Vaginal Dryness : Causes, Treatments and Home Remedies

A woman’s vagina naturally produces a clear, relatively odorless vaginal lubrication that assists in sexual penetration. How much lubricant is produced is influenced by a number of different factors and varies from woman to woman.


Factors that can influence vaginal dryness are:

- Intercourse
- Diaphragms
- Antidepressants
- Antihistamines/decongestants
- Antibiotics
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation
- Allergens such as dyes and fragrances in toilet paper and laundry detergent
- Drying soaps
- Douches
- Tampons
- Condoms


Remedies for vaginal dryness are:

- Boost your water intake. We should all consume at least ten 8-oz glasses of water a day. This simple step can be surprisingly helpful.

- Review the list of ingredients in your personal, bathing, and laundry products. Many perfumes and other chemicals commonly found in these products are irritants to the delicate mucosal tissues that line the vagina.

- Follow a hormone-balancing diet. The low-fat, high-carb diet many women follow literally starves your body of the nutrients it needs to make sex hormones. The estrogen needed for vaginal lubrication is made from cholesterol, for example — something women on low-fat diets are severely lacking. You might also think about adding soy and flax seed, which are good sources of phytoestrogens.

- All of us need top-quality nutritional supplements to support our diet, no matter how well we eat, and this simple step can ensure that you cover the missing gaps.

- Try a personal lubricant. Some women achieve immediate relief from vaginal dryness and irritation simply by using a personal lubricant. You may want to give one a try while you wait for improved hydration, nutrition and endocrine support to naturally restore your own vaginal moisture.