Step 3: Find the right holistic prevention therapy

Treating the underlying cause with care and concern is by far the best approach. Besides hormone replacement (HT) therapy, most often recommended for those undergoing menopause, there are a number of natural and non-prescription approaches to help reduce the potential for dryness. (18)

Hormone replacement therapy is often effective. However, most vaginal preparations are absorbed into the bloodstream. If HT is used and the woman has a uterus, it will likely be necessary to add, at least occasionally, a progestin to achieve withdrawal bleeding and prevent endometrial hyperplasia, a pre-cancerous condition. Therefore, if either the clinician or the patient has concerns about the safety of estrogen, try more natural therapies.

First and foremost, avoid routinely using chemicals or products such as douches and perfumed feminine hygiene products. Eating a healthy, low-fat, low-cholesterol diet and getting plenty of regular exercise, for example 30 minutes a day, five times a week, and maintaining a healthy body weight or body mass index (BMI) are also good ways to stay on track. (19) However, excessive weight loss or exercise can cause or exacerbate vaginal dryness.

Seek professional counseling for psychological or emotional stress, past or current sexual abuse, and establish and are maintain a good emotional life with a strong level of support from friends and/or family. Stabilizing emotional or psychological suffering, stress and anxieties can go a long way toward ensuring longer-term physical health and well-being. If you are sexually active, make sure there is adequate foreplay to increase lubrication. As coital frequency increases, vaginal lubrication often increases as well.