How to retain and protect moisture in the intimate area

Vaginal dryness is a problem that affects millions of women. Our blog is full of advice on how you can manage this problem, but we believe in preventing vaginal dryness from the start. If we learn now how important it is to maintain moisture in the genital area and how we can protect it, we can save many women who suffer from vaginal dryness, irritation in the genital area, and painful sex. So that's what we're going to do right now!

WHY MOISTURE IN THE GENITAL AREA IS IMPORTANT

Your genital area is a wonderful and smart part of your body. It has a mucous membrane that constantly secretes mucus, and this mucus's main task is to maintain your health, your protection, and your body's ability to enjoy. A healthy genital area should always be a little moist. Here are just a few things that the secretions in your genital area contribute.

THE NATURAL LUBRICANT

A healthy genital area always has a thin layer of moisture over the vaginal walls. However, we can secrete extra moisture when we feel aroused, from two glands located at the vaginal opening. When you become aroused, you activate these glands, which makes you feel wetter when you are about to have intercourse or engage in sexual activity. This moisture acts as a natural lubricant during sex, preventing friction and making sex even more enjoyable.

PREVENTS INFECTIONS

The moisture in your genital area helps create an acidic environment that protects you from infections. If you remember biology lessons from school, you might recall that 0 on the pH scale is the most acidic and 14 the highest alkaline level. The standard pH value in the genital area is between 3.8 and 4.5 thanks to the secretions. This is a relatively high acidity level and makes it difficult for unwelcome and harmful bacteria to settle as they prefer more alkaline environments.

FERTILITY

Even though the genital area's own mucus with an acidic pH is perfect for keeping infections away, it is not as good for good fertility. Sperm has difficulty swimming and surviving in an acidic environment, but your incredibly smart vagina knows this. During penetrative sex, your secretions therefore change your genital area's pH and make the environment more alkaline. This gives sperm cells a better chance to fertilize the egg – but it also means you temporarily carry a higher risk of infections. This is why it is always a good idea to go to the bathroom after sex, as your urine can help flush out unwelcome bacteria and protect you from urinary tract infections.

THE SELF-CLEANING GENITAL AREA

The moisture that exists as a coating in the genital area is produced by the glands at the cervix and then moves down into the vagina while carrying dead cells along the way.

WHAT CAUSES VAGINAL DRYNESS

As you have probably understood by now, moisture levels in our vagina play a key role when it comes to our fertility and sexual health. Vaginal dryness can not only disrupt these functions but also cause discomfort, e.g.:

• Burning sensations

• Painful intercourse

• Tenderness

• Light bleeding after sex

• Itching in the vagina

• Tingling sensation in the vagina

• Recurrent urinary tract infections

The biggest culprit when it comes to vaginal dryness is declining estrogen levels. Estrogen does a lot for our body and its role includes maintaining moisture in the body, especially in the vagina. There are a number of different things that can cause estrogen to drop, e.g.:

• Menopause

• Breastfeeding

• Depression

• Smoking

• Pregnancy and childbirth

• Too much stress

• Too much exercise

• Autoimmune diseases

• Chemotherapy

Some of these points are unavoidable at certain stages in life, but by having a good baseline health when it comes to our vagina, we can reduce the risk of experiencing vaginal dryness. Other factors such as stress and smoking can, however, be tackled through lifestyle changes.

The best way to maintain good vaginal health is to take care of moisture before it becomes a problem. The mantra should be: preventive measures are better than treatment! Follow the tips below to ensure restoring and maintaining moisture in the vagina.

MAINTAIN MOISTURE IN THE INTIMATE AREA 

DRINK WATER

Most of us don't drink as much water as we should. But water is one of the most vital things our bodies need, so make sure to drink enough. Besides water's vital role for our bodies, it also helps maintain moisture levels, so aiming for at least 8 glasses a day will improve moisture in the intimate area.

If you struggle to drink enough water, you can try eating foods with a higher water content to increase your fluid intake during the day. Fruits like watermelon and pineapple are a great option!

EXERCISE

Physical exercise is a crucial factor when it comes to your health, and the same applies to your vaginal health. This is because physical training plays an important role in hormone balance, and as we now know, hormone levels can affect moisture levels in the intimate area. Sure, you might tell a few white lies to your doctor about how much you exercise, but by getting your body moving, you can help regulate your hormones yourself. So take a walk or click on a workout video on YouTube and get your body moving, even if only for a short while.

ESTROGEN THERAPY

If you live with long-term vaginal dryness due to declining estrogen levels, your doctor may prescribe estrogen treatment. This can be offered in the form of a cream, pills, or a vaginal ring that releases estrogen. However, there are some risk factors associated with taking estrogen, even in cream form, so consult your doctor first. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, estrogen treatment is unlikely to be recommended. 

USE PRODUCTS THAT ARE DEVELOPED FOR YOUR INTIMATE AREA

Even if you don't currently have problems with vaginal dryness, you want to use products that maintain and promote moisture in the intimate area. The lubricant you use should be water-based and free from perfumes, herbal extracts, or artificial colors, as these ingredients can irritate the sensitive skin in the intimate area and affect its pH balance.

If you want to get a head start and prioritize your vaginal health, VagiVital offers both a cleanser and a gel that can help improve moisture levels in the intimate area. The cleanser especially can be used daily to help treat dryness and prevent future issues caused by low moisture levels while moisturizing and restoring the natural pH balance of the intimate area.