Menopause is a natural biological process that you will experience as you age. While menopause doesn’t have any direct causes, the hormonal changes associated with it are responsible for various symptomatic changes, including vaginal dryness. Vaginal dryness is a common symptom, affecting 50% of all menopausal women. Fortunately, treatments like MonaLisa Touch® New York are available to ease the symptoms and keep your body healthy during this time. Here is everything you need to know about menopause and vaginal dryness, including causes, symptoms, and treatments.
The meaning of menopausal vaginal dryness
Your vaginal walls have a thin moisture layer on them. The cells in the vaginal walls secrete moisture to maintain friction and help sperm travel. When your estrogen level declines during menopause, the secretions in the vaginal decrease. As a result, you will experience vaginal dryness. The main symptoms of dryness include:
- Post-sex bleeding
- Low sex drive
- Irritation, itching, or burning
- Recurring infections
Vaginal dryness will interfere with your sex life as it causes discomfort and pain during intercourse.
Why vaginal dryness is common during menopause
The leading cause of vaginal dryness when you reach menopause is changes in the production of hormones. The main hormone responsible for vaginal dryness is estrogen. Estrogen levels naturally decline as you age, leading to thinning of the vaginal walls and decreased lubrication. Thinning of the vaginal walls means you have fewer cells in the walls to produce moisture that keeps the vagina moisturized.
You are likely to experience vaginal dryness even before you reach menopause. Some of the factors that may cause dryness before menopause include:
- Smoking
- High stress levels and depression
- Cancer treatment
- Immune system disorders
MonaLisa Touch and other vaginal dryness treatments
Your OB/GYN specialist will diagnose vaginal dryness during menopause with a pelvic exam. They will likely prescribe lubricants or moisturizers to help ease your symptoms. Your doctor may also recommend vaginal estrogen therapy. This treatment can come in the form of a cream, ring, or tablet that you insert into the vagina.
One of the best treatments for menopausal vaginal dryness is Monalisa Touch. This non-invasive laser treatment improves vaginal moisture and elasticity. The device that specialists use for this procedure uses laser energy to stimulate the growth of new collagen in the vaginal walls.
Your OB/GYN specialist will start by evaluating your condition. They will determine whether the MonaLisa Touch would be the most suitable treatment. You will complete this quick procedure in your doctor’s office within a few minutes. It requires no downtime afterward. You will be through with the treatment in a series of three sessions, scheduled six weeks apart.
Like most women, you will most likely experience significant improvement after the first treatment, with continued improvement after the second and third treatments. The main benefit of using the MonaLisa Touch to treat your vaginal dryness is that the impact will last for a long time. Once you complete the initial treatment, you will only need one session every year to maintain the lubrication.
Consult a MonaLisa Touch specialist in New York
Vaginal dryness during menopause can leave you feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed. Fortunately, you can manage and treat the condition to regain self-esteem using treatments like MonaLisa Touch. If you are looking for a MonaLisa Touch specialist, contact Inga Zilberstein, MD, in New York City.
