Top 10 Home remedies for vaginal dryness

A 2009 study found that vaginal dryness affects both women below and above the age of 50. Therefore, these home remedies for vaginal dryness are applicable to women in pre and post reproductive age. (1)

Vaginal dryness occurs due to inflammation, thinning, and reduction in elasticity of vaginal walls. Dryness is the condition of having little or no moisture in the female genitals. (2,3)

Vaginal dryness is a condition that makes the vagina dry, itchy, and painful. It causes discomfort and pain during sexual activity.(2,4,5)

A 2021 study found that 15% of women before menopause have female dryness condition.

Its alleged that approximately 62% of women between the age of 18-35 use moisturizers and vaginal lubricants during sexual intercourse.

There are conventional medications and estrogen therapy that can help treat vaginal dryness but lifestyle changes and natural remedies are more safe when you experience vaginal atrophy.

But, first you should know the possible causes of vaginal dryness to help you understand better the kind of treatment for your condition.

Find here top 10 home remedies for vaginal dryness. 

1-Personal hygiene products and tools

Choose care products or douches free from chemicals that keep the PH of the vagina balanced to prevent inflammation and vaginal dryness.(6)

Avoid sharing your care tools with other people to avoid the spread of infection and diseases.

Use 100% cotton underwear for less irritation and good airflow to the vaginal region which reduces vaginal dryness.

Personal hygiene is one of the most serious home remedies that you should keep as a lifestyle.

2-Give up smoking

Smoking decreases the secretion of estrogen in your system. So it increases your risk of developing vaginal atrophy. Giving up smoking is among the most important home remedies for vaginal dryness. (7)

Smocking have a lot of effects to your health even besides vaginal atrophy. Several medically reviewed studies poise that its the chief cause of prominent medical issues in the world today. (8,9,10)

3-Do regular moderate exercise

Doing regular exercise promotes hormonal balance in females including estrogen hormone so it is one of the most amazing readily available remedy.(11,12)

Exercise generally helps your body’s organs to function better. It may help you have a healthy heart, build strong muscles, and have more energy.

Regular exercise also helps to relieve stress. Try to do some aerobic activity, such as running, or biking, and some muscle-strengthening activities, like weight lifting.

Pelvic floor exercises strengthen the muscles that support the uterus, bladder, small intestine, and rectum. Vaginal muscles become weak due to lower levels of estrogen. (13,14)

These types of exercise enhances blood flow to the pelvis including the vagina so it’s can be useful for vaginal dryness.(15)

What is the best exercise to strengthen pelvic floor?

• Kegels

• Squats

• Bridge

• Split tabletop

• Bird dog

4- Keep yourself well hydrated

A 2019 study found that sufficient fluid intake is key for vaginal lubrication. Drinking plenty of water, and limiting your intake of alcohol and caffeine is vital for vaginal dryness and overall health.

Water regulates temperature, transports nutrients in the body, and removes waste. Drink 8 -10 glasses of water a day to keep your system hydrated.

You loose a lot of water through the skin, kidneys, lungs, and bowels. If we don’t replenish it, your cells become dehydrated.

When that happens, they don’t work efficiently, which can cause all kinds of health issues. Staying hydrated will improve your general vaginal health.

5- Stay sexually active

Vaginal atrophy symptoms include painful intercourse, light bleeding after intercourse, and loss of libido. (16)

The arousal of a woman during intercourse increases blood flow to the pelvic area reducing the symptoms of atrophy. (17)

Being sexually active maintains muscle tone and promotes blood flow to sexual organs including the vagina. Here is one of the natural home remedies for vaginal dryness which works best.

Start sexual intercourse slowly to allow the Bartholin gland to secrete natural lubricant in your vagina.(18)

N/b: This remedy is for the married alone.

6- Avoid perfumed products on your private part

Do not use perfumed products on your vagina. These products can cause an allergic reaction and vaginal dryness. Wash your self with plain water and unscented soap.(19)

Use natural products specifically to the sensitive vaginal areas to avoid irritation and keep the vagina clean.

7-Eating healthy diet can help reduce vaginal atrophy

Phytoestrogen-rich foods like soy, nuts, and seeds improve vaginal dryness and hot flashes as their compounds mimic natural estrogen in function. (20,21)

A healthy meal must include whole grains, fruits, nuts and vegetables. Avoid processed foods, fast foods, junk foods, and sugary drinks.(22,23)

A healthful meal helps to keep your weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels within normal ranges.

It may help reduce your risk of certain diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, and cancer.

You should use herbs and make lifestyle changes before asking your doctor for medications if you suffer from vaginal dryness.

8-Sea buckthorn oil

Sea buckthorn oil is an extract of sea buckthorn plant berries. The oil’s fatty acids may help to treat acne, psoriasis, and other skin conditions.(24)

Sea buckthorn oil is a rich and natural source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, and essential minerals like magnesium, potassium, and manganese. Researchers allege that it’s one of the highest antioxidant foods in the world.(25)

A 2014 research found that women using sea buckthorn oil had an increase in the vaginal elasticity.

Furthermore, sea buckthorn is a natural alternative estrogen hormone replacement. It’s effects on estrogen levels makes it one of the best treatment options for vaginal atrophy.(26,27)

9-Use natural lubricants to cure vaginal atrophy

Aromatherapy is the art and science of using plant-derived essential oils. Theses essential oils have high concentration of volatile aroma compounds. (28)

There are various ways to use essential oils, i.e. inhalation, topical application, massage, or direct application to the skin. Instead of using chemical moisturizers and medications you can use essential oils for lubrication.(29,30,31)

Jojoba oil

Jojoba oil is a “liquid wax” derived from the seeds of Simmondsia Chinensis. It is not an oil; it contains no triglycerides and does not oxidize.

