5 Factors That Can Cause Vaginal Dryness & Affect Intimacy
- Hormonal Changes
There are some periods in a woman’s life where one will experience a significant drop in estrogen levels – namely during menopause and after childbirth. The vagina relies heavily on estrogen to lubricate itself so with the decrease in estrogen, this will inevitably lead to vaginal dryness.
- Medication
Consuming external medication such as cold and asthma medication also cause a side effect of vaginal dryness. Some women also opt to consume birth control pills which leads to reduced estrogen levels as well as less lubrication for the vagina.
- Douching
Douching is the action of rinsing out your vaginal area with water or other fluid mixtures. This action can rid your intimate area of the natural bacteria that is actually necessary for a healthy vaginal pH as well as proper vaginal lubrication.
- Smoking cigarettes
This may be a surprise to some but smoking can also cause drying of the vagina. This is due to how smoking can narrow blood vessels and disrupt the blood flow to the tissues in your body, which includes your vagina as well. This can cause dry and dull skin overall and also have a negative impact on your vaginal lubrication
- Irritants
Most of you ladies may not be aware of this, but external sanitary products that come in contact with your vagina can unknowingly cause dryness to your vagina. One example is how you may use normal soap to wash your vaginal area. There is a risk of the soap disrupting the natural pH level of your intimate area and the chemicals and scents of the soap may also cause irritation to your vagina, resulting in vaginal dryness. This is why it is recommended to use a proper intimate wash instead such as Vagisil Sensitive Daily Intimate Wash or Vagisil pH Balance Daily Intimate Wash.
So how can you help to lubricate your vaginal area?
One way you can help to prevent vaginal dryness is to take estrogen pills to counter the low estrogen levels your body is facing. However, it is still best to consult on this beforehand. Alternatively, you can opt for a hydrating gel such as Vagisil ProHydrate External Hydrating Gel which can also act as a lubricant.
