Four Ways to Manage Vaginal Dryness

You used to enjoy a more active sex life, but vaginal dryness has made sexual intercourse less than pleasurable. A healthy and active sex life is an important piece of the overall quality-of-life puzzle, so we want you to know that there are solutions for vaginal dryness.

At Associates in Obstetrics & Gynecology, board-certified gynecologist Dr. Jack Tubbs and our team understand that women can go through different vaginal health challenges, including vaginal dryness.

To help you better understand the problem — and your treatment options — read on.

Why the vaginal dryness?

There are several common reasons why women face vaginal dryness, including:

Menopause

When you pass through menopause and your reproductive hormone levels drop off, you can encounter vaginal dryness. In fact, more than half of women between the ages of 51 and 60 report vaginal dryness.

Lack of arousal

The signal for your vagina to lubricate itself is achieved through arousal. For 17% of women between the ages of 18 and 50 who experience vaginal dryness, lack of sufficient arousal is to blame.

Certain treatments

Women who are undergoing cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, often report vaginal dryness as a side effect.

There are other reasons why you may be experiencing vaginal dryness, but these are the most common culprits behind the problem.

Combating vaginal dryness

There are several ways to restore lubrication in your vagina so you can enjoy sex more, including the following:

1. Hormone replacement therapy

If the loss of your reproductive hormones are behind your vaginal dryness, it makes sense that hormone replacement therapy can help resolve the issue. From vaginal estrogen creams to more systemic hormone replacement, we can help restore the lubrication in your vaginal tissues.

2. Vaginal rejuvenation

We use an advanced vaginal rejuvenation technology called MonaLisa Touch®. With this innovative system, we deliver gentle laser energy into your vaginal tissues to help with laxity, atrophy, vaginal itchiness, and vaginal dryness. The energy helps rejuvenate your vagina by encouraging collagen production, innervation, and vascularization, all of which lead to healthier tissues.

3. Lubricants

If vaginal dryness is a standalone complaint when it comes to your sexual health, you may want to start with a simple lubricant. Over-the-counter lubricants are easy to use and can help make intercourse far more enjoyable.

4. Increased arousal

Another great way to address vaginal dryness is to increase your arousal. We know this is easier said than done, and it will involve your partner. We encourage you to be open and honest about the issue and work with your partner to increase the length of foreplay until you feel adequately lubricated.

If you’d like some help determining how you can best remedy your vaginal dryness, please contact our office in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to schedule an appointment.