Vaginal Dryness

My vagina is dry and I sometimes feel pain. What is wrong?

Vaginal dryness can come from many different types of medical conditions and can occur any age. The most common cause is the decrease in the oestrogen hormone level that results in thinning of the vaginal skin. More than half of women experience vaginal dryness during and after menopause. Breast feeding, diabetes, smoking, cancer treatment and removal of the ovaries can also cause dryness in vagina.

Many women are embarrassed to talk about their vaginal dryness and try to live with it. However, there are many effective treatment options and it is best to take actions before the dryness starts to interfere with your daily life and sexual relationship.

What can I do?

Contact your doctor if vaginal dryness interferes with your daily activities or affects the relationship with your partner. Your doctor can check your pelvis and see if the vaginal tissue is thin and dry due to decreased oestrogen. In some cases, your doctor may use a blood test to check hormone levels and see if there are other medical issues that could be causing vaginal dryness.

Your doctor can give you prescription for oestrogen tablet or cream to supplement your own oestrogen. S/he can also give you a drug called SERM, or selective oestrogen receptor modulator, which increases your body’s sensitivity to oestrogen.

If your symptom is not strong and you would like to consider alternative approaches to taking drugs, there are several options, which are explained in the following section.

What options do I have if I do not want take drugs?

If you are experiencing severe dryness that interferes with your daily life, you should consult your doctor and s/he is likely to prescribe you a drug. If you have milder symptoms, non-drug alternatives could be an option.

Broadly speaking, there are two types of products you could consider:

Moisturisers: Vaginal moisturisers such as Idracare, Replens MD and Vagisan can provide moisture. The products address only the symptoms; i.e., dryness and related discomfort, but can be used as long as you need the treatment.
Idracare provides natural hyaluronic acid, which provides suppleness to the dryness tissue. The product also contains aloe vera, which alleviates burning sensation and contributes to tissue repair.
Replens MD has an ingredient that serves as a cover over vaginal tissue. This cover does not allow moisture to pass easily, allowing the water content of the product to stay with the tissue upto three days.
Vagisan is a cream and its fat content, together with water, help alleviate the dryness in the tissue.
Tissue repair products: If you feel that you need something that goes beyond just providing moisture and help repair your vaginal tissue, there are some products that are made with natural ingredients that contributes to healing of your tissue such as Palomacare.
Palomacare is designed to restore vaginal tissue and rebalance microbiome in addition to providing moisture. If you sense signs of inflammation (e.g., redness, burning, itching, micro lesions), you might want to consider opting for a tissue repair product.
There are also lubricants but they do not have effect on the tissue. So you should consider it as an aid in sexual intercourse or other physical activities that cause pain in your intimate zone.

It is best to avoid using strong soaps and lotions near the vagina.

Want to know more?

Learn more about vaginal health
Learn more about menopause
Here are some useful and high-quality sources of information:

NHS England
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaginal-dryness/

Women’s Health Concern (Patient supporting group of British Menopause Society, the main medical society for UK gynaecologists specialised in menopause)
https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/vaginal-dryness/

Mayo Clinic: one of the most trusted hospitals in the US
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vaginal-atrophy/symptoms-causes/syc-20352288

Cleveland Clinic: one of the most trusted hospitals in the US
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21027-vaginal-dryness