Vaginal Dryness: Causes and Treatment

Vaginal dryness is a common problem that can affect women of any age, although it is more frequent during and after the menopause. It is characterised by a reduction in natural lubrication, which can cause discomfort, burning and pain during sexual intercourse. Its main causes are usually linked to hormonal changes, especially a reduction in oestrogen levels. Below, we explain everything you need to know about it, as well as treatment solutions to relieve the symptoms.

Causes of vaginal dryness

What causes vaginal dryness? There may be many factors that affect vaginal dryness in women. The main reason why this happens is a drop in oestrogen levels. These hormones are responsible for keeping the vaginal mucosa hydrated, protected and elastic.

When these levels fall, it can lead to consequences such as:

• Less vaginal discharge, which leads to dryness.
• Reduced elasticity in the vaginal wall.
• In some cases, itching, burning or irritation.
• And all of this leads to pain during sexual intercourse.

What happens during the menopause is that it is not occasional dryness or discomfort caused by something such as medication or stress, but rather it occurs because of that hormonal drop and continues over time.

This dryness and all the issues mentioned above can affect a woman’s quality of life. It can influence self-esteem, sexual desire or libido, and even the relationship with her partner.

But we can always use products to help counteract some of that dryness and relieve the symptoms of itching, pain or irritation associated with it.

Treatments for vaginal dryness

From cleansing to hydration, we should not underestimate the role of intimate hygiene and cleansing, as both the product we use and the water itself can contribute to dryness. This is because body washes are formulated at a different pH from vaginal pH, and even intimate hygiene washes vary their pH depending on a woman’s age, as pH is not the same during the fertile years, childhood or the menopause. That is why we should use a good vaginal gel for dryness.

Likewise, in some areas of Spain the water can be very hard, also causing dryness of the female genital lips, the intimate area and the skin itself.

So, if you are looking for something for vaginal dryness, here are the best pharmacy products.

Oils and ointments for vaginal dryness

• Cumlaude higiene intima deligyn: is a gel for vaginal drynessfor daily intimate hygiene enriched with postbiotics and plant extracts to relieve itching, pruritus, redness, stinging or genital hypersensitivity. So it not only cleanses, but also helps to control or relieve the symptoms mentioned above associated with vaginal dryness. Specifically designed, as mentioned, for the menopause stage.
• Cumlaude hydra oil higiene intima: This oil format, also for daily hygiene, provides extra hydration thanks to its composition. It is enriched with sweet almond and rice bran vegetable oils, as well as vitamins such as B and E to provide an emollient, softening action. It is an oil that cleanses the vaginal area while helping to restore the barrier of the intimate area. It is recommended for vaginal hygiene in cases of itching, irritation or dryness.

Products for intimate hydration

After cleansing, we can use products enriched with oils and moisturising, nourishing and emollient agents. The most recommended would be:

• Hydra oil hidratante vulvar: as mentioned above, this oil is specially enriched with 100% natural biotechnological oils to improve dryness in the vaginal area. These include olive oil, sunflower oil and argan oil, among others. In addition, to provide an emollient and regenerative action, it contains centella asiatica, rosehip, sweet almond and rice bran.
• Cumlaude Mucus: in this case, it is a vaginal lubricant for dryness indicated to improve sexual intercourse. As dryness can cause pain during sex, to improve this we recommend this Mucus lubricant from Cumlaude, which, thanks to its texture being similar to vaginal secretions, keeps the intimate area hydrated and soft. It can be used with condoms without any problem.
• Lubripiu óvulos: another option to improve vaginal dryness would be ovules. They have a moisturising and soothing action for itching, stinging, irritation or dryness, thanks to ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and emollient oils, which work by creating a film in the internal vaginal area to protect and maintain physiological vaginal hydration.

Despite these recommendations and products that you can use if you are at this stage of life and suffer from vaginal dryness or irritation and dryness in the vulva, if you notice that it does not improve or that symptoms worsen, such as bleeding during sex, constant pain, burning, or even no improvement in the dryness, we advise you to see a gynaecologist so they can assess the situation in a more expert and personalised way.

Likewise, in our online pharmacy you can find the rest of the productos de Cumlaude Lab for intimate care, whether for the menopause stage, the fertile years, childhood, or in the case of infections.

And if you have any questions, write to our team of pharmacists so they can advise you as best as possible.