21 Jun What Causes Vaginal Dryness and How to Treat It Naturally?
No one wants to talk about vaginal dryness unless they actually experience it.
However, most of the women out there have had at least one episode of vaginal dryness in their lifetime.
The causes of vaginal dryness can actually be quite varied. It might include medical conditions, hormonal medications, stress, or even a yeast infection.
To tell you the truth, you cannot really pinpoint the exact reason unless you take help from a gynecologist.
Though, thankfully, there are some remedial measures you can take at home which we’ll be discussing later on in the blog.
But before that, it’s crucial to be aware of the symptoms and causes of vaginal dryness so that you can look out for yourself when need be.
Inside Today’s Post
#2. Signs and Symptoms of Vaginal Dryness
#3. Vaginal Dryness During Sex
#4. Lack of Lubrication After Menopause
#5. Vaginal Dryness During or After a Period
#6. Lack of Lubrication During Pregnancy
#7. Treatments for Vaginal Dryness
#8. How Can I Prevent Vaginal Dryness?
#9. FAQs
What are the Causes of Vaginal Dryness?
One of the most prominent causes of vaginal dryness is the dip in estrogen levels in your body.
As stated earlier, women near their menopause go through such conditions the most as their estrogen levels drop.
But even girls in other age groups can experience this.
As estrogen controls various functions of your vagina or your reproductive system, to be specific, it also plays a key role in vaginal lubrication.
Estrogen does so by keeping your vaginal walls thick, moisturized, and nourished.
But as the estrogen levels start declining, the vaginal walls start thinning out, while also becoming dry and inelastic.
This is often also referred to as vaginal atrophy.
Though estrogen usually goes down as you age, there are certainly other factors that can cause a decline in estrogen levels:
- Surgeries that involve ovary removal
- Your lactating period
- Chemotherapy and other such treatments for cancer
- Anti-estrogen drugs that are prescribed for breast cancer
However, other than estrogen, there are many other causes of vaginal and vulvar dryness too:
#1. Insufficient Arousal
Your reproductive system has been designed to secrete a lubricating substance when you are sexually turned on.
But when your partner fails to seduce you enough, or maybe you are too distracted from the experience, your body doesn’t release that substance. This leads to vaginal dryness and itchiness during intercourse.
#2. Medications
Certain drugs can dry up the female lubrication by acting on the reproductive system:
- Anti-histamines
- Antidepressants
- Birth control pills
#3. Sjogren’s Syndrome
An autoimmune health disorder, Sjogren’s syndrome, is characterized by impaired functions of the moisture-secreting glands.
Hence, the syndrome even impacts vaginal lubrication by preventing the slippery secretion.
#4. Stress and Anxiety
Other causes of vaginal dryness also include high levels of long-term stress. Anxiety can mess you up not only mentally but also sexually.
Stress causes excess hormonal secretion of epinephrine. This hormone hinders sexual desire while also causing vaginal dryness.
#5. Douching
When preparing for a date night, how many of you actually indulge in douching?
Well, douching is a common practice among women while using irritants like soaps, perfumes, and whatnot.
But all of this is just harmful to your vagina and can cause your lubrication to dry up.
#6. Yeast Infection
Yeast infection affects 3 out of 4 women at some point in their lives.
Characterized by irritation and intense itchiness, yeast infection dryness is common among women who don’t take good care of their hygiene.
Since many women don’t usually consider vaginal dryness to be a thing, they are not able to figure it out in time.
They usually ignore the warning signs that their vagina sends out and eventually fail to treat it right.
But we won’t let you do that anymore as here are the ringing bells of vaginal dryness.
What Does Vaginal Dryness Feel Like – Signs and Symptoms
Ladies are often not aware of the signs of vaginal dryness and confuse it with those of STDs.
In fact, there have also been reports of women using the wrong OTCs as they rushed to the conclusion of suffering from a random disease.
But you can prevent that from happening with you being aware of the following vaginal dryness symptoms:
#1. Lack of Lubrication During Sex and Pain
Vaginal thinning is often one of the causes of vaginal dryness.
