Top 10 Common Causes Of Vaginal Dryness You Should Be Aware Of

1. Vaginal Douches

Some of the vaginal douches that promise better hygiene, clean vagina, and floral fragrance are often packed with irritants and chemicals that might be unhealthy for your sensitive area. These products can further reduce the natural lubrication of this area and then make it dryer.

See more: Good Foods For Vaginal Health

2. Menopause

During the menopause period, the ovaries start to produce less estrogen to prepare the ending of menstruation. This reduction in estrogen is one of the primary causes of vaginal dryness in menopause, which typically occurs in the women at the age of 40 to 59.

Lowered estrogen levels can cause the vaginal and vulva tissues to become drier and thinner and to lose its elasticity, a common condition called atrophy. In this time, natural lubrication and vaginal secretions also decrease. The decrease in estrogen levels also affects the pH balance of the vagina, which will make the acidic environment more alkaline. This may increase irritation and the risk of vaginal infection ^[1].

3. Smoking And Drinking

causes of vaginal dryness - smoking and drinking

This is a bad news for party girls! However, if you are trying to keep your vagina moist and healthy, you should limit or quit smoking and drinking. This is because cigarettes can reduce circulation, which may increase vaginal dryness. In addition, alcohol can reduce your sensations and result in a dry vagina. Therefore, limit yourself to 1 or 2 glasses of wine, particularly if you plan on sexual intercourse later.

4. Medications

Taking antihistamines ^[2] or some medications used to cure respiratory diseases have an effect on the body, which makes the vagina dry and loses its natural lubrication. In addition, drugs used to get rid of some conditions such as endometriosis and uterine fibroids also reduce the estrogen level. Besides, prolonged use of antibiotics may result in an imbalance within the bacterial culture of your vagina and result in dryness.

5. Strenuous Exercise

One of other common causes of vaginal dryness is strenuous exercise. However, you should understand the word “strenuous” here clearly and remember that regular exercise plays a key role in maintaining the overall health, including your vaginal health. Does it make you confused? Simply, you just think of the times you have heard “everything in moderation.” Then, you will realize that when talking avoiding vaginal dryness, doing intense rigorous exercises have been known to make your vagina dry, at least immediately after workout.

You should find the healthy balance so that you can maintain your overall health & circulation without causing stress on your body.

See more: Signs Of Unhealthy Vagina

6. Insufficient Arousal

In case, you only feel dry when having sex, maybe you have a bad time getting aroused. In fact, this may stem from many things from a shortage of foreplay to the relationship problems to the hormonal imbalances, and even be something called a sexual arousal disorder that is marked by having difficulty in responding physiologically to the sexual stimulation. If you are having trouble being turned on, you should talk to your partner, tell your therapist, so you can figure out what is going on.

Learn more: Natural Home Remedies For Bacterial Vaginosis

7. Menstruation

causes of vaginal dryness - menstruation

It’s normal when the hormone levels of a woman are reduced while she is on her cycle. The primary hormone responsible for keeping the vagina moist during the period is estrogen. When the estrogen levels are depleted, the dryness may be an irritating effect, especially when you are using a tampon.

One quick method for this issue is to apply an amount of lubricant on your applicator to make it easy to enter the tampon into the vagina. In addition, it is better for you to avoid using tampons, which can dry out the vagina. Instead, you should try using a pad, at least on days with heavy menstrual bleeding. You should also avoid wearing panty liners when you aren’t on your cycle because these may wick the natural moisture away from the vagina.

8. Childbirth/Nursing

Pregnant and breastfeeding women can experience fluctuating levels of the hormone. In fact, pregnancy and childbirth usually create imbalances in hormones, which will put a big deal of stress on your body. Normal acidity levels in the vagina can reduce along with estrogen levels. The acidity aids in keeping vaginal tissue healthy, and when it is reduced or fluctuates, the natural defense against infection and amount of vaginal lubrication are decreased. These situations will reverse after discontinued breastfeeding. During breastfeeding, there are two secreted hormones called prolactin and oxytocin, both of which aid in regulating breast milk supply. In particular, prolactin is responsible for blocking ovulation, which creates a dip in producing estrogen. This makes the dryness in the vagina inevitable. Nevertheless, for some women, this condition may not be severe and might be ignored without any attention.

9. Irritants

The chemicals in hygiene products, soaps, dyes, and perfumes can be one of other causes of vaginal dryness. In fact, many women are allergic to detergents and soap. It can be irritants on something like towels or underwear. Other allergens may actually be lubricants and objects that can be placed in your vagina.

10. Emotional Stress And Anxiety

The last among the causes of vaginal dryness as well as other sexual conditions is stress, anxiety, and extreme emotional circumstances. Psychological factors may escalate to reduce sexual desire. These situations may become vicious cycles because the symptoms related to vaginal dryness usually increase anxiety and stress in women. Stressed women usually suffer from insufficient blood flow to their vagina, which reduces or inhibit regular lubrication. Sexual intercourse becomes frustrating, difficult, and even undesirable.

Above are the common causes of vaginal dryness you should be aware of. Hope that it helps you to know the root causes to protect your vaginal health. For another useful article about sex and relationships, visit our Love & Sex page. Feel free to leave your comments to share your thoughts with us.

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TagsSexual Conditions Women's Sexual Health

Last Updated: September 30, 2017 by Brown

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