When we talk about weight loss, we often mean changes that we can see, such as clothes fitting differently, a smaller waist measurement, or a changing face.

But there is one area far fewer people talk about: the genital area.

Because yes, significant or rapid weight loss can in some cases affect the appearance of the vulva, your hormones, and your mucous membranes.

So, what changes can occur? 

The vulva can actually change when you lose weight

Just as elsewhere on the body, there is fatty tissue in the genital area. The mons pubis and outer labia contain fatty tissue in particular.

Significant weight loss can therefore also change the genital area. Research on people who have undergone significant weight loss has, among other things, described changes in the fatty tissue and skin around the mons pubis and the outer labia.

It may simply mean that the vulva looks or feels different than before.

Significant weight loss can affect hormones

It is not weight loss itself that automatically causes hormonal changes. However, if the body receives too little energy for a prolonged period compared with what it expends, hormone production may be affected.

In people who menstruate, a larger energy deficit can, among other things, affect the communication between the brain and the ovaries. In some cases, menstruation may become irregular or stop, and estrogen levels may drop.

This is primarily associated with a significant or prolonged energy deficit—not with all weight loss.

Lower estrogen can cause drier mucous membranes

This is where the mucous membranes come into the picture.

Estrogen plays an important role in the vagina’s moisture, elasticity, and mucosal thickness. When estrogen levels drop, the mucous membranes can therefore become thinner and drier.

This can cause symptoms such as:

• vaginal dryness
• irritation or burning
• less natural moisture
• discomfort or pain during sex

The same mechanism is a common cause of dry mucous membranes during, for example, menopause and breastfeeding.

This does not mean that weight loss itself causes dry mucous membranes. However, if substantial or rapid weight loss also affects hormone balance, it may be a possible indirect explanation for newly developed dryness.

Does your genital area suddenly feel drier?

Dry mucous membranes can occur at any age and have many different causes. Regardless of why dryness occurs, you do not simply have to accept the discomfort.

VagiVital AktivGel is a hormone-free vaginal gel developed for dry mucous membranes. The gel moisturizes the mucous membrane and is used for symptoms such as dryness, irritation, itching, and discomfort during intimate intercourse.

In clinical studies of VagiVital AktivGel, 79% of participants experienced an improvement in their most bothersome symptom. 

→ Discover VagiVital AktivGel here

Remember

If you lose a lot of weight and also experience missed or irregular periods, new genital symptoms, or other symptoms, it is a good idea to talk to a healthcare provider. Dry mucous membranes can have many different causes. 

Sources:

Sources

1. Endocrine Society. Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea: Clinical Practice Guideline.
   https://www.endocrine.org/clinical-practice-guidelines/hypothalamic-amenorrhea
   The guideline describes, among other things, the relationship between energy deficiency, weight changes, and effects on the hormonal axis. (Endocrine Society)
2. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Experiencing Vaginal Dryness? Here’s What You Need to Know.
   https://www.acog.org/womens-health/experts-and-stories/the-latest/experiencing-vaginal-dryness-heres-what-you-need-to-know
   Describes the importance of estrogen for vaginal moisture, elasticity, and mucosal thickness, as well as how lower estrogen levels may contribute to dryness and irritation.
3. Alter GJ. Pubic contouring after massive weight loss in men and women. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2012.
   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23018703/
   Describes anatomical changes in the area around the mons pubis and labia majora after substantial weight loss.
4. Ozturk S, et al. Dimensions, Ratios, Volumes, and Weights of the Fatty Parts of the Vulva (Mons Pubis and Labia Majora). Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 2023.
   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37067361/
   The study describes the volume and distribution of fatty tissue in the mons pubis and labia majora.