Sexual Health

Vaginal moisturizers: As discussed in my previous post, these are products that hydrate or moisturize the lining of the vagina - similar to moisturizers for your skin. In contrast to lubricants that are used during the act of intercourse, commercially available vaginal moisturizers are used 1 to 3 times a week in the form of a gel, cream, or suppository. 

Pros:

1. Since they work at the level of keeping the vaginal lining hydrated, they are a good option for women who have vaginal irritation or discomfort at menopause due to dryness and aren't particularly looking for lubrication during intercourse.

2. They may also work for those not satisfied with lubricants alone

3. And for those who are not keen on using hormones

Cons:

What are Vaginal Moisturizers?

Here is an easy way for you to understand Vaginal Moisturizers AND to explain them to your partners who may sometimes find your avoidance of intercourse difficult to understand. 

So, imagine your hands - if you don't moisturize them year after year - what they will feel like - that itchy, prickly feeling on your hands - that's how the vagina feels when the natural moisture reduces at menopause. 

And now go one step further and imagine your hand in a tight latex glove and repeatedly put it on and take it off for a few minutes. What do you think will happen to the skin? It will be sore, red, inflamed, and painful. That is what happens when you have intercourse when the vagina is dry and the lining is thin.

Let's go one step further - let's put some jelly or oil in the…

Coming to the last category of lubricants - the oil-based ones. Some of the problems with these include

1. They leave stains 

2. They can erode latex. Remember, that I discussed in the previous post that pregnancies are rare at perimenopause BUT they can occur.

3. In addition, the other ingredients you should beware of in oil-based lubricants are petroleum jelly aka Vaseline and mineral oil that are present in baby oil. Research indicates that women using products containing these substances have a more than doubled risk of certain vaginal infections. 

Final Verdict on lubricants for vaginal dryness:

1. Please read the ingredients before you insert them in your body.

In continuation of my previous post on lubricants where I spoke about some of the problems with water-based lubricants, today, we'll look into silicone-based lubricants, which are 

1. Usually more slippery

2. Last longer, and 

3. Are usually non-irritating compared to water-based lubricants. This is because they don’t require glycols that are present in most water-based lubricants. 

4. A fun fact about silicon-based lubricants is that they are also called "shower lubes" since they don't break down in water, ...but remember they can make the shower slippery!

The main downsides to silicone lubricants are