Jojoba oil can treat acne, psoriasis, eczema, fungal infections (ringworm), and dandruff. You can also use this oil on the face to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

You can use it as a food additive, a lubricant, a thickener for cosmetics and beauty products, and as an ingredient in soaps.

Jojoba oil has hydrophilic properties so it attracts more water to the cells and keeps them moisturized and hydrated.

It also has antibacterial properties so it prevents the growth of the bacteria. Put a few drops of jojoba oil on a cotton swab and then apply to the vagina for lubrication and relieve symptoms of vaginal dryness.

Coconut oil

Coconut oil is saturated fat that is solid at room temperature. It contains a high concentration of saturated fatty acids like Lauric acid, Myristic acid, Caprylic acid, Palmitic acid, Capric acid, Oleic acid, Linoleic acid, and Stearic acid.

You can use it for cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and industrial applications. It is clear to pale yellow.

You should try a few drops of coconut oil on a small area of the skin first to avoid allergy and irritation.

Benefits of coconut oil for vaginal atrophy

• Apply coconut oil directly to the vagina to kill harmful microorganisms as it has antimicrobial properties. This will help improve vaginal health.

• You can use coconut oil for vaginal dryness to improve vaginal hydration as it’s a good natural moisturizer.

• Applying virgin coconut oil to the inflamed vagina can reduce inflammation and ease the burning pain during intercourse.

• Its a natural oil for lubrication without side effects to your vaginal health

Aloe vera gel

Aloe vera is a succulent plant that contains more than 200 biologically active substances.

In addition, aloe vera contains polysaccharides, amino acids, fatty acids, enzymes, minerals, and vitamins.

It has been used for decades to treat various conditions such as burns, wounds, and sunburns for its soothing and healing properties.

You can use aloe vera to reduce itching and burning sensation on the vagina and keep it clean and hydrated. Aloe vera is equally good for other health conditions that have similar symptoms .

10-Eat vitamin E rich diet

Vitamin E is water-soluble and can help to lower blood cholesterol levels. Vitamin E also helps to protect the body from the harmful effects of free radicals.(32,33)

Good sources of vitamin E include nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, wheat germ oil, sunflower oil, whole grains, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, and green leafy vegetables.(34)

Vitamin E plays a role in many organ systems, including the formation of red blood cells and the production of hormones so it’s useful for estrogen deficiency and vaginal dryness.(35,36)

When should you see your doctor?

You may use all these home remedies for vaginal dryness and get desirable results. But, you should see your doctor in the following conditions.

• If the symptoms persist for a long time or worse with time.

• After you have received chemo or radiotherapy treatments.

• If you have bleeding or excessive discharge from the vagina.

• When you experience unbearable pain during intercourse.

• If you do an oophorectomy.

• If you take breast cancer hormonal treatments.

The doctor will do a pelvic exam, urine analysis, and test PH of the vagina for diagnosis. Do not despise medical advice from your health practitioner. 

Causes of vaginal dryness (estrogen deficiency)

Vaginal dryness can occur at any age but it’s more common in perimenopause and postmenopausal women due to decreased estrogen levels secreted from the ovaries.(37)

Estrogen is a female hormone that is responsible for the regulation of menstruation and sexual function. It’s important for all tissues like bone and skin. It also affects brain activity and mood.(38,39)

All causes of vaginal dryness are those associated with decreased estrogen hormone levels in the system.(40)

Alternative estrogen therapy for women’s health

• Water based lubricants are effective ways of dealing with vaginal dryness more so during sexual intercourse. They may help relieve the symptoms for dryness. You should seek medical advice from your doctor before making choices for the best water based lubricants.(41,42)

• Vaginal moisturizers can help relieve dryness for a period of three days.(43)

• Wild yam is another remedy that can cure dryness though there are limited medically reviewed support to this fact.(44)

• Soy products are said to relieve dryness discomfort. Medical review studies poise that soy have several compounds that can relieve vaginal atrophy.(45,46)

What is the best treatment for vaginal atrophy?

Not everyone would like to use natural remedies to treat vaginal dryness. Therefore, they need to seek medical advice on the case of their vaginal dryness.

Many women like quick fix and here are some treatments that may offer quick relief from the dryness pain.

The best and most common treatment for vaginal dryness is topical estrogen therapy which compensates for decreased estrogen in the body. However these treatments increase the risk of breast cancer.

You need to consult your doctor before settling for any form of treatment. There are many forms of topical treatments but the most common ones are:

Ring

You or your doctor can insert this ring into your vagina and it will secrete a steady stream of estrogen into the tissues directly and will be replaced after 3 months.

Vagifem

A disposable tablet is applied into the vagina every day for the first two weeks and then twice per week until symptoms of vaginal dryness are relieved. They quickly dissolve in the vagina and doesn’t cause discomfort.

Cream

Apply cream into the dry vagina once daily then there times a week and gradually decrease to manage symptoms of vaginal atrophy.

When you feel pain during sexual activity, they you can use these creams as lubricants.

Summary on vaginal atrophy and women’s health

Vaginal dryness is a common, not serious condition that can be treated easily in several ways but if it persists, you should see your doctor to diagnose the cause and find the best treatment options.

Vaginal atrophy is prevalent in Postmenopausal women and may require medical attention if they will maintain their sexual activity.

In this article is outlined medically reviewed remedies for vaginal atrophy and lifestyle changes practices that will improve both you and your vaginal health. All of them are chemical free and are safe for life.

When after using these home remedies for vaginal dryness you still experience the symptoms of atrophy, reach out to your healthcare provider immediately.