Dealing With Vaginal Dryness

 

Causes:

Vaginal dryness is not a very uncommon phenomenon. All sexually active women encounter this problem sooner or later. When women are sexually aroused she experiences a quickening of the breath, a feeling of warmth or skin flush, and an engorgement of the nipples, the clitoris and the lips of the vulva (as they fill with blood). Many women also experience changes in their vagina. With arousal, the vagina may tilt upwards and become longer. It may also become wet with a "sweating" of the vaginal walls. This lubrication of a woman's genitals is caused by the release of a special fluid from the "vaginal epithelium" (the walls of the vagina). This fluid is not like the sweat of your skin, but is what scientists call a "modified plasma transudate." In general, the release of this fluid serves you sexually by making vaginal and vulval play more comfortable.

   
 
Remedy:

The solution to this problem is using artificial lubricants for sexual play. Many brands are available in the local drug stores. Find your favourite brand and use only water-soluble lubricants with glycerine or a similar chemical, which gives them their slippery properties. They are usually odourless, tasteless, and sterile. They may also be hypoallergenic. Never put a petroleum-based lubricant, such as Vaseline, into your vagina. Petroleum-based jellies are likely to increase your vulnerability to infections, and they will corrode the latex used for condoms and other safer sex practices.
   
 

Exercise:

In addition to using artificial lubricants, keeping healthy the musculature of your pelvic floor will increase the blood supply to your vaginal canal and will help with dryness as well as giving you an increased sense of comfortable control over your genitals. Therefore it is best to do pelvic floor exercises. Do the following exercise twice daily and very soon you will see the difference. Find the relevant group of muscles by stopping and starting the flow of your urine (while seated on the toilet). Then, with an empty bladder, squeeze these muscles tight and hold them for a count of three. Repeat this until they feel tired (initially you may only be able to squeeze these muscles a couple of times before they feel tired, later you should be able to gradually work up to twenty repetitions).