Looking after your lady parts.
MOIST! Now there’s a word – a word that disturbs and delights in equal measure. This month, we’re focusing on the delight (hopefully…).
You know, this is not a topic many of us talk about, not even amongst our closest friends. But hey, I’ve never been one to shy away from an uncomfortable topic…
So, if your vagina and vulvar are feeling like sub-Sahara Africa, this is the newsletter for you! Why? Because studies show that 45-63% of post-menopausal women report vulvovaginal symptoms and that number climbs to 80% for women aged 65 or over[1]. And let’s face it, we’re all headed in that direction.
GSM
Genioturinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a thing! A very really thing for many women. This might not only be dryness, but burning and irritation, painful weeing or intercourse, feeling like you need to pee all the time or frequent urinary tract infectionsc.
Why then does this happen?
Well, as we start making less oestrogen it can start to thin the lining of the vagina, vulva and urethra. That’s just super, I exercise, I eat well and the only part of me that’s thin is my vulva?! I digress, this ‘thinning’ goes by the super sexy name of ‘vaginal atrophy’ or the aforementioned GSM[2]. Unlike many of our other symptoms of menopause, which tend to be temporary, this change, well, she’s permanent.
Take heart though – lots of women have no worries in this department. The important thing is if you do, don’t ignore it, because it can get worse and harder to treat. Remember doctors are used to seeing all your bits! So have a chat with them (or me) if it’s bothersome.
Things you can do
There’s lots we can do to make your ‘desert flourish’. 
Vaginal oestrogen – this can be inserted as cream or tablet and can help with all aspects of GSM. Talk to your GP.
Vaginal moisturisers – There are a couple of brands on the market you could try; Yes (they’re on a mission to make vaginas happy – what’s not to love about that?) and Replens®
Apart from your GP, we naturopaths have quite the arsenal to also help. Here are some of my faves:
Vitamin E – 100-200IU for 4-6 weeks may help improve matters. The use of a suppository has shown effectiveness in some studies. [3]
Vaginal probiotics – oh my gosh, there’s so many exciting developments in the world of the probiotic. There are some excellent strains now available that may help to maintain the health of your vaginal microbiome (Yes! Your vagina has its own microbiome)
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) – one older study shows that 3.5gms taken for six months helped with lubrication[4]. Remember, invest in the best quality fish oils money can buy.
Sea buckthorn – this is my favourite and has pretty much cured me of dry eyes. It’s been quite miraculous I tell you. I keep this one handy in clinic, so let me know if you’d like to try it. It’s also an excellent source of EFAs for vegans.
My secret weapon – this one I give out for free. It’s vitamin A. Please get in touch if you’d like to know how I prescribe this.
Phew, it’s taken a lot of effort not to fill this post with really bad puns! But it is important we take care of all our bits, uncomfortable to talk about or not.
You know, if you are struggling with what the transition is throwing at you book yourself in for a chat. I’ve got your back Dame, (because you should not be doing menopause alone – together we’ve got this).
Until next time, you know what to do – keep embracing the change (one hot flush at a time).
Marnie
P.S If you haven’t already done so, make sure you download your FREE Survivor’s Guide to Menopause (did I say it’s free?).
P.P.S If you know someone who is struggling with all the changes, please share this with them.
- [1] (Mansberg, 2020)
- [2] (Briden, 2021)
- [3] (Aazam Parnan Emamverdikhan, 2016)
- [4] (Rachael Ajmera, 2021)
