July 31, 2012 – Often associated with the great hormonal upheavals of menopause or pregnancy, vaginal dryness nevertheless concerns all women, regardless of their age.
Insofar as the triggers of intimate dryness are also related to everyday behaviors and habits (stress, tobacco, alcohol, taking certain treatments …), all women can indeed be prone to this disorder. Sometimes poorly informed or little aware of the subject, the youngest of them are often unaware of the causes of this hydration imbalance. In other cases, they do not understand all the consequences on their daily comfort but also on their married life.
Young women often do not dare to talk about intimate dryness to their doctor, their friends or their partner.
Causes of intimate hydration dysfunction in young women
Among the factors disturbing the natural balance of vaginal humidity in young women, there are, for example, certain medical treatments and contraceptive pills.
Side effects of some birth control pills
88% of women aged 16 to 24 take the pill as a means of contraception, far ahead of the IUD (22%) and the condom (7%). Used for its convenience and reliability, some pills can, however, have adverse effects on the body, including a drop in estrogen levels. The hormonal balance is then disturbed, leading to dryness of the mucous membranes.
Side effects of certain medical treatments
Anti-acne treatments can also cause drying of all the mucous membranes (mouth, eyes, etc.). The vaginal mucous membranes are therefore not spared. The same is true for certain treatments (antihistamines) used against allergies, hay fever, etc. To be well informed, it is not enough to read the drug inserts. Because, if intimate dryness is today recognized as a possible side effect of these treatments, the consequences on women’s privacy are still rarely and clearly mentioned.
Source: Orphys Medica
