Post-Menopausal Vaginal Health

Let’s talk about vaginal health. After menopause, women stop producing estrogen. The vagina really needs estrogen to maintain its caliber, elasticity and lubrication. So unless women do something about it, they will have vaginas that are delicate, dry and more prone to infection. Sex will become uncomfortable or downright painful, and that certainly does not contribute to increased libido.

Vaginal Dryness

If you’re experiencing vaginal dryness, here are some easy things that you can do to improve the situation. A daily vaginal moisturizer will make a big difference. Vaginal moisturizers are different than vaginal lubricants. They are used daily, just like a facial moisturizer. Lubricants are used just for the act of insertion to make the vaginal entryway slippery. Natural vaginal moisturizers include olive oil (an inexpensive one works just as well for this purpose), vitamin E oil and even Crisco! Who has Crisco in their cupboard anymore?

Menopause and Estrogen

Some of you are definitely going to need to use local vaginal estrogen therapy, which means that the estrogen is placed directly into the vagina. Local estrogen therapy is safe and effective even if you are a breast cancer survivor, because the estrogen stays locally in the vagina and does not travel to the breast or anywhere else. When it comes to the use of local vaginal estrogen therapy, the vagina is like Las Vegas. What goes in the vagina, stays in the vagina!

And here is some good news. The bladder will also benefit from local estrogen therapy, because the bladder sits right on top of the vagina. For those of you who are experiencing bladder infections, you need to know that bladder infections can lead to kidney infections which can kill you. So let’s all become better caretakers of our vaginas and bladders. Spread the word!

Tara Allmen, MD Credentials:
– Board Certified Gynecologist and Nationally Certified Menopause Practitioner
– New York City’s Leading Expert In Menopause
– President, North American Menopause Society Foundation
– Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology
– New York City’s Top Gynecologist, 2015
– Five Star Rating From Doctor’s Choice Awards
– Five Star Rating From HealthGrades