This moisturizer is about to be your new best friend.
Everyone knows about hot flashes — but another not uncommon symptom of menopause that deserves attention: vaginal dryness. Not familiar with it? Well, lucky you. It’s exactly what you think it is, and every bit as uncomfortable as you might imagine. Well, over 50 percent of menopausal women report suffering from vaginal dryness, so it’s safe to say you’re in good company if you’ve dealt with this personally.
Unfortunately, vaginal dryness doesn’t only affect menopausal women. It’s also a symptom experienced by women who are breastfeeding, going through cancer treatment, or having any other experience that may dramatically impact their hormone levels.
To better understand how vaginal dryness happens in the body, Katie Couric Media spoke with Alyssa Dweck, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Bonafide, a woman’s health company that offers clinically studied, hormone-free menopause treatments. Dr. Dweck explains how vaginal dryness impacts the body, why it leads to so much discomfort, and what women can do to treat it.
How vaginal dryness impacts sexual intimacy
What are we actually talking about when we reference vaginal dryness? According to Dr. Dweck, this phrase can often be a catch-all for a deceptively wide range of unpleasant symptoms.
“Of course, we’re referencing actual dryness,” she says, “But many additional symptoms are commonly bothersome, including itching, irritation, inelasticity, and pain during intimacy. What I hear a lot from patients is, ‘I have an awareness of my vagina…and not in a good way.’” Another common phrase Dr. Dweck hears is “sandpaper sex,” she says, or someone saying that they’re “as dry as the Sahara Desert.”
“Less estrogen means less blood flow and less natural vaginal lubrication. Less natural lubricant means the skin-to-skin friction during intercourse can be very uncomfortable,” she notes. Discomfort can lead to even more severe symptoms, like bleeding, soreness, tears, and fissures. It can even lead to some women avoiding sexual intimacy, or forgoing their own enjoyment of the experience. “Sadly, many of my patients will say that they’re just going to grin and bear it, because they want to engage with their partners, and they want to be sexual,” Dr. Dweck says.
While vaginal dryness is often associated with sex, it can also interfere with day-to-day activities and quality of life. “Some people will feel sensitivity when they’re wearing jeans, for example, and others will notice bothersome symptoms when they’re exercising.”
In other words: It’s almost impossible not to notice it. Luckily, there are now over-the-counter products to help you make this uncomfortable bodily sensation a thing of the past.
How vaginal moisturizers solve dryness issues (and make for much better sex)
First things first: there’s a big difference between sexual lubricants and vaginal moisturizers. Typically, a lubricant is recommended “in the moment,” Dr. Dweck explains — but vaginal moisturizers, on the other hand, are meant to be used more consistently, the same way you use a facial moisturizer.
Dr. Dweck’s favored vaginal moisturizer is Revaree[7], a product from Bonafide which is supported by multiple clinical studies. “Revaree’s key ingredient is hyaluronic acid,” she says. “This is a natural substance that we all make, but which declines with age.”
“Hyaluronic acid has incredibly unique moisturizing properties in that it binds almost a thousand times its weight in water,” Dr. Dweck says. “Revaree contains 5 milligrams, the highest amount in any over-the-counter vaginal insert. Clinical studies suggest efficacy similar to topical vaginal estrogen and superb safety.”
How to use a vaginal moisturizer
In terms of usage, the process is simple and can be as routine as moisturizing one’s face. “I usually recommend inserting Revaree into your vagina two to three times a week, usually at bedtime,” Dr. Dweck says. “Regular use will allow continuous moisture to be maintained.”
The best part of all? “A really wonderful thing that happens over time for women who use Revaree regularly; sex is much more pleasurable — and having good sex, especially having orgasms, will naturally bring more blood flow to the genital area.”
Bet your favorite facial moisturizer can’t do that.
