Vaginal dryness is an extremely common problem, more than you might think. And it does not only concern postmenopausal women, since it is estimated that more than 20% of young women suffer from it.
What you need to know…
There are two types of vaginal dryness, which do not have the same cause or meaning.
That due to a lack of sexual lubrication, called “lubricatory dysfunction”, corresponds to erectile dysfunction (erectile dysfunction) in men. During sexual arousal, the flow of blood is hardly made around the vagina, and sexual transudation, intended to moisten it before penetration, is insufficient or absent. This may be related to a lack of desire or sexual blockages preventing arousal. But also to health problems, such as neurological or cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure or the taking of certain drugs (those which also cause erectile dysfunction).
l That linked to insufficient vaginal hydration bothers women on a daily basis and not only during sexual relations. It occurs after childbirth, at menopause or with drugs – causing – dryness of the mucous membranes. For example -Roaccutane® (acne treatment), drugs like Androcur® (a progesterone derivative) or Diane 35® (against acne *). Certain birth control pills, antidepressants and neuroleptics, as well as anti-cancer drugs such as tamoxifen may also be responsible.
What you can do …
To improve sexual lubrication, increase the length of foreplay. The time required for good lubrication is changing. At 18, ten to thirty seconds is enough. In a postmenopausal woman, this reflex is slower, it takes two to three minutes for a lubrication allowing a pleasant penetration.
If you have cardiovascular risk factors such as overweight, diabetes, smoking, excess cholesterol, stress, lack of physical activity … get a cardiological checkup.
If you are taking any medicine that can have a negative effect on lubrication, talk to your doctor to change it. Otherwise, use a lubricant during sex to avoid the vicious cycle of stress blocking arousal.
To increase vaginal hydration, the ideal is to change the drug causing this problem.
If you are going through the menopause, hormone replacement therapy will help. And if you want to avoid this type of treatment, there are hormonal vaginal creams that are only topical. Otherwise, use a long-lasting lubricating gel, three times a week. This type of product contains hyaluronic acid (a molecule that draws moisture into the vagina) and significantly improves vaginal comfort.
* Withdrawn from the market since May.