As your vaginal wall becomes thin and weak, intercourse can damage it causing pain, especially when there’s no external use of lubes.
However, if the pain and discomfort happen once, you need not worry. But if the frequency of such episodes increases, vaginal dryness might be knocking at your door.
#2. A Sensation of Vaginal Pain During Daily Chores
The dried-up female lubrication can not just ruin your sexual experience but also make your daily chores difficult.
It might cause you pain even while standing, exercising, or just walking.
On the off chance, if you have a cervical smear, the experience would be much more painful.
#3. Change in the Appearance of Your Vulva
Any change in the physiology of your vagina would also show on its surface.
Primarily, look out for thinning of the vaginal lips.
#4. The Difference in Vaginal Discharge
The vaginal dryness is also characterized by a discharge which is:
- Watery,
- discolored, and
- smelly
With the symptoms pretty clear, here are the common situations where women encounter vaginal dryness and how to tackle them.
Vaginal Dryness During Different Stages Of Life
The dryness of the vaginal walls and lack of female lubrication is pretty common among the following phases in your life:
#1. Vaginal Dryness During Sex
There can be several reasons why a woman dries up during sex.
Either it could be the partner’s inability to turn her on or some underlying medical problem.
So, what causes dryness during sex can be either poor libido or insufficient foreplay:
- Vaginal dryness without any sexual desire, even after doing rounds of foreplay, eventually directs towards poor libido.
- If you’re turned on but still can’t get your vagina wet, then it’s just your brain wanting some time to catch up with your body.
Talking about libido, there are several factors that regulate it. It can be your hormones, medications, or just health conditions. Or maybe you’re not ready to be intimate with your partner.
Otherwise, for many women, vaginal dryness and sexual desire go hand in hand.
The presence of painful symptoms can prove itself to be a barrier for you to be present at the moment and go through with intercourse. Thus, causing you to be less interested in being intimate with your partner.
The best treatment for vaginal dryness during sex is using lubricants, which can make up for the lack of female lubrication and prep your vagina for fun.
#2. Lack of Female Lubrication After Menopause
Vaginal dryness is mostly a problem among menopausal women because of hormonal imbalances.
As you already know, the vaginal lining gets affected by the declining levels of estrogen causing the walls to dry up.
But there are many natural remedies as well as chemical treatments for such dryness.
Hence, even after menopause, you can actually make your vagina slippery again to enjoy the bedroom spice. If the discomfort is too much, consider using a lubricant and eat omega-3 fatty acids-rich foods.
#3. Vaginal Dryness During or After a Period
What can cause vaginal dryness during your menstrual cycles are the varying estrogen levels.
Your menstrual cycle involves the following biological phases:
- Preparation of your uterine wall for nourishing the fertilized egg – The estrogen levels during this phase are high to thicken the walls of your uterus.
- Thinning of the wall when the egg is not fertilized – when the egg is not fertilized, no more nourishment and care is needed. So the estrogen falls and the wall thickening flows out as blood.
Clearly, estrogen is one hormone that’s the key player here.
You might have noticed the urge to have sex go high up during ovulation and come back to normal post your cycle. While others could also feel a lack of sexual interest as a premenstrual sign, which goes back to normal post-cycle.
All of this is due to the changes in the levels of estrogen and progesterone.
Since the estrogen levels also determine the thickness of your vaginal walls, when they are low (during your periods), you might experience vaginal dryness.
But that’s not it!
The use of tampons and fragrant pads can also be a reason behind the drying female lubrication.
While tampons have the basic function of soaking up moisture, they might cause vaginal itchiness and dryness.
The fragrant pads have those chemicals that can hamper your vaginal health.
So, the best solution, in this case, would be to use something that’s less irritating for your vaginal walls. For instance, you can go for non-fragrant cotton sanitary pads.
#4. Lack of Female Lubrication During Pregnancy
Pregnancy has also been associated with a dried vagina because of the hormonal ups and downs that your body goes through.
For example, again, the culprit here is estrogen.
Another reason for such a condition during pregnancy is the lack of sex.
