9 Causes of Vaginal Dryness (And What To Do About It!)
When you’re used to having a certain
degree of natural lubrication for your lady parts, it can be somewhat
unsettling to experience a sudden dry spell down below. You may be
asking yourself, is it normal to have a dry vagina? The simple answer is
that vaginal dryness is more common than you might think.
The causes of this unpleasant condition,
however, might surprise you. To set your mind at ease, we’ve outlined 9
possible causes of vaginal dryness, along with a few recommendations on
how you can alleviate the problem.
9. Lack of Arousal Can Cause Vaginal Dryness
Let’s begin with the
elephant in the room -- lack of arousal. A woman’s body is designed to
produce a slippery natural lubrication when she is sexually aroused in
order to facilitate the insertion of a man’s penis into her vagina. At
least that’s how it’s supposed to work according to the textbooks we
read in Sex Ed class.
In the real world, women may simply be
too distracted -- or perhaps need a bit more warming up than their
partner does -- when it’s time to have intercourse. In this case, the
solution could be as simple as building up the sexual anticipation with
more foreplay. Some women have other triggers, like fantasizing or
naughty talk, that help them get going.
Here are three things to keep in mind:
A. Just because a woman’s not “wet”,
doesn’t necessarily mean she’s not aroused (as we’ll explore in the
other 8 causes of vaginal dryness below).
B. If lack of arousal is the cause of
vaginal dryness, an open dialog between partners can do wonders for
discovering what will stimulate sexual arousal. The main takeaway? Don’t
be shy when it comes to explaining what gets your motor running.
C. If the lack of arousal is to blame for vaginal dryness but both partners still want to get to third base, using a personal lubricant is a secure, fun way to kickstart the action.
8. Emotional Stress Can Cause Vaginal Dryness
Let’s face it, everyone experiences stress to a certain degree and, in recent years, it’s been linked to an increasing number of physical problems.
Many people associate a woman’s tendency to produce vaginal lubrication
with her sexual arousal, and when it doesn’t happen it can cause a form
of performance anxiety -- akin to the stage fright that makes it hard
for some guys to get an erection under pressure (as we mentioned in our
previous post, Everything You Need to Know About Personal Lubricants (But Were Too Afraid to Ask)).
Performance anxiety
aside, any number of outside stressors in a woman’s life can spill over
into the bedroom and lead to a dry vagina. While the oxytocin released
by the brain during orgasm can be a healthy form of stress release
itself, it may take some serious relaxation techniques to get in the
mood for sexual activity, if that’s even the goal.
Find what helps you unwind, whether it’s
yoga stretches, relaxing music, a massage or perhaps a favorite drink.
When your mind is feeling less stressed, your body will often follow. If
a lack of vaginal lubrication is causing you further stress, take
matters into your own hands and use a personal lube like Astroglide Liquid to
moisturise your most intimate areas. After all, you’ve got enough on
your mind so why not let us take care of the lubrication until your
body’s back on track?
7. Douching Can Cause Vaginal Dryness
Although less common than it once was, WomensHealth.gov says
that in the United States, almost one in four women 15 to 44 years old
douche on a regular basis. This is a surprising stat considering studies
have not found any health benefit to douching but have found that
douching is linked to many health problems, including vaginal dryness.
So this one seems simple enough, if
you’re experiencing vaginal dryness yet you’re still putting douche up
into your business -- it may be time to ditch the douchebags!
6. Smoking and Drinking Can Cause Vaginal Dryness
Sorry party girl, if you want to keep
your vajayjay moist and healthy, you’ve got to snuff the butts and chill
out on the booze. Why, you ask? According to Laura Berman, in her article at Everyday Health,
“Cigarettes can decrease circulation, which could intensify vaginal
dryness. Alcohol can decrease your sensations and lead to a dry vagina,
so limit yourself to only one or two glasses of wine, especially if you
plan on having sex later.”
5. Strenuous Exercise Can Cause Vaginal Dryness
Please note the
importance of the word “strenuous” here, and keep in mind that regular
exercise is actually a key component to maintaining your overall health
-- including the health of your vagina. Confused? Don’t be. Just think
of how many times you’ve heard the phrase “everything in moderation” and
realize that when it comes to avoiding vaginal dryness, intense
rigorous exercise has been known to dry a vagina -- at least immediately
following said workout.
Find that healthy
balance so that you’re maintaining your overall health and circulation
without causing too much stress on your body.
