Vaginal Dryness

Vaginal Dryness Symptoms & Diagnosis

Vaginal dryness is a persistent problem for women after menopause, causing discomfort and painful intercourse. If you suffer from vaginal dryness, visit Kiarash Michel, MD, and his team of board-certified doctors at Comprehensive Urology in the Beverly Grove neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. They offer advanced treatments, including bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) and vaginal revitalization to treat your vaginal dryness. Call Comprehensive Urology today or book an appointment online to benefit from cutting-edge treatment.

Vaginal Dryness Q&A

What is vaginal dryness?

Vaginal dryness (atrophy) develops when the vagina stops producing lubricating fluids. Your vagina releases a clear fluid that coats the tissues and keeps them hydrated. Sometimes the production of this natural lubricant slows or stops, and your vagina dries out.

It can cause daily itchiness, irritation, and soreness. Lack of lubricating fluid also causes uncomfortable or painful sexual intercourse.

Causes:

The most likely cause of vaginal dryness is low estrogen levels. This female sex hormone is vital for lubricant production and helps create collagen, keeping the vaginal walls elastic.

Causes of a drop in estrogen include:

Childbirth
Breastfeeding
Oovectomy (removal of the ovaries)
Cancer treatments
Antiestrogen treatments for endometriosis and uterine fibroids
Menopause

Menopause — the period in middle age when women stop menstruating — is the leading cause of low estrogen and vaginal dryness. Estrogen is the hormone that regulates reproduction, so it drops to very low levels after menopause.

Other causes include the autoimmune disorder Sjögren’s syndrome, antihistamines (medicines for allergies), and some antidepressant medication.

How is vaginal dryness treated?

Before recommending a treatment for vaginal dryness, your Comprehensive Urology doctor discusses your symptoms with you and reviews your medical history. They also do a pelvic exam to evaluate the vaginal tissues.

If medication is causing the dryness, you might benefit from trying alternative treatments. Some women manage with moisturizing creams and artificial lubricants, but these products don’t increase natural lubricant levels.

Creams containing estrogen help stimulate fluid production. Or you might benefit from bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) if you’re going through menopause. BHRT replaces the lost estrogen in your body, helping reduce dryness and other menopause symptoms.

Comprehensive Urology also offers ThermiVa®, a non-surgical vaginal revitalization therapy from ThermiGen LLC.

How does ThermiVa help with dryness?

ThermiVa is an innovative treatment that uses targeted radiofrequency energy bursts to encourage new collagen production and tissue regeneration.

Comprehensive Urology recommends a series of ThermiVa treatments a few weeks apart. You’ll probably notice a difference immediately, but you can achieve the best results with several treatments.

ThermiVa not only improves lubrication but also lowers your risk of urinary incontinence and improves your orgasms. Treatment requires no downtime or recovery.

Results usually last nine months to two years. Follow-up treatments every year or two after the initial series help keep your dryness from returning.

Call Comprehensive Urology today or book an appointment online. Learn more about vaginal dryness near me today.