Vaginal Dryness

Vaginal dryness occurs when there is a decrease in the amount of moisture or lubrication that the vagina naturally makes. Sexual intercourse can be difficult or painful when the vagina is dry.

Causes

Vaginal dryness can occur because of some cancer treatments. For example, radiation therapy to the lower pelvis in women can decrease the amount of moisture in the vagina. Some types of cancer treatments like surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy can also cause a woman to go into menopause and cause menopausal symptoms such as vaginal dryness.

Management

There are a number of steps that can be taken to help with vaginal dryness.

• Use a water-based lubricant to make sex more comfortable. Spread the lubricant on the head of the partner’s penis and put some around and inside the opening to the vagina. Do this before sex and reapply the lubricant whenever needed. It is often recommended that women not use products such as Vaseline or oil-based lubricants because they can cause infections.
• Lubricants should not contain any perfume or colouring, because these can irritate tissue in the vagina. There are a variety of lubricants available that can be put directly into the vagina. The pharmacist can suggest some that are safe to use. Try different ones to find out which work best.
• Some lubricants can be used on a regular basis for severe dryness. They are non-hormonal creams that stick to the vagina and the water held within the cream rehydrates the cells.
• Sometimes the doctor or healthcare team will discuss using other creams or medications (such as hormone creams or hormone replacement therapy) that may be helpful after assessing the cause of vaginal dryness, how severe dryness is and the type of cancer a woman has had.