How to deal with vaginal dryness with doctor drugs and natural treatments

Vaginal dryness is common for women before or after menopause as part of their hormonal changes. However, it is possible for young women to experience the same thing. Even though it seems trivial, vaginal dryness can be so uncomfortable that it can even cause pain during sex. So, how do you deal with vaginal dryness?

Causes of vaginal dryness

The most common cause of vaginal dryness is low levels of estrogen in the body. This condition can also be caused by an infection around the vagina.

Here are a number of other things that can cause vaginal dryness:

• Menopause
• Childbirth and breastfeeding
• Certain medical conditions
• Take certain drugs
• Undergo cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• Smoke
• Using inappropriate vaginal cleansing products

Various natural ways to deal with vaginal dryness

A variety of natural home remedies can potentially help re-moisturize a dry vagina:

1. Coconut oil

Coconut oil is the first choice to treat vaginal dryness that is free of side effects. Unless you really have an allergy to one of the ingredients in coconut oil.

Coconut oil can be used as a natural lubricant to moisturize and soften the skin around the outside of the vagina. This oil has also been shown to prevent and treat vaginal yeast infections.

The pure coconut oil is quite dense. You can work around this by rubbing the oil on your palms before applying it.

Make sure to choose virgin coconut oil that doesn't contain any other additives. If you are unsure about applying oil as a way to treat vaginal dryness, check with your doctor first.

2. Aloe vera

The efficacy of aloe vera gel as a natural moisturizer is not in doubt.

Apart from soothing burns and treating acne, aloe vera gel also helps moisturize the vagina.

Research published in the Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan in 2008 shows aloe vera has been shown to be effective in reducing inflammation of the skin of a woman's genitalia.

This is because aloe vera gel has a lower pH than water, and it is both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial at the same time.

Aloe vera is also rich in vitamins C and E, both of which are important for maintaining the skin's natural elasticity.

Make sure you use aloe vera gel that is 100 percent pure and doesn't contain any other artificial additives.

3. Drink lots of water

The vaginal lining dries up due to dehydration. So, drinking lots of water can be the easiest way to deal with vaginal dryness.

Drink it whenever you feel thirsty to ensure that your body's fluid needs are met. It doesn't even have to be water. You can get fluid intake from fruit and vegetables rich in ai such as watermelon, guava, and lettuce, as well as from foods with soup.

Avoid carbonated drinks that contain caffeine and alcohol because these types of drinks have a negative effect on your hydration.

4. Consumption of soybeans

Soybeans are rich in phytoestrogens, which include estrogen, isoflavones, protein, omega 3 fatty acids, calcium, folic acid, iron, and other vitamins and minerals.

The isoflavones in soybeans have a similar effect on the body to natural estrogen, but are weaker. One of the effects of estrogen on a woman's body is that it triggers the production of natural fluids that lubricate the vagina.

Therefore, eating soy-based foods can potentially be a way to deal with vaginal dryness. Soy-based foods include tofu, tempeh, soy milk, and edamame beans.

However, more research is needed in this area.

Immediately consult a doctor if your dry vaginal problem gets worse or doesn't change significantly.

How to deal with vaginal dryness using drugs

If natural methods are not effective enough to solve the problem, there are various drug options that your doctor may prescribe for vaginal dryness. Among them:

Estrogen therapy

Hormone therapy is a way to treat vaginal dryness caused by low estrogen levels. Hormone therapy means using drugs that contain synthetic estrogens to increase estrogen levels in the body.

Estrogen functions to maintain the strength and thickness of the vaginal walls, also stimulates the production of vaginal lubrication with its natural fluids.

Hormone therapy that is given is usually in the form of a topical or in the form of a device that is inserted into the vagina. The reason is, this treatment method will be directly absorbed by the vaginal tissue rather than by drinking. Then the medicine will work more effectively.

In addition, topical estrogens or suppositories have fewer side effects than oral medications.

Examples of estrogen that are used directly into the vaginal area are:

Vaginal ring (Estring, Estradiol)

This soft ring is inserted into the vagina. Later, estrogen will be released from the ring regularly.

The rings usually need to be replaced every 3 weeks for effective treatment.

Vaginal cream (Estrace, Premarin)

Vaginal creams are usually applied directly into your female organs using a special applicator. Research shows that estrogen creams are quite effective and work well for vaginal dryness

Vaginal tablet (Vagifem)

The tablet is also inserted into the vagina using a special applicator. Even so, there is still little research available on the long-term effects of how to use these tablets to treat vaginal dryness.

Unfortunately, not all women are allowed to use hormone therapy. Especially for those of you who have a history of breast cancer, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding. We recommend that you consult your doctor first.

If it turns out that hormone therapy is a risk to you, your doctor will look for other ways to deal with vaginal dryness that you are experiencing.

Water based lubricants

Water-based lubricants may not be a remedy that can improve vaginal dryness.

However, using lubricants is an effective way to deal with vaginal dryness, especially when having sex. Lubricants help moisturize and lubricate the vaginal area before penetration begins.

When the vagina is well lubricated, pain during sex can be minimized. However, choose water based over oil. This is because oil-based lubricants can irritate and damage the condom.

Vaginal moisturizer

Vaginal moisturizer is also a mandatory product to treat vaginal dryness. Reporting from the Mayo Clinic, applying vaginal moisturizer 2 to 3 times a day helps keep vaginal tissue healthy and moisturized.

Ask your doctor for a recommendation to choose a vaginal moisturizer that is safe and of good quality. Do not carelessly choose a product, especially because you are tempted by cheap prices. Instead of moisturizing, products that you buy carelessly can actually irritate the vagina.

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