Here Are Reasons Why Your Vagina is Dry During sex
Vaginal dryness may contribute to painful sex, vaginal tears and infections. The vaginal experience most women experience following menopause has an underlying cause that most researchers are yet to decipher.
Many things may contribute to vaginal dryness including ageing and dehydration as well as emotional issues which contribute to a lack of interest in sex.
There’s a variety of options you can explore if you are suffering from a dry vagina, so you can find the best option that works for you. Anyone may experience vaginal dryness but it’s more common with those who have undergone menopause.
According to research, Vaginal dryness affects about 15% of women before menopause and 40-57% of post-menopausal women. The first step in treating vaginal dryness is to establish what is causing it. There are many reasons that may contribute to vaginal dryness:
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Dehydration
The vaginal cells require enough water for them to function properly. Susan Reed, MD, MPH a professor emeritus of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Washington in Seattle asserts, “If you’ve been exercising like crazy and haven’t been drinking enough water, you’ll be dryer,”
Some perfumes, dyes, soaps and lubricants and other scented ingredients have some ingredients that may draw moisture out of your vaginal cells. Some medications like antihistamines have a dehydrating effect.
Low Estrogen
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, estrogen enhances normal blood flow, moisture in the vagina and vaginal tissue health. Dr. Susan Reed shares,
Inflammation
Chemicals in soaps, hygiene products and perfumes may cause inflammation. Dr. Reed shares, “Hygiene products can have ingredients that are irritating or are harmful to genital tissues, they are not recommended.”
Infections may also have a similar effect. Reed shares, “Yeast or candida often presents as a burning or feels like sandpaper. This sensation can feel like vaginal dryness due to menopause.”
Reed notes that inflammation blocks two vital types of glands that are located outside the vagina. According to Reed, “The glands produce fluid when you’re aroused. If these tissues are inflamed, they don’t function well, and you won’t get good lubrication.”
Aging
The process of getting older complicates the entire body including specific tissues and organs. One major area of concern is what happens to the vagina during menopause since it has a huge impact on a woman’s sexual health. Dr Reed shares,” Aging vaginal tissues are by their very nature dryer than the premenopausal state,”
According to Reed, younger people have better blood flow which is required to enhance blood flow which is essential in creating moisture that comes through tissues of the vagina.
Recent research shows that as women grow older, their vagina goes through changes that include gene alteration, lack of estrogen, and a shift in microorganisms living in the vagina. During menopause, the number of beneficial bacteria can drop and an increase in harmful bacteria can unfold and also a drop in estrogen. The drop in estrogen causes less permeability, elastin and blood flow which contributes largely to vaginal dryness.
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