Vaginal Dryness: Non-Hormonal Help

Dear Barbara: “ I do not want to use any hormones. What can I do for vaginal dryness?

Okay, ladies.

A number of options are available for treating vaginal dryness. You can use an estrogen or a DHEA suppository. You apply these once daily until symptoms subside and then 1-2 times per week for maintenance. You do not need to use them for life. Doctors love to give a prescription treatment and tell you to use it forever. Why? Because you need the prescription and they now are indispensable. You can go that way, but you do not need to.

However, some of you do not want to use any hormones as your solution. OK, that is your choice, although they will work the quickest and will restore vaginal tissue faster than other alternatives.

What are your options?

Vitamin E . Apply 400 -800 IU per day of oil from a capsule of vitamin E directly to vaginal tissues at bedtime. (You have to puncture the capsule to get the oil.) Give it at least 2 weeks to work. A study in Europe assessed the effects of intravaginal Vitamin E The study demonstrated that natural suppositories of vitamin E produced no adverse side effects, significantly improved symptoms of vaginal atrophy and increased vaginal moisture.

Vitamin E

While Vitamin E might help to increase vaginal lubrication, severe cases of vaginal dryness might respond better to the DHEA or Estriol.

Need a lubricant? Replens, a non-hormonal moisturizing gel. It does have cumulative benefits unlike other lubricants.

One more thing… Chasteberry: Generally marketed under the name Vitex, it is an herb that can normalize sex hormones and address vaginal dryness, but it will be a much slower route.