What are the main symptoms of vaginal dryness?
What causes vaginal dryness?
Who is at risk of developing vaginal dryness?
What are the treatment options for vaginal dryness?
Hormone therapy for vaginal dryness
PRP for vaginal dryness
But do not be fooled, there are plenty of women in their thirties that are also struggling with vaginal dryness. Vaginal dryness is a nuisance that can lead to discomfort, itching, and pain during sexual intercourse, negatively influencing the quality of life.
Let’s answer essential questions about vaginal dryness, highlighting its symptoms, causes, and the wide range of treatment options available.
The primary symptom of vaginal dryness is a lack of moisture in the vaginal area, leading to discomfort. Other symptoms may include itching, burning, irritation, and painful intercourse. Some women also experience slight bleeding or spotting during or after sex due to the friction caused by dryness.
Vaginal dryness is commonly caused by a decrease in estrogen levels, especially during menopause, post menopause, and after childbirth or breastfeeding. Other causes can include certain medications (e.g., antihistamines, antidepressants), autoimmune disorders, smoking, and practices that disrupt the vaginal pH balance, such as excessive washing or the use of harsh soaps.
Vaginal dryness is prevalent among menopausal and postmenopausal women, and it can affect women of all ages due to various factors like hormonal changes, medical treatments, and lifestyle choices.
Treatment for vaginal dryness varies depending on the cause and severity of the symptoms:
Lubricants and moisturizers: Over-the-counter vaginal lubricants can be used during sexual activity, while vaginal moisturizers can provide longer-lasting relief.
Hormonal treatments: Local estrogen therapy, in the form of creams, vaginal rings, or tablets, can be effective in replenishing estrogen levels and improving symptoms.
Platelet Rich Plasma (The O-Shot): PRP contains highly active growth factors that stimulate cell and tissue regeneration, benefiting the tissue where it was injected.
Yes, certain lifestyle adjustments and home remedies can alleviate symptoms:
Hydration: Drinking plenty of water helps maintain overall hydration, including vaginal moisture.
Gentle care: Use small amounts of unscented, mild soaps and avoid douching to maintain natural vaginal pH levels.
Regular sexual activity: With adequate lubrication, sexual activity can help increase blood flow to the genital area, promoting natural lubrication.
You should seek medical advice if vaginal dryness causes significant discomfort, impacts your quality of life, or affects your relationship and sexual health.
Additionally, consult a healthcare provider if you experience symptoms of a vaginal infection, such as unusual discharge, odor, or severe itching and burning.
Let’s discuss in more detail our two treatment options that we believe will help you: bioidentical (human identical) hormone replacement therapy and platelet rich plasma (PRP).
Bioidentical hormones are compounds manufactured in a laboratory to chemically match the hormones naturally produced by the human body, primarily estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
Unlike conventional hormone therapies, which may use synthetic or animal-derived hormones, bioidentical hormones aim to offer a more natural hormone replacement option.
The primary advantage of bioidentical hormones is their chemical similarity to the body's natural hormones, which may lead to a reduction in side effects for some women. Advocates for BHRT argue that this can result in a more efficient and natural way to restore hormonal balance.
Additionally, BHRT can be customized to fit the specific hormonal needs of each individual, potentially offering a more precise treatment method.
At Epiphany women’s health, we use pellet therapy to administer BHRT. We believe that the pellets offer the safest and most reliable mode of treatment.
Oral medication, patches, and creams can cause damage to the liver and often cause rollercoaster like symptoms because their release of the hormones are not consistent. Pellet therapy offers slow release at a consistent rate.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is derived from the woman's own blood, and it is injected back into her body for several benefits. PRP contains highly active growth factors that stimulate cell and tissue regeneration, benefiting the tissue where it was injected.
Platelet-rich plasma is obtained by separating a woman’s own blood into plasma, platelets, and red blood cells. A centrifuge (spinning device) is used to separate the blood. The plasma and platelets are removed from the tube and used in the injection after they have been activated using calcium chloride.
The injection, administered near the urethra (pee tube), prompts bone marrow to create new blood vessels and tissues. Over several days, weeks, and months, this new tissue develops, potentially treating lichen sclerosus.
The method for injecting PRP as a treatment for lichen sclerosus was developed by a physician and he named the procedure the O-Shot. This method of injecting PRP is used to treat many conditions other than lichen sclerosus such as urinary incontinence, vaginal dryness, and pain with sex. When you arrive at our office, we will discuss the procedure in detail with you. Then we will draw blood from your arm and then apply numbing cream to the area of injection.
After the blood is drawn and spun down in the centrifuge, the calcium chloride is added to activate the growth factors, and then your provider will use a very thin needle to administer the PRP. Because these areas have been numbed with the anesthetic cream, the woman feels little or no pain. The process also only takes about 10 minutes.
Higher concentrations of calcium chloride can usually be found in the tissue than in the blood. So, when the doctor adds calcium chloride to the PRP, the platelets think that tissue injury released the calcium into the bloodstream. PRP has been used effectively for a variety of treatments for more than 20 years. Over 500,000 procedures involving the injection of PRP into various parts of the body have been performed with no significant side effects or complications reported.
This extra calcium chloride triggers the platelets to release at least 7 different growth factors that then trigger the unipotent stem cells to grow younger tissue–activating unipotent stem cells. So, the O-Shot® is a nonsurgical procedure that uses the growth factors each woman has in her own body to stimulate vaginal and clitoral rejuvenation to activate new tissue growth.
“My visit at Epiphany Women’s Health was wonderful! Dr. Boyd took a lot of time discussing my personal health needs, and was sure to make sure any questions I had were answered. The office staff was so welcoming and kind! My appointment ran smoothly from start to finish with no wait time! I’m happy to call Epiphany Women’s Health Care my home for female healthcare!“
Each one of our providers is board certified and experienced. Rest assured they will provide superior care that you deserve.
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