All the ways your vagina changes during menopause

Hot ignitions, night sweats and mood swings often steal attention to menopause, but “change” also evokes issues under the belt.

“Estrogen is our superpower, and during perimenopause and menopause, the irregular production of this important hormone has a negative impact on the vulva and vagina,” explained Dr. Sherry Ross, an author and OB/Gyn certified by the board.

The post spoke to two experts to disrupt what menopause can do – ahem – down there, from thinning to dryness to the lady’s pieces that look completely different than they did before.

What is menopause?

Menopause playing in three separate acts. The first stage, perimenopause, usually begins in the late 40s and can take several years. It is characterized by irregular periods, fluctuating hormones and the onset of many known symptoms.

The second phase, menopause, is reached after 12 consecutive months without a period, while the third, after menopause, begins after a full year without a period and lasts for the rest of a woman’s life.

“During perimenopause, the annoying genital symptoms begin, but they are not as divisive until menopause officially begins,” Ross said.

Don’t tell Cardi B: WAP is gone

“The main cause of genital changes during menopause is the decline in estrogen,” said Dr. Anat Sapan, an Board Certified OB/Gyn Expert of menopause.

During this transition, estrogen levels can drop up to 90%, leaving a number of unpleasant side effects in its wake.

“Labia minora often becomes thin and may appear to be reduced or, in some cases, seems to disappear completely.”

Dr. Anat Sapan

“With low or non -existent estrogen, there is less blood flow to the vulva and vaginal tissue, causing dryness, contraction of the vaginal opening and less natural lubrication causing pain, itching, irritation, burning and painful sexual penetration,” Ross said.

Vaginal tissue also becomes thinner and less elastic, which further contributes to concerns with daily activities and adversely affects sexual health.

I don’t look so kidnapped

They say it’s what is inside that counts – but the outside of the vulva undergoes some changes, too.

“Menopause clearly changes the look of the vulvar,” Sapan said. “Labia minora often becomes thin and may appear to decrease or, in some cases, seems to disappear completely while tissue volume decreases with estrogen loss.”

Fat distribution is also shifted, which can create the appearance of sagging – in fact, some women are now going so far as to have injection injected into their labia to “inflate” them.

“The clitoral hood can be withdrawn, sometimes exposing the clitoris glans more noticeably,” she added.

Moreover, public hair becomes rarer and more gray.

These symptoms, often joined under the term genitourinary menopausal syndrome (GSM), affect some 50% to 70% of women after menopause, according to Sapan.

Microbiome approve and a va-jay-jay unbalanced

If physical changes were not enough, menopause also disrupts the vaginal microbioma.

“Balance in life and balance in the vagina go parallel,” Ross said. “The vagina is normally acidic. This sounds scary, however it is the favorite pH balance and perfect for many protective organisms to live happy while protecting the vagina from infections.”

But while estrogen levels fall during menopause, the vaginal microbiomy receives a hit, and the amount of protective lactobacillus bacteria decreases, explained Sapan. This change causes a change in vaginal pH, moving from a healthy acid range to a more alkaline.

This new environment is most attractive to harmful pathogens, for whom Ross said it can increase the risk of a woman from the yeast and bacterial infections.

You can undress yourself

Menopause also receives a fee on your pelvic floor, which plays a crucial role in supporting the uterus, bladder and intestines.

When menopause strikes, hormonal changes and aging can weaken them, leading to serious issues with their strength and function.

“Estrogen loss during menopause adversely affects healthy blood flow and lubrication in pelvic floor muscles and tissue,” Ross said.

“As a result, there is a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles that leads to urinary incontinence, bladder dysfunction, pelvic organs prolapse, poor pelvic strength and sexual problems,” she added.

Studies show that between 25% and 50% of women after menopause deal with a form of urinary incontinence, or involuntary leakage. According to Ross, this common issue often causes many women to rely on protective pads, a solution that can inadvertently increase the risk of dryness and irritation of the vulvar.

Now what?

While many of the changes in the physical appearance of your vulva cannot be completely avoided, Ross says they can be minimized.

“Healthy care of female hygiene-proper cleaning, moisturizing and moisturizing-at a young age can protect the delicate skin of the vulva and vagina from dryness, itching, irritation, infection, separation and other causes of pre-aging aging,” she said.

For issues such as tissue thinning and dryness, the sapan recommends vaginal moisturizing and lubricants for symptomatic relief.

“Recipe remedies include a non-hormonal recipe, oospena, and oral or vaginal estrogen creams, tablets and ratings, which have been proven for better results,” Ross said.

For those who want to avoid a recipe, Sapan suggests advanced options such as radiofrequent therapy or Laser CO2 treatments of the fraction to stimulate collagen production and tissue renovation.

If you are experiencing pain during penetration, Ross said vaginal dilators can be useful for stretching the vaginal opening.

To help balance your vaginal pH, Sapan suggested to try topical estrogen therapy, which can help support the regrowth of lactobacillus bacteria.

“The probiotic completion contained in specific lactobacillus strains can meet these approaches by directly restoring beneficial bacteria to help normalize the vaginal environment,” noted it.

If you are dealing with pelvic changes, physical therapy can help improve coordination and muscle strength.

“While Kegel exercises are usually recommended, professional evaluation is valuable as some women develop hypertonic (very narrow) than malfunction of the hypotonic pelvis floor, requiring various therapeutic approaches,” Sapan said.