Best skin care for vaginal dryness & best feminine moisturizer

Vaginal dryness is a very common problem in countless postmenopausal women, as well as younger women suffering from a variety of conditions. Due to the sensitivity of discussing matters related to genital care as well as an overlap among several fields of medical specialty helping women manage their condition, there is plenty of uninformed and often lacking approaches to the issue, leading to confusion and mismanagement to the woman's detriment. Here I provide the very basic essential tips that will be invaluable in cases of vaginal dryness across the board. While every woman is different and her condition is unique to her, there are some commonalities that must be addressed by all. These will benefit most if not all women suffering from vaginal dryness, if not actively improving their condition - at least by not making matters worse or wasting the woman's time and efforts.

First, withdraw or change any possible causes: local irritants whether it’s hot water, strong streaming water, topical products (locally applied) or skincare practices and products, baby wipes or wet wipes which one should never use over the privates (or anywhere for that matter), rough toilet paper, and medications. Use soft three-ply toilet paper to dry after urinating - and dab rather than wipe to avoid friction. Also, avoid using water-based lubricants for intercourse, as those products contain various compounds such as preservatives and emulsifiers which can make your problem worse. More on that below.

Second, address any ongoing contributing health issues such as thyroid, diabetes, Sjogren’s syndrome or vulvo-vaginitis on a local level whether it's of infectious origin, irritant and allergic contact, Zoon’s vulvo-vaginitis, lichen planus, lichen sclerosus or even chronic UTI.

Third, if appropriate add topical estrogen from you OBGYN, dermatologist, primary care physician or internist.

Fourth, use minimalist oil-based occlusive moisturizer such as petroleum jelly or our shea butter balms and do it frequently especially at nighttime you can slug to condition the outside skin and vaginal canal. Slugging is a term of art referring to application of large amounts of the occlusive to the area of interest overnight to sustain its presence over the skin for better conditioning or moisturizing. It is highly effective on the face and works really well on the vulva and vagina as well in cases of dryness and chronic irritation.

Fifth, use the same occlusive oil-based product as a lubricant for sexual intercourse.   and approach this delicately, especially at the beginning of treatment, so you don’t cause unnecessary friction that can set you back.

Six, do not rotate products (ever) use one product - the best - for each purpose and do not add any of your own extras as any superfluous or redundant product applied to the area can undermine your skincare and set you back, even if it seems completely harmless.

Seven, remember to work with a board certified dermatologist, OBGYN, an internist or a primary care physician to help you manage your condition, especially if you've been suffering for a long time or are experiencing more than just dryness.

 

Thanks for reading and God bless.

 

Yuval Bibi, MD