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The main cause for vaginal dryness is decreased or declining estrogen levels. The vaginal epithelium or the lining of the vagina is directly linked to estrogen levels. So as women age and estrogen levels decline, the vaginal epithelium becomes thinner, paler, drier, and women will experience vaginal dryness and pain with intercourse. So there is a direct link between vaginal dryness and estrogen levels. It is really important for women to understand that the vagina is a self-cleaning oven. There is no need and no reason, and in fact, it’s medically contra-indicated to insert anything in there that isn’t medically prescribed. So douching, inserting objects, inserting fragrance, fluids or gels or anything else can disrupt the microbiome of your vagina. So there is a microbiome in our gut. We’ve all heard about that. And we all know about the brain gut microbiome. There is a vagina microbiome, and douching will disrupt your vaginal microbiome, which then can impact vaginal health, which then can lead to vaginal irritation and dryness. So don’t douche. There are a number of medications that can cause vaginal dryness. One of the most common ones are cold and allergy medications. And the reason the cold and allergy medications can cause vaginal dryness is due to the anti-histamine effects, which function to decrease glandular secretions, which then decrease lubrication. So women will experience or can experience urinary symptoms and vaginal dryness due to the common cold and allergy medications.