4. Childbirth/Nursing Can Cause Vaginal Dryness
At first, it may seem surprising to hear
that new mothers experience vaginal dryness. After all, the body is
creating and discharging so many fluids to aid in the birthing and
nursing process during this time, one might think that providing vaginal
lubrication would be at the top of mother nature’s to-do list. Not so,
say the experts at Parents Magazine.
“While you're nursing, your body produces
less of the hormone estrogen, which can cause the tissues in your
vagina to be thinner and drier than usual. The good news is that things
should get back to normal after you wean your baby. Until then, you can
use a water-based vaginal lubricant.”
What if you’re not breastfeeding but
still experience vaginal dryness after giving birth? This could be a
temporary hormonal imbalance that your body will regulate on its own.
But if you’re concerned or the symptoms persist, ask your doctor for
their advice.
3. Medications and Therapy Can Cause Vaginal Dryness
Have you ever wondered why you suddenly
had a dry mouth and then remembered that you’ve recently started taking a
new medication? The same diuretics and beta-blockers that are helpful
in lowering your blood pressure can lead to vaginal dryness, decrease
your sexual desire, and make it harder to achieve an orgasm. And blood
pressure meds are just one of a long list of pills whose side effects
include loss of bodily moisture.
In their advice column for patients experiencing vaginal dryness, Chemocare.com states
“One of the most common side effects is generalised dryness throughout
the body. In women, this will lead to vaginal dryness as well. Vaginal
dryness does not mean that the woman is not aroused. The vagina may not
be able, due to prior therapy, to become lubricated.”
That same post, as well as The American Society’s article, Dealing with sexual problems: Vaginal dryness, suggests using Astroglide to make intercourse more comfortable when dealing with the side effects of some treatments.
2. Menstruation Causes Vaginal Dryness
It’s normal for a
woman’s hormone levels to dip while she’s on her period. One of the
primary hormones responsible for keeping your vagina moist during
menstruation is estrogen. When your estrogen levels are depleted,
vaginal dryness can be an irritating side effect, especially when it
comes to inserting a tampon.
One quick fix for
this is to apply a small amount of personal lubricant on the applicator
to make it easier to slide the tampon in. Better yet, you may want to
consider avoiding tampons, which can, by their absorbent nature, dry out
the inside of the vagina. Try using a pad instead, at least on days
with high menstrual flow. You may want to refrain from wearing panty
liners when you’re not on your period, as these can also wick natural
moisture away from your most sensitive parts.
1. Menopause Can Cause Vaginal Dryness
And finally, at the number one spot, we address the most common cause of vaginal dryness, menopause. According to a report by the Mayo Clinic,
“vaginal dryness is a hallmark sign of vaginal atrophy (atrophic
vaginitis) — thinning and inflammation of the vaginal walls due to a
decline in estrogen.”
Some recommend
taking oral supplements or applying bioidentical estrogen creams to
alleviate the symptoms associated with postmenopausal vaginal dryness.
While it’s certainly wise to seek the opinion of your OB/GYN for
treatment of severe vaginal dryness or atrophy, many women prefer to use
a gentle lube such as Astroglide Gel or Natural Liquid to moisturise their vagina, especially when the main concern is making sex more comfortable.
Feeling better about your situation?
So there you have it ladies, nine
surprising causes of vaginal dryness along with some helpful tips on how
to treat your symptoms. If nothing else, hopefully we’ve cleared up
some misconceptions and set your mind at ease by explaining how common
this issue really is. But wait, there’s more!
3 Bonus Tips to Avoid and Treat Vaginal Dryness
As we researched this article to share various expert opinions with you, certain advice stood out above the rest. For example, we love the practicality of Deborah Kotz’s top three tips in her definitive U.S. News & World Report article on the subject, Painful Sex: 6 Ways to Relieve Vaginal Dryness:
●Stay hydrated. Drinking six to eight glasses of water a day will help keep your tissues moist, including those below the belt.
●Lubricate, and lubricate some more. Many women achieve instant relief simply by using a lubricant. You may need to experiment to find one that works best for you.
●Avoid personal hygiene sprays. Chemicals in these products can be irritating to delicate tissues that line the vagina.
No two women are exactly the same, so
the advice in this article is meant as a broad overview of common causes
for the symptoms described above. The most important thing is to never
suffer in silence. Don’t be afraid to talk to your physician about this
condition. For that matter, don’t be ashamed to speak with your partner
or close friends if you’re experiencing discomfort.
We’re all about removing the taboo around health issues, so If you’ve found any remedies that have helped you, please feel free to share in the comment section below. Your personal experience may help alleviate the pain of someone else who feels too embarrassed to ask about one of the most common issues women face, vaginal dryness (feel free to remain anonymous!).
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