As you’re not getting aroused often during this period, it eventually stops wetting your vagina for lubrication.
Moreover, pregnancy also causes a lot of mood swings. Stress and anxiety can obviously be a part of the process, which can further cause vaginal discomfort.
Evidently, female lubrication is a topic of concern in almost every phase of your life.
So, why should you be concerned?
First off, women can suffer from vaginal dryness at practically any age.
Secondly, even if you leave out the medical connotations, lack of female lubrication is a matter of a lot of mental distress and physical discomfort.
In fact, it can easily become a topic of shame when there’s no one to talk to.
It can not just affect your quality of life but also the quality of your relationships as it often leads to painful sex.
With all this at hand and considering how common of an issue it is for women, getting aware of the treatment options becomes obvious.
You must be prepared with OTC medicines and topical moisturizers to tackle dryness in the vaginal area whenever it shows up.
Hence, the following sections inform you about a series of over-the-counter medications and dietary changes you can use for treating vaginal dryness.
Treatments for Vaginal Dryness – Over-The-Counter Solutions
There are many ways with which you can treat vaginal dryness. Some of them include the medications that need prescription while others are available over the counter.
The ones available without a prescription are mainly lubricants and moisturizers.
#1. Lubricants and Moisturizers
These do not just moisturize your vagina but also balance out its pH preventing any urinary tract infections.
However, when choosing a lubricant, women should be highly selective.
It should be water-based, free from any perfumes and chemicals.
#2. Vaginal Estrogen
There are many types of topical vaginal estrogen available in the market too.
You just need to apply them around the vagina to get relief and restore the lost female lubrication.
They are also available in the form of estradiol rings.
These rings contain a core containing estradiol which needs to be inserted into the vagina where it releases estrogen for the vaginal tissue.
Apart from these over-the-counter therapies, you can even go for medical treatments like hormonal replacement therapy.
Medical Treatment of Vaginal Dryness – Hormonal Therapy
HRT (Hormonal Replacement Therapy) is mainly for post-menopausal vaginal dryness.
Since women see a drop in estrogen during menopause, the therapy is quite helpful in restoring the levels. However, there are some side effects of this treatment too.
Hence, I suggest you have a good talk with your doctor about the details before going through with anything like that. Or else, go for natural solutions as far as possible.
How Can I Increase My Natural Lubrication? [Home Remedies for Vaginal Dryness]
There are various lifestyle changes that you can try for reducing your vaginal dryness irrespective of the causes:
#1. Regular Sex
The most exciting way to restore vaginal lubrication is by having regular sex.
As you have regular sex, there is better blood circulation in your vagina, which promotes the production of moisture.
With more foreplay comes secretion of the slippery substance that again combats vaginal dryness.
#2. Phytoestrogen Supplements
Phytoestrogen is a compound that works like estrogen in your body.
According to studies, they effectively treat vaginal dryness and hot flashes that come after menopause.
You can easily find them among food sources like soy, nuts, and seeds. But since these sources won’t be enough to treat your dryness, we suggest you go for supplements to increase female lubrication.
#3. Cotton Underwear
Usually, women don’t understand the importance of choosing the right garment for their blossom.
But, according to experts, synthetic underwears trigger chafing and dryness while also raising the chances of infections down there.
This is because synthetic wear traps heat and moisture that provide optimum conditions for the bacteria to grow. Hence, always go for the breathable undies, like the cotton ones.
#4. Diet
Almost every aspect of your health is connected with the diet.
Since the vaginal secretion comes from the blood containing minerals and vitamins, it is important to take care of your nutrient intake.
Staying hydrated and eating well is one of the basic feminine dryness remedies.
For preventing as well as treating your vaginal dryness, mend your diet by including:
- Fatty acids – sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, etc.
- Isoflavones – flaxseed, soy, legumes, cherries, nuts, and apples.
- Vitamin A and B – veggies and fruits.
- Omega -3- fatty acids – fishes like salmon.
In fact, postmenopausal women can also add in some of the best vitamins to increase female lubrication like Vitamin D.
