Intimate health is a fundamental part of female well-being. Yet there is still too much silence on the topic of vaginal dryness. “It is a disorder that affects millions of women but often remains in the shadows due to modesty, fear or misinformation,” comments Dr. Laura Mazzotta, M.D., a surgeon, specialist in Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Aesthetic Medicine in Ferrara, Italy.“It is a symptom that can occur at any age, although it is more common in menopause, and can have a significant impact on quality of life, relationships, and self-esteem.”
The importance of addressing the problem
Precisely because it is so impactful in daily life, vaginal dryness should not only be treated but it is also important to prevent it by taking certain steps. “Today, thanks to medical research and the integrated approach to women’s health, it is possible to intervene effectively, both in prevention and treatment,” the expert explains. “To do so, however, you first need to talk about it with your doctor and get out of the belief that certain disorders are ‘normal,’ perhaps because of age. Vaginal dryness manifests itself with a burning sensation, itching, discomfort during intercourse, but also with daily irritation, difficulty in using certain garments or discomfort in practicing activities such as sports or simply riding a bike: it is important to understand that it is not an annoyance to be endured in silence, but a signal that our body sends us and that can be managed with appropriate treatment.”
What is good to know
Vaginal dryness is a condition in which the walls of the vagina lose moisture, elasticity and natural lubrication. The vaginal mucosa, which is normally soft, moist, and protective, becomes thin, fragile, and less elastic, and this can cause a constant feeling of dryness as well as discomfort, itching, burning, and pain during sexual intercourse. “It is important to understand that this is a real structural and functional change in the vaginal mucosa, not just a temporary discomfort,” comments Dr. Mazzotta. “And that it is not only and exclusively related to menopause, which is still the period most at risk: vaginal dryness can also appear in young women, for example after childbirth or during breastfeeding when estrogen, the hormones that maintain the trophism, elasticity and lubrication of the vaginal mucosa, are at lower levels. Similarly, it can occur at the time of having medical treatments such as chemotherapy or taking hormonal contraceptives.”
Preventing vaginal dryness is possible
The bottom line to start with: vaginal dryness can be prevented. “Prevention means maintaining the well-being of the vaginal mucosa even before symptoms appear, just as you do with facial skin or nutrition,” Dr. Mazzotta specifies. “Preventive strategies can be daily, effective in the long term, and are of particular importance in phases when estrogen is known to drop, as in the case of perimenopause, postpartum, or the use of chemotherapy. Without forgetting that prevention remains basic even in childbearing age, especially if one tends to skin sensitivity or suffers from recurrent infections.” These are the key steps recommended by the expert. Attention to intimate cosmetics is fundamental: it is best to always use, at any stage of life, gentle cleansers, with acid pH, non-foaming and without fragrances. Avoiding frequent vaginal douches, intimate deodorants, unsuitable lubricants, and the use of panty liners and synthetic clothing are good preventive measures against vaginal dryness.
Nutrition also plays an important role: a diet rich in natural phytoestrogens contained, for example, in soy, legumes, flaxseeds, vitamins and good fats found in EVO oil, dried fruits and some types of fish, help hormone production and mucosal integrity. Sexuality lived in a serene way, obviously where possible, is an excellent preventive ally. Indeed, regular intercourse keeps circulation and vaginal lubrication active, which can still be supported, in times of need, with the use of a lubricant capable of reducing friction and pain, to be chosen in water-based and fragrance-free formulas
In conclusion
“In any case since the causes of dryness can be different, sometimes associated with each other, it is important to always resort to the evaluation of a specialist, the only one able to chart a path of prevention and treatment targeted and effective,” concludes Dr. Mazzotta. Many, in fact, are the solutions to the problem, ranging from the regular use of vaginal moisturizers based on hyaluronic acid, spermidine, aloe, calendula, and vitamins, effective in regenerating the mucosa, to the use, by prescription only, of low-dose estrogen-based creams, ova or rings that act only locally and are effective during menopause or after cancer treatments.
Not forgetting the possibility of using gynecological lasers to regenerate tissue as well as sex counseling if vaginal dryness makes intercourse difficult with a negative impact on self-esteem and relationships.