What Causes Vaginal Dryness? A Naturopathic Doctor’s Go-To Guide to Finding Relief

From ample water to luxurious lotions, there are dozens of ways to banish dryness in your life, whether it’s thirsty skin or a dehydrated mouth.

Vaginal dryness is a whole different story. Not only might it be the last topic you want to broach with others, but the number of potential reasons behind it can also cause even the most physically-attuned among us to draw a blank.

If you’re feeling parched, trust that you’re not alone: Roughly 15 percent of women experience vaginal dryness before their ovaries head towards retirement and menopause ensues (indeed, vaginal dryness can affect any woman at any age). That estimate jumps to fifty percent in the years after your period comes to a complete end. And with culprits ranging from a low libido to diabetes, you can bet that more than one woman in your inner circle is enduring that arid sensation down there.

Fortunately, vaginal dryness is entirely treatable. Read on to learn why it may it occur—and eight possible ways to solve it.

What is vaginal dryness—and what are its symptoms?

Vaginal dryness is precisely as it sounds: it’s defined by a lack of moisture in the tissues that comprise your private parts (think: your vaginal walls, labia and vulva).

While this alone may sound innocuous enough, persistent dryness can cause, as you might imagine, a litany of complaints, such as:

• Uncomfortable, even painful sex
• Spotting post-intercourse
• Discomfort during prolonged sitting and/or exercising
• Burning while urinating
• Itchiness
• Irritation
• Soreness
• Recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Increased need to urinate

Are some of these symptoms tolerable?

Certainly, and particularly if the vaginal dryness you experience is mild at best. And yet, a dearth of lubrication in your vaginal tissues can take a grave toll on your desire for intimacy. What’s more, vaginal dryness’s capacity to interfere with your natural bacterial balance may lead to larger, more bothersome issues, like bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections and urinary incontinence.

What causes vaginal dryness—and how might I fight it?

Face shapes, idiosyncrasies, body types, food preferences, artistic tastes, anatomies: We’re all endlessly (and brilliantly) unique. The same could be said for our private bits and the myriad ways we’re impacted by everything from stress to medications. In other words? There is no one single cause of vaginal dryness.

That said, vaginal dryness is frequently caused by a handful of common factors, including:

1. The march of time

Menopause and its younger sister, perimenopause—or the three to ten years (or mere months) that precede the total cessation of your period—are an inescapable and even beautiful part of life.

And yet, with it arrives a not-so-subtle drop in estrogen—the very hormone we’ve relied on all our lives to keep our skin bouncy, our moods high and our tissues moist and pliable.

This includes, of course, our vaginal tissues, which, without estrogen’s silent but significant help, may become dry, thin, and (ouch) prone to tears.

Why, you might ask? Because estrogen fuels the production of collagen, which is vital to the health and springiness of skin and tissues.

The solution: If you believe you’re in perimenopause and have an arsenal of concerns to go with it (read: unexplained weight gain, irregular periods, insomniac nights, and inexplicable anxiety, to name just a few), it might be due time to book an appointment with your healthcare professional.

Once they’ve examined your hormone levels and ruled out other possible causes of vaginal dryness, they may recommend vaginal estrogen, such as an estradiol cream. Applied vaginally for maximum absorption through your bloodstream, it supports lubrication and enhanced elasticity. Alternatively, you may want to explore the potential benefits of supplementing with DHEA, which acts as a precursor to testosterone and may help rejuvenate dry and weakened vaginal tissues.

2. A limping libido

Vaginal dryness may also occur if you are, to put it candidly, not in the mood.

Fissures in your relationship, psychological trauma, stress, insufficient or unsatisfying foreplay, hormonal shifts during breastfeeding, perimenopause, weight changes: All can interrupt your ability to experience arousal and the increased lubrication that often comes with it.

The solution: While a store-bought lube certainly isn’t a panacea for deeper, more troubling complications—such as an absence of trust with your partner, chronic anxiety, or a history of sexual trauma (all of which, mind you, may necessitate the expertise of a mental health professional)—it can facilitate smoother, more satiating intimacy.

Just be sure to select a product that boasts natural ingredients. The Honey Pot’s Organic Strawberry Moisturizing Lubricant, for one, is free of itchiness-inducing glycerin but rich in agave, chamomile and Irish Moss, which soothes and restores your fragile tissues.

Another option? A more systemic approach: Herbal aphrodisiacs, such as maca, ginkgo and l-arginine, organically foster a sultrier state of mind.^†

3. Pelvic floor issues

Time and again, we’ve been told to strengthen our pelvic floors through exercises like bridge, Kegels, squats, and bird-dog. For a good cause, too: A fit pelvic floor can mitigate back pain, reduce incontinence and amp up your love life (at least the physical side of it!)

However, overly tense pelvic floor muscles—or hypertonic muscles, as they’re also called—can backfire and contribute to dyspareunia (or painful sex), sapped arousal…and the vaginal dryness that may coincide with it.

The solution: In a word: Stretch.

