How to Relieve (or Prevent) Vaginal Dryness After 40

If sex is painful and you’re a woman aged 40 and older, there’s a good chance the problem is vaginal dryness. Despite being a common problem, many women don’t discuss it or seek the treatment needed to relieve their symptoms.

Our compassionate healthcare team at Michigan Avenue Primary Care understands the challenges. We have helped many women overcome vaginal dryness and regain a healthy sex life.

How vaginal dryness develops

Many women experience temporary vaginal dryness because of hormone changes after having a baby and during breastfeeding. Hormone-containing medications, diabetes, some autoimmune diseases, douching, and cold medications may also cause the problem.

However, low estrogen is the top cause of vaginal dryness. Estrogen has several vital roles in maintaining vaginal health. The hormone thickens and strengthens the vaginal walls, keeps the tissues elastic, and promotes lubrication.

Lubrication increases when you’re sexually aroused and when the ovaries release an egg. However, the tissues lining the vagina continuously produce a small amount of fluids to keep the vaginal walls moist.

The vagina is similar to your skin: It must stay hydrated to support optimal health. Without enough estrogen, the vaginal walls shrink, thin out, and lose elasticity. Lubrication decreases or stops.

As a result, you develop vaginal dryness and experience symptoms like itching, irritation, burning, vaginal soreness, and pain during sex.

Why vaginal problems begin around 40

Perimenopause and menopause are the primary causes of low estrogen. The age of 40 may seem too young, but most women begin the transition to menopause in their 40s.

Menopause starts around 52 on average but can happen any time between 45 and 58. Perimenopause — the time before menopause — begins between two and eight years before you stop having periods.

On average, women spend four years in perimenopause. That means it can begin at 40-41 years or possibly earlier.

Why is perimenopause important? Because that’s when your hormones start to fluctuate before you reach menopause (and your ovaries stop producing estrogen).

You can develop any menopause-related symptoms during perimenopause, including hot flashes, mood swings, and vaginal dryness. After menopause, more than half of women struggle with vaginal dryness.

Preventing vaginal dryness

If you douche, you may prevent vaginal dryness by stopping. Avoiding antihistamines or decongestants will help (if they cause the problem).

In most cases, you can’t prevent vaginal dryness because it arises from underlying health problems and natural hormonal changes.

You can stop vaginal dryness from worsening and causing other symptoms by seeking medical care as soon as you notice symptoms.

Treating vaginal dryness

Several effective treatments are available to relieve or eliminate vaginal dryness. Treatment choices include:

Nonhormonal treatments

Vaginal moisturizers and lubricants are topical treatments that may provide relief if you have mild symptoms or need extra lubrication during sex.

Lubricants reduce pain and friction during sex. However, they’re short-acting and don’t help with other symptoms.

Vaginal moisturizers deliver longer-lasting relief. They’re typically applied every one to three days and help restore moisture to the vaginal walls.

Hormonal treatments

Hormone-containing treatments come in two primary forms: vaginal creams and tablets and hormone replacement therapy. :

Vaginal creams and tablets

Vaginal creams come with an applicator you use to insert the medicine into your vagina. Tablets may also have an applicator, or you may be able to insert them with your fingers.

Many vaginal treatments contain a low dose of estrogen. A low dose improves the vaginal lining, but little (if any) of the hormone reaches your bloodstream. By comparison, a high-dose vaginal treatment may boost blood levels and may improve symptoms beyond vaginal dryness.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

HRT restores vaginal health by increasing the body’s estrogen levels. As hormone balance returns, this treatment relieves vaginal dryness and other menopausal symptoms.

HRT is available in several forms, including:

• Oral tablets
• Skin patch
• Skin creams
• Vaginal rings (placed around your cervix and release hormones)

The type that’s best for you depends on variables like the severity of your symptoms and whether you have underlying health conditions. For example, hormones absorbed through your skin bypass the liver, making them a better choice for people with liver disease.

Our caring team is here to help

Call Michigan Avenue Primary Care or schedule an appointment online to get support and treatment for vaginal dryness.