drivers of vaginal dryness, as well as ways we can reestablish lubrication.
The tissues inside your vagina benefit from a moist environment, and this is provided by fluids from your cervix. To boost the moisture, your vagina features two small glands at the entrance called Bartholin glands. These glands release fluids during arousal that help prevent friction during intercourse.
Now that we understand where the lubrication comes from, let’s take a look at what can take it away.
Far and away, the leading cause of vaginal dryness in women is perimenopause and menopause. Your vaginal health, including lubrication, is largely controlled by your reproductive hormones. When these hormones start to decline, side effects like vaginal dryness are common. In fact, more than half of women who are 51-60 report vaginal dryness.
But this hormonal transition doesn’t account for the 17% of women under the age of 50 who report vaginal dryness. In these cases, the issue may be tied to:
We also want to point out that douching and other fragranced vaginal products often do more harm than good and can lead to vaginal dryness.
The good news when it comes to vaginal dryness is that you have some great treatment options. Of course, your treatment depends upon the underlying cause.
Since menopause is the leading driver of vaginal dryness, let’s start with some solutions for women in their 50s, 60s, and beyond, which include:
If your vaginal dryness isn’t caused by menopause, the treatment options we might recommend depending on what’s behind the issue. If it’s temporary, such as breastfeeding or certain treatments, you might wait it out and use over-the-counter lubricants in the meantime.
Lubricants are really a great solution across the board, no matter how you end up with vaginal dryness. We also suggest that taking more time for arousal can often encourage more lubrication.
For a more personalized plan of attack for remedying your vaginal dryness and to review your treatment options, we recommend that you talk with Dr. Willen. To schedule an appointment, please contact our office in Carson City, Nevada.