You stretch after HIIT, barre, or a spin class to keep your muscles long and limber, correct? (And if you don’t, now may be the time to weave it into your workout routine.) The same could be said for your pelvic floor regime: You want to ensure the area is strong, but also flexible.

To this end, practice what’s known as the “reverse Kegel.” Also referred to as pelvic floor drops, these exercises entail contracting your pelvic floor muscles (as you would in a traditional Kegel), followed by untensing, or “down-training,” the area.

4. Medications

Oral contraceptives, antidepressants, OTC cold remedies—all may have a hand in robbing your private parts from the natural moisture they need.

How so?

Birth control pills, for one, may result in an imbalance between your progesterone and estrogen banks and—for the reasons described above—precipitate vaginal dryness.

Meanwhile, cold meds, allergy remedies and antihistamines may cause your blood vessels to contract in an attempt to dry out the moisture and mucus that frequently accompanies an illness or a bout of allergies. Unfortunately, this may dehydrate your nether region too. At the same time, SSRIs are notorious for dialing down sexual interest in some people and may complicate lubrication.

The solution: Speak with your general practitioner, naturopathic doctor and/or OBGYN: Medications are meant to enrich your life, not dampen your contentment or lead to persistent dryness, soreness and irritation. The healthcare expert in your life may be able to adjust your medications or recommend an alternative with fewer side effects (such as an IUD if you’re taking oral birth control).

5. Tampons

Tampons may be a no-brainer for many, but if vaginal dryness recurs month after month after menstruation ends, you may want to point a finger at your feminine products: According to a survey conducted by Intimina, 66 percent of women who swapped out their tampons for a menstrual cup experienced a considerable dip in vaginal dryness.

Biased? Natch: Intimina manufactures menstrual cups. Nonetheless, tampons can wreak havoc on vaginal lubrication by “wicking” away moisture and soaking up essential flora, which you need to achieve equilibrium in your vaginal microbiome. (Yes, this is a thing!)

The solution: Give menstrual cups a whirl: Newer iterations of these smart devices are versatile, comfortable, economical—and far less likely to make you feeling like a desert down south. And if you’re not ready to make the jump? Do know that vaginal dryness attributable to tampons is short-lived, with most women experiencing their usual amount of moisture within twelve to twenty-four hours after their periods (and tampon-use) comes to an end.

6. Breastfeeding and childbirth

If you’ve recently welcomed a little one to the world, congratulations are in the order—but vaginal dryness may be too: An older study, published in 2018, found that forty-three percent of women endured less vaginal lubrication following childbirth.

This is due to radical hormonal alterations. Estrogen and progesterone surge during pregnancy, then nosedive when baby arrives. Simultaneously, at least for some new mamas, lactating causes estrogen to take an albeit temporary hike—and may render sex, among other activities, unpleasant.

The solution: Reach for foods that brim with phytoestrogens (or plants that mimic estrogen in the body). Apples, edamame, sesame seeds, peaches, berries and tofu might not replenish your natural moisture stores overnight, but they can bolster blood flow and potentially support lubrication. Similarly, foods that are jam-packed with pro and prebiotics, like kimchi, yogurt, kefir, asparagus and bananas, may preserve your vaginal “microenvironment” and encourage an uptick in lubrication. And if you’re keen on connecting with your partner while your newborn rests, don’t hesitate to have a frank conversation about your concerns. A little extra foreplay can also do the trick.

7. Tobacco use

Need yet another reason to nix nicotine from your life?

Consider its effects on your gynecological health: Not only are female smokers twice as likely to get cervical cancer than their non-smoker counterparts, but smoking negatively effects circulation, depletes moisture throughout the body, and causes alkalinity to skyrocket. In turn, this may interrupt the vaginal microbiome and lead to aridness and irritation.

The solution: Rests inside of you, but you don’t have to go at it alone: From support groups on social to acupuncture, there are a bevy of ways to fight your cravings and embrace a healthy lifestyle.

8. Medical and mental health conditions

If none of the above scenarios pertain to where you are in life right now, it might be high time to schedule an appointment with your doctor to ascertain if you have an underlying medical or mental health condition, especially if vaginal dryness is accompanied by recurring UTIs, BV, or abnormal vaginal bleeding. In addition to diabetes (as mentioned above), those that may spur vaginal dryness include:

• Certain cancers and/or cancer treatment (such as chemotherapy)
• A hysterectomy or oophorectomy
• Sjogren’s syndrome
• Noninfectious vaginitis
• STIs
• Endometritis
• Lichen planus
• Depression and anxiety
• Alcohol use disorder
• Thyroid disorders

Additionally, while “chronic stress” is neither a medical issue nor a mental health condition, it, too, can sabotage your moisture supply, in part by keeping you from feeling present in the bedroom and reducing the efficacy of dozens of biological functions.

The solution: Practicing honesty—and bravery: Confronting what may be genuinely going on with your wellness might feel daunting at first, but rest assured that knowledge is power. Whether your doctor chooses to perform a pelvic exam or a blood test, the results may set you on a path to head-to-toe (and everything in between) health.

^†These statements have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.