Behind the Scenes: Investigating the Causes of Vaginal Dryness, Shrinking, and Painful Sex
Just when we thought we had already lived the most challenging adventures of our lives, menopause arrives to surprise us. And along with it, some unexpected visitors. I understand your frustration; I have experienced it too. All this vaginal discomfort seems as if it has come to live with us forever. But, please don't worry; you may be able to get rid of these unwelcome guests, but it's up to you to do it. Vaginal dryness, shrinking, and painful sex commonly occur during and after menopause. Why? Because your estrogen decreases. In fact, younger women can also experience severe symptoms if their estrogen levels are low. The good news is that vaginal dryness, shrinking, and painful intercourse are not diseases. The bad news is that these conditions can significantly and negatively affect our quality of life as women. These issues may cause genuinely disturbing problems such as itching, burning, swelling, and discomfort. They are also associated with pain during sex and an annoyingly increased frequency of urination. And as if that weren’t enough, vaginal dryness is often associated with odor. When there's a drop in natural vaginal secretions, it can disrupt the body's self-cleaning process, leading to an overgrowth of harmful bacteria linked to bacterial vaginosis (BV). It’s disheartening, but with prolonged vaginal dryness, the vagina may experience severe atrophy, making recovery a challenging process. As doctors, we always emphasize the importance of prevention. As an OB/GYN, my constant advice is to proactively address dryness, because this can play a crucial role in vaginal atrophy.
Discovering Comfort: Exploring possible solutions for Vaginal Dryness, Shrinking, and Painful Sex
Even if they are presented as miraculous, there is no mystery in the products that claim to solve these issues. Let's uncover them together in an easy way. There are three groups of products available: lubricants, moisturizers, and estrogen. Yes, it's true; lubricants and moisturizers are easily accessible because they don't require a prescription and appear to provide immediate relief. However, if you have already tried them, you will know that the discomfort returns immediately. They are not really helping you. Lubricants and moisturizers only address symptoms, not the main cause. It’s like waxing the drying leaves of a plant without watering its root, or like putting a Band-Aid on a wound without treating the source. Lubricants and moisturizers provide surface relief, like covering a wound, but they don't address the root cause, just like the Band-Aid doesn't heal the wound beneath. You've probably heard about the amazing benefits of Vitamin E. Wow! It seems like everybody loves it and it works perfectly. Well, I'm sorry to tell you this, but Vitamin E is just a placebo because vaginal dryness, shrinking, or painful sex are not caused by Vitamin E deficiency. Actually, the reason why many women complain that unpleasant symptoms return quickly after applying vitamin E is because it works like a lubricant. Specifically, it's the oil that dissolves the vitamin that works as a lubricant. The same effect can also be experienced by applying olive oil.
But what about estrogen? That’s what doctors recommend, right? No, not right. I’m a doctor, and I usually do not recommend the use of estrogen. I’m even against it for personal reasons, but that is a topic for another blog, not this one. It’s true that, unlike lubricants and moisturizers, estrogen addresses the main cause (the roots of the plant or the wound beneath the Band-Aid). However, the least of our problems is its restricted availability due to requiring a prescription. As you may know, estrogen could potentially increase the risk of cancer. In addition to that, cancer survivors need to avoid the use of estrogen, so they’re usually told to just accept the secondary effects of their treatments, including dryness, shrinking, and painful sex. This is not a solution, it’s a danger. Overall, none of these products can clear feminine odor, which, as I mentioned before, is often present in women experiencing vaginal dryness.
Discovering NeuEve: how does it work?*
This is not a mystery either, just a different perspective. Just, please, let me explain it…
With menopause and aging come various challenges, including the risk of osteoporosis. But instead of putting ourselves in danger with estrogen, we usually opt for supplements such as Calcium and vitamin D, and they really help. Likewise, vaginal dryness, shrinking, and painful sex don’t necessarily be treated with estrogen. We just need to provide the needed nutrients. NeuEve is intended to nourish the vaginal tissue, just like calcium and vitamin D nourish our bones. Fortunately, it's not rocket science 😊
I’m going to be technical for a little bit. Before reaching menopause, our vagina is moisturized by mucus glands. After menopause, our estrogen reduces, our vaginal gland dries, and our mucosa shrinks. It is a fact that estrogen can control these glands, but the glands can also be activated by other aspects. Think of dry eyes. Our tear glands shrink with age, and our eyes dry. People often use artificial tears to find relief, but the effect wears off quickly. It is better to revive dried tear glands, which provide auto-lubrication 24/7. Tear glands can be activated centrally by deep sorrow or locally by cutting an onion. But I don’t like onions, they smell bad. So I thought, it would be nice if a beautiful blooming rose could be used as the tear stimulant, right?
After years of work, I’m happy to share the secret rose that I found. As I mentioned, when the mucus-secreting glands play an active role, our vaginal mucosa is auto-lubricated and moisturized 24/7. Dryness, shrinking, and painful sex can receive significant support. In fact, many women using NeuEve reached out to us happily, stating they experienced a reversal of atrophy. NeuEve, our rose, can also help women with odor. Your life can completely change with a healthy vaginal ecology. Now, we smell fresh and feel rejuvenated after using NeuEve. 🌹.*