Start Smart
Find the Best Lubricants for Vaginal Dryness Relief
Nothing can be more of a turn-off before sex than vaginal dryness, a common issue that affects nearly one in five women in the United States 1. This number increases to almost one in two women after menopause2. This can lead to a decreased mood and naturally less willingness to have sex with your partner, especially if you are usually engaging in penetrative sex. The good news is that lubricants may help relieve discomfort associated with vaginal dryness, giving you a better chance of enjoying sexual intercourse with your partner. Read the rest of this article to learn what is the best lubricant for vaginal dryness.
In this article, we will cover:
Understanding Vaginal Dryness
To best alleviate discomfort associated with vaginal dryness, understanding it and how it works is absolutely essential. Before we get started in telling you about the best lube for menopause and vaginal moisturizers, we feel that it is important for you to understand the causes of vaginal dryness and how it can have an impact on your sex life. After we explain how vaginal dryness works, we will lay out the types of lubes that you can enjoy and the types of lubricants that you can use effectively. Read on now to learn more.
Causes of Vaginal Dryness
Vaginal dryness can come in many different ways, with a variety of complex and interlocking factors. There are many reasons for vaginal dryness, including, but not limited to:
- Having a hysterectomy3
- Vaginal douching or using perfumed soaps around your vagina4
- Cigarette smoking5
- Taking antidepressants6
- Rough sex causing vaginal tears7
- Hormonal contraception, i.e. The Pill8.
While these are all legitimate causes of vaginal dryness, Menopause still remains the main cause of vaginal dryness among women between 45-55, affecting one in two women. This means that at least one in two of all women will experience vaginal dryness at some point in their life, which can result in the following symptoms:
- An itchy or sore intimate area
- Pain and discomfort during sex
- A higher likelihood of a UTI
- The need to pee more often9
Impact on Intimacy and Comfort
Vaginal dryness by itself can be very uncomfortable, but this discomfort can be compounded significantly by sexual intercourse. This can manifest itself as burning, irