Do I Need a Vulva Moisturizer?

What is a safe, effective vulva/labia moisturizer? I feel dryness/stinging/itchy sensation for a day or two immediately following my menstrual period each cycle.
—Approaching 40

Most of us with vulvas and vaginas have noted shifts in discharge and lubrication as our reproductive hormones rise and fall over the course of our menstrual cycles. It is normal to have less vaginal discharge when our estrogen levels are low. However, as we enter the late-reproductive stage, our estrogen levels rise higher and drop lower than they did in the past. As a result, we can experience vaginal dryness at times when estrogen is especially low.

Just as you describe, vaginal dryness doesn’t just feel dry. As the walls of the vagina touch one another without much lubrication, they can stick together like two strips of Velcro. The friction can be uncomfortable and itchy. Tiny tears in the tissue can lead to burning pain.

close up of a finger placing moisturizing lotion on it — Karolina Kaboompics / Pexels

That said, whenever someone complains of an itchy vagina and vulva, the first step is to be sure that there is no infection. Moisturizers alone aren’t going to fix a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis. It is also helpful to consider whether any products you are using are causing irritation. For example, pantyliners are notorious for causing vulvar irritation.

Once infection and irritants are ruled out, long-acting moisturizers formulated for vaginal use have been shown to decrease the symptoms of vaginal dryness. Vaginal moisturizers that have a similar pH and osmolality — that is, how many active molecules there are in a given volume — to natural vaginal secretions are less likely to cause irritation. You really don’t want more irritation when delicate vaginal and vulvar tissues are already irritated from a lack of moisture. For some women it is also important to avoid parabens and chlorhexidine. One brand that meets all these criteria is Ah! Yes vaginal moisturizer (marketed as Yes vaginal moisturizer in the U.K.).

If over-the-counter moisturizers aren’t cutting it, it is time to talk to your doctor about other options, including vaginal estrogen.

The bottom line: A vaginal moisturizer that has a similar pH and osmolality to normal vaginal secretions, such as Ah! Yes vaginal moisturizer, can treat vaginal and vulvar dryness without causing more irritation.