In fact, there is some research examining the effects of Vitamin D on menopausal women.
However, it would be best to ask your doctor before including a supplement in your diet.
Although there are many treatments and remedies for restoring female lubrication, you must have heard of the phrase, prevention is better than cure?
Keep the following prevention advice on your mind at all times.
How Can I Prevent Vaginal Dryness?
The best way that you can prevent your vaginal lubrication from drying up is by taking care of your hygiene:
- Never buy and use female products that contain fragrances and chemicals.
- Douches is a strict no! They can harm your vagina wall with unknown chemicals.
- Refrain from using a condom that contains N-9. They absorb all the moisture from your vagina.
- Cleanse your vagina with a cleaner that has a lipid profile.
- Use lubricants that are water-based.
- Don’t use cleansers for your vulva as that can damage the walls.
- Refrain from applying any antiseptic creams around the area as they can cause the vaginal bacteria to die off and lead to infections.
With this, here’s a summed-up conclusion for you.
The Final Outlook
The reasons for a dry vagina can be many, but the treatments remain to stay few.
Lubricants and moisturizers are amongst the most easily accessible treatments for vaginal dryness.
But there are also some chemical treatments that one could go for if you want a permanent solution.
But before you do so, ask yourself if you are ready for it. Are you ready for the consequences that medical treatments carry?
If not, then certain natural remedies can help you in restoring the female lubrication and reduce vaginal itchiness and irritation too.
Hence, vaginal dryness is not a problem anymore, unless it’s a symptom of an underlying condition.
Though, always consult a doc when you notice major vaginal discomfort. It can indeed also help you figure out the causes of vaginal dryness in your specific case.
Otherwise, trying out a lubricant and making dietary changes are always at your disposal without costing you much.
FAQs
These are some of the most-asked questions about some common causes of vaginal dryness and female lubrication.
#1. Does birth control make you dry?
The most common reason behind vaginal dryness is hormonal imbalance. Since birth pills usually combine certain hormones, they can affect your body in different and uncertain ways.
Vaginal dryness has always been a part of the list of side effects that birth control pills carry. This is mainly because of its ability to turn down your estrogen levels.
So, if you’re facing major side effects, have a talk with your gynae about alternative birth control methods.
#2. Is vaginal dryness normal?
Yes, it’s entirely normal and usually a temporary case which is not of much concern.
It can be a side effect of certain medications or just a lack of foreplay during intercourse.
In fact, there are so many remedies and treatments that can just help you restore female lubrication. Hence, there’s nothing to be worried about. Almost every woman goes through it.
#3. Can dryness cause yeast infections?
Yes, it can lead to many such infections as your vagina loses its protective guard, which is the natural secretions.
#4. Does vaginal dryness cause itching?
Yes, it can cause itching down there because, as your vagina becomes dry, it loses its protective layer.
The secretions earlier were protecting your vagina from all sorts of bacteria. But now your vagina is open to any sort of infection.
The pathogenic bacteria usually attack your vagina at such times and cause itching.
#5. What causes dryness during ovulation?
What causes dryness during ovulation is the hormonal ups and downs.
As you ovulate, the estrogen levels go up creating a cushion out of your endometrial wall. But when the egg fails to fertilize, the estrogen level goes down creating vaginal dryness as the vaginal walls thin out too.
#6. Why am I dry down there all of a sudden?
There could be many reasons for all-of-a-sudden vaginal dryness:
- Chain-smoking
- Stressful days
- A lot of alcohol
- Allergic reactions to one of your intimate hygiene products
- Excess douching
- Birth control pills
#7. What foods increase female lubrication?
There are many foods that you can add to your diet to increase female lubrication naturally:
- Cranberries
- Sweet potatoes
- Probiotic foods
- Omega-3-fatty acids rich food
- Apples
- Soy
- Avocados
- Leafy greens
#8. Can dehydration cause vaginal dryness?
Dehydration is a common factor contributing to skin rashes and dryness. But it’s not just about your skin. It’s even about your vagina.
When your body loses water, it has no potential left to produce secretions. This leads to drying up of your vagina too.
No Comments