Vaginal dryness is a common problem that many women have at some point in their lives.
Symptoms of vaginal dryness
You may have vaginal dryness if you:
- feel sore or itchy in and around your vagina
- feel pain or discomfort during sex
- need to pee more often than usual
- keep getting urinary tract infections (UTIs)
These things may make you not want to have sex.
Causes of vaginal dryness
Vaginal dryness is often caused by things that change your hormone levels, including:
- menopause
- breastfeeding
- taking contraceptive pills or antidepressants
- having your womb removed (a hysterectomy)
- cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy
The change in hormone levels can affect how much vaginal discharge or fluid you have.
You can also have vaginal dryness if you:
- are not aroused during sex
- use perfumed soaps, washes or douches (to wash out the vagina) in and around your vagina
- have an underlying condition, such as diabetes or Sjögren's syndrome (a condition where the glands that produce fluid stop working properly)
How to treat vaginal dryness yourself
You can treat vaginal dryness using lubricants and moisturisers you can buy from a pharmacy. You do not need a prescription.
Ask your pharmacist to talk privately if it makes you feel more comfortable.
Do
-
use water-based lubricants before sex - put these in and around your vagina or on your partner's penis
-
use vaginal moisturisers - you can put these inside your vagina to keep it moist
-
try to enjoy more foreplay so you feel more aroused during sex
Don't
-
do not use perfumed soaps, washes or douches in and around your vagina
-
do not put creams or lotions like petroleum jelly inside your vagina - these can cause an infection
-
do not use moisturisers that are not for your vagina
Non-urgent advice: Contact a GP if:
- it's been a few weeks and things you try yourself are not working
- it's affecting your daily life
- you have unusual discharge or bleeding from your vagina
- you have bleeding after sex or in between your periods
Treatment for vaginal dryness
If vaginal dryness is because of changes in your hormone levels, your GP can prescribe you low dose oestrogen. This can come as a cream or a pessary (a type of medicine that is inserted into your vagina).
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE
