Most women are all-too-aware of problems like hot flashes and mood swings at menopause. But the loss of estrogen has another impact that they don’t expect — and that many don’t talk about — vaginal dryness and painful intercourse. The doctors at The Ob-Gyn Center have years of experience helping women overcome these challenging problems. They work with each woman to create a personal treatment plan that may include medication or gentle laser therapy. To schedule an appointment, call the office in Las Vegas or book an appointment online.
Estrogen maintains the health of tissues inside your vagina. It keeps the vaginal lining strong and elastic and supports normal lubrication.
When estrogen levels drop, the vaginal lining changes, causing symptoms such as:
Your estrogen levels can decline for several reasons, such as childbirth, breastfeeding, immune disorders, and surgical removal of your ovaries. However, menopause is the most common cause of low estrogen and vaginal dryness. This condition, called vaginal atrophy or genitourinary syndrome of menopause, affects about half of all menopausal women.
Increasing your estrogen levels helps relieve vaginal dryness and painful intercourse. One treatment option is hormone creams, rings, and pills that are placed in your vagina. As they release estrogen, the hormone restores healthy tissues. Another option, hormone replacement therapy, may be a good choice for some women.
Your doctor may recommend treatment with another hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). DHEA is naturally produced in your body, where it stimulates the production of sex hormones. Vaginal application of DHEA helps improve the health of vaginal tissues.
Painful intercourse caused by vulvar and vaginal atrophy can also be treated with two medications: Osphena® is an oral pill, while Intrarosa® is a vaginal insert. Or if you’d like an alternative to medications, you may be a good candidate for treatment with the MonaLisa Touch®.
The MonaLisa Touch is a cutting-edge fractional CO2 laser that gently and effectively treats vaginal dryness. Dr. Gondy inserts the laser into the vagina, where it sends laser energy into the vaginal wall.
The laser reaches below the surface, triggering the production of new collagen and elastin and boosting blood flow. As the vaginal lining regains tone and lubrication, symptoms such as vaginal dryness and painful intercourse are relieved.
One treatment with the MonaLisa Touch only takes about five minutes, and it doesn’t require anesthesia or downtime. You may notice an improvement after one session, but to achieve optimal results, most women need three treatments over the course of 18 weeks.
Your doctor will talk with you about the best treatment plan based on your vaginal health and symptoms. To learn more about finding relief for vaginal dryness and painful intercourse, call The Ob-Gyn Center or book an appointment online.
