Sexual Lubricants: Relieving Vaginal Dryness

Sexual Lubricants: Relieving Vaginal Dryness

Vaginal dryness can cause discomfort during sex, as well as itching and burning sensations. Some causes of vaginal dryness are:

  • Lower estrogen levels after menopause
  • Hormonal changes due to childbirth or breastfeeding
  • Smoking
  • Some medications, including leuprolide, danazol, tamoxifen, antihistamines, ulcer medications, antidepressants, blood pressure medications, oral contraceptives, and cold medications
  • Douching
  • Strenuous exercise
  • Cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy
  • Sjogren syndrome

image Your doctor may choose to do a pelvic exam to make sure that no other conditions are responsible for your vaginal dryness. During the exam, you may be tested for infections or other conditions. You may also be asked to undergo a urine test. The good news is that you do not have to live with vaginal dryness. Sexual lubricants can bring back the pleasure.

About Lubricants

Lubricants are substances designed to ease dryness, prevent friction, and make sexual intercourse more comfortable and enjoyable for both partners. There are many over-the-counter products available including:

  • Astroglide
  • K-Y Jelly
  • Liquid Silk
  • Surgilube

Precautions

Not all lubricants are created equal. Lubricants that can be used with condoms may be water-based, with or without glycerine, or silicon based.

Do not use any of the following as lubricants:

  • Oil-based products, such as Vaseline, mineral oil, and baby oil can cause the latex in condoms to break down, increasing the risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and pregnancy.
  • Moisture creams and lotions can interfere with the body's pH levels and cause irritation or infection.

RESOURCES:

American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
http://www.acog.org
Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians
http://familydoctor.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
http://www.sogc.org
Women's Health Matters
http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca

References:

A doctor's take on lubricants for female pleasure and comfort. Safer Sex 4 Seniors website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed October 2, 2017.
Atrophic vaginitis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115096/Atrophic-vaginitis. Updated January 26, 2017. Accessed October 2, 2017.
Vaginal and vulvar comfort: lubricants, moisturizers, and low-dose vaginal estrogen. The North American Menopause Society website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed October 2, 2017.
Last reviewed September 2017 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Michael Woods, MD

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.

Home |Terms and Conditions |Concerned About Privacy? |Accessibility |Careers |For Employers and Medical Plan Providers

You may also be looking for: CVS/pharmacy | MinuteClinic | Specialty Pharmacy | SilverScript | Accordant