Feeling ‘wet’ can have multiple connotations. For the vagina, ‘wetness’ or natural lubrication is a necessary function. You’re at your healthiest when your vagina is optimally ‘wet’. This is also a signal towards a healthy pH balance in the vagina, a healthy sex drive, etc. However, natural lubrication of the vagina can be disrupted by a host of factors in everyday life.
On the other hand, if your vagina starts to feel dry, it can have a few detrimental consequences as well. These start with painful sex, vaginal infections, or even an underlying medical condition. However, vaginal dryness is also extremely common and most women experience it from time to time.
So, here’s a guide to figure out why your vagina feels dry.
1. You’re Using Soap Down There
If you’re using a body wash or a soap to wash down there, you’re unintentionally harming your vagina. Shower products are not designed for use down there, the harsh chemicals in them can quickly disrupt the pH level of the vagina. Exposure to such ingredients causes vaginal infections. In fact, women can sometimes be particularly allergic to chemicals in soaps, detergents, dyes, lubes, and even perfumes. This is perhaps why you need to choose products that are specially designed for your vagina. Start with an intimate wash that you can use in the shower. Then, end with an intimate hygiene spray which you can take with you in your bag whenever you step out.
The Hi Life intimate Hygiene Spray is great for keeping your intimate area clean and infection-free. This bottle especially comes in handy when you use public restrooms and need to wash up right after.
2. You Might Just Be Dehydrated
When was the last time you had water? If you can’t remember, it’s time you drink some now. Dehydration can be one of the major culprits behind vaginal dryness. Water makes up for over 60 percent of the human body. What does that tell you about the vagina? If you’re dehydrated, it’s going to affect things down there as well. Minimal water intake can lead to a myriad of detrimental consequences for the vagina as well as your body. In fact, after consistently drinking water (that is taking in about 2.7 liters of water a day), you should be able to see improvements in terms of your vaginal dryness in about three days. So, drink up your water, ladies.
3. There Might Be An Underlying Medical Condition
If vaginal dryness is often coupled with dryness across other areas of the body like your eyes and mouth, it could possibly be an indicator of an underlying medical condition. These symptoms are also in line with Sjögren’s (pronounced like ‘show-grins’) syndrome. The condition affects the mucous membranes of the body and it presents itself on the surface as broad-spectrum dryness. It also affects both young and older women alike. However, to confirm which underlying medical condition you’re dealing with, you need to visit your gynecologist for more information. Other causes for vaginal dryness include hormonal imbalance, infections, irritants, medications, or other rare conditions.
4. Anti-Depressants Also Cause Vaginal Dryness
Prescribed anti-depressants can sometimes have listed side-effects which may include an effect on the libido and an impact on the natural lubrication of the vagina. If you’re on anti-depressants currently, try finding out the side-effects. If the medication proves to be the cause, then talk to your psychiatrist about switching medications.
5. You’re Breastfeeding
Post a pregnancy, breastfeeding is also commonly known to be the root cause for vaginal dryness and hormones in the body keep fluctuating during this time.
6. You’re An Active Smoker
Regular smoking has the potential of causing a blockage in the vaginal arteries and reduce moisture down there. The natural lubrication of the vagina begins when blood vessels are engorged, a process that also takes place in the male anatomy and is subsequently called the erection. This higher blood pressure in the blood vessels causes serum to leak across the blood vessels from the mucous membranes of the vagina, leading to more moisture. Now, if the arteries are a bit clogged, there is a reduced amount of lubrication.
7. You’re Eating Junk Food Too Often
Foods high in saturated fat can lead to vaginal inflammation which is not ideal for vaginal health. Now, generalised inflammation negatively impacts the body’s immune system’s response to infections, increasing the risk of catching vaginal infections. We all know what happens when you catch a vaginal infection, it makes your vagina dry as well.
8. Your Hormone Levels Are Fluctuating
Dryness can also be attributed to a decrease in estrogen levels during menopause, perimenopause, irregular period cycle, post-childbirth, or during breastfeeding. Other than that, cancer treatments like chemotherapy and pelvic radiation also lead to low estrogen levels which leads to dryness.
9. You Have An Underlying Infection
Recurrent UTIs or yeast infections also impact the natural lubrication of the vagina. Infections down there change the pH level of the vagina which can make the vagina dry or change the consistency of the mucous secreted.
10. You Might Have Feelings Of Guilt Or Shame Associated With Sex
If your vagina feels particularly dry during sex, you might associate sex with feelings of guilt and shame. These feelings can be there due to a number of reasons. However, to get back at it, it’s important to work through these feelings. Visiting a therapist or a sex therapist is one step that you can take that might help resolve these feelings.
11. You’re Not Engaging In Enough Foreplay
During sex, if your vagina still feels dry, then perhaps you’re not engaging in enough foreplay. Different studies have shown that it takes women anywhere from 10-45 minutes to get fully aroused. If you aren’t giving enough time to get fully aroused amid sex, it might be the reason why you’re feeling relatively dry down there.
12. You’ve Had A Stressful Week
If you’ve had a particularly stressful month, then the stress will start to affect your body as well. Stress is the devil that can impact your life in weird ways. It leads to troubling consequences like hair fall, breakouts, irregular periods, and sometimes even vaginal dryness. Take time out for yourself and release some of the frown lines through an activity that you like or even a hangout with your friends and you’ll see all the difference
13. You’re Using Synthetic Sanitary Napkins
Synthetic sanitary napkins are usually filled with chemicals that are not great for the vagina. These include chemicals like chlorine, they also are filled with artificial fragrances along with plastic-based fibers that are not friendly to the skin at all. Wearing these pads during your period can have long-term effects on your vagina which include substantial dryness down there.
A simple solution to this problem is switching to organic pads. The best organic pads available in the market today are the Hi Life Organic Period Pads. These pads are made from GOTS-certified 100% organic cotton sourced from Texas. They are fragrance-free and feel soft on the skin. Switch to organic pads from Hi Life, they can be bought online, and wearing them can make all the difference.
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