Treatment for vulvar dryness and pain
Most women will experience vaginal dryness at some point in their lives, if they have not already.
Depending on the stage of the condition, its symptoms and progression, there are different treatments available.
There are procedures that have been used for a long time that act locally, such as hyaluronic acid and oestrogens. These methods work well to eliminate vaginal dryness when applied regularly, but the downside is that they are difficult to maintain over time.
There are also new or regenerative techniques that involve vaginal infiltrations with different substances:
They stimulate the tissue to regenerate gradually.
They improve the symptoms caused by vaginal dryness, especially in the initial part of the vagina.
Other treatments used to eliminate dryness throughout the vagina, not just in the initial area:
Laser.
Vaginal radiofrequency.
These devices apply energy in the form of heat and regenerate the vaginal mucosa. They are performed in the doctor's office, without anaesthesia, and are painless. The choice of one technique or another will be assessed by the medical specialist.
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What is vulvar dryness?
The skin of the vulva is like the rest of the body, so when oestrogen is lost, that area becomes dry, causing what we call vulvar dryness.
The vagina and vulva ultimately function as a single unit, which is why vulvar dryness is also associated with vaginal dryness, both of which are caused by a lack of oestrogen.
For this reason, women who have gone through the menopause or women who have had breast cancer are the most likely to suffer from vulvar dryness.
But this does not only happen to women going through the menopause; we can also see symptoms of vulvovaginal dryness in young women who have been using hormonal contraceptives for many years.
Differences between external and internal dryness
As mentioned in the previous section, the vulva and vagina function as a single unit, even though they are two different entities and tissues. Therefore, when dryness begins in one of the two areas—either externally or internally—it eventually affects the other area, and the treatment proposed to eliminate this dryness is designed to act on both the vagina and the vulva.
Symptoms of vaginal dryness
Do you think you may have vaginal dryness? The first symptoms are noticed during sexual intercourse because there is a lack of lubrication and discomfort during penetration, especially at the entrance to the vagina, which eventually turns into pain.
If we are unaware that we have vaginal dryness and do nothing to treat it, we will end up with:
Recurrent infections.
Discomfort.
Stinging sensation.
Frequent urinary tract infections, which will eventually cause pain and even bleeding.
In addition to all these symptoms, the most common symptoms experienced by women with vaginal dryness are:
Vaginal pain.
Cracks in the labia.
Itching in intimate areas.
Vaginal pain
This symptom is the most common when experiencing vaginal dryness and the first to appear during sexual intercourse. It usually starts at the entrance to the vagina, especially at the fourchette (where the labia end) or, if you have given birth, at the episiotomy scar.
Cracks in the labia
Cracks are another symptom that may indicate vaginal dryness.
They usually occur in the crotch area because when penetration occurs, the tissue has lost its elasticity and if it is not elastic, it breaks when stretched, causing these tears.
With regenerative treatments, this tissue regains its elasticity so that it can stretch without tearing and causing painful cracks.
Itching in intimate areas
Itching can also be another symptom of vaginal dryness, but it is very important to investigate it thoroughly because it can also be an indicator of much more complex diseases.
In relation to vaginal dryness, this itching occurs when the skin is dry and does not produce the lubrication that helps keep that area moist.
Causes of dryness in intimate areas
If you are wondering what causes vaginal and vulvar dryness, it is mainly due to the loss of oestrogen at different times in life and due to different circumstances.
Most women experience dryness in their intimate areas during the menopause because we lose oestrogen for the rest of our lives.
Also, women who have had breast cancer suffer from this dryness because the treatments used to control the disease eliminate all oestrogen from the body.
Another cause of vaginal dryness in women is breastfeeding, because it reduces the levels of these hormones, as well as hormonal contraceptives, because they contain very low doses of oestrogen.
Apart from all this, intense exercise and smoking can also cause dryness in women's intimate areas.
Expert opinion
Vaginal dryness is the most common symptom after menopause. Normally, no one has ever explained that, if we do nothing to prevent it, we will suffer from many symptoms associated with dryness: decreased lubrication, pain during sexual intercourse, vulvar discomfort and itching, and recurrent vaginal or urinary infections. There are currently many treatments available to remedy this: vaginal laser treatment or the injection of different substances can achieve excellent results. Ideally, do not wait until you feel unwell; the sooner you seek treatment, the better the results.
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