Vaginal dryness is a natural alteration of intimate lubrication that can cause a lot of discomfort and burning to the woman during the day-to-day, and can also cause pain during intimate contact.
Although this change is more frequent in menopause, due to the decrease of the hormones that maintain the vaginal lubrication, the dryness can also happen in young women, especially when an oral contraceptive is used.
However, there are several forms of treatment that can be discussed with the gynecologist and they can help relieve the symptoms by allowing an increase in vaginal lubrication. Some of these options include:
1. Vaginal dryness creams
Women's non-lubricating creams are usually the first treatment option recommended by the gynecologist, and there are different types:
- Vaginal moisturizing creams : they create a lubricating and protective layer of the vaginal flora that stays for a few hours or days, relieving the symptoms without using hormones or presenting side effects;
- Low-dose estradiol creams such as Premarin or Ovestrion: are applied in the vaginal canal to stimulate the woman's natural lubrication through the effect of estrogen and therefore are more effective than moisturizers without hormones.
These creams can be applied with the finger or the applicator that is supplied in the package, however, in many cases the applicator can put the cream very deep, making it difficult to completely lubricate the entire vaginal wall.
Normal lubricants for intimate contact, such as KY, Jontex or Prudence, can also be used, but only at the time of intercourse, to increase lubrication. Vaseline should, whenever possible, be avoided because it is an oil-based product that facilitates the emergence of infections.
2. Estrogen tablets
Estrogen-based tablets, such as Ovestrion or Evista, are similar to the contraceptive pill and work by increasing the amount of this hormone in the body. Thus, it is possible to stimulate natural lubrication, relieving vaginal dryness.
While these remedies work well and are as effective as moisturizers, they can have some side effects such as headache, nausea and even increased risk of thrombosis, for example. Therefore, these tablets should only be used with advice from a gynecologist.
3. Food supplements
The use of some dietary supplements may help improve vaginal lubrication. Some of the most recommended include:
- Vitamin E : This vitamin increases the amount of blood in the walls of the vagina, improving local lubrication. To be effective, doses should be between 50 and 400 IU per day. The effects can usually be observed about 1 month after the start of use;
- Vitamin D : is a supplement that reduces the pH of the vagina and therefore relieves the dryness associated with raising the pH;
- Maca : is a medicinal plant that increases the amount of estrogens in the body, improving vaginal lubrication. Usually the recommended dose is 2g per day.
Ideally, these supplements should be advised by a nutritionist or a naturopath in order to get the best results. This type of treatment may still be associated with any of the other treatments for vaginal dryness.
4. Diet with phytoestrogens
Phytoestrogens are substances similar to the estrogen hormone found in food and therefore can be ingested to have a hormone-like action in the body, stimulating lubrication.
Some examples of this type of food include flaxseed, soybeans, tofu, yams, alfalfa sprouts, barley and pumpkin seeds, for example. A good tip is to consult a nutritionist to make a richer and more balanced diet of these substances. Here are some examples with our nutritionist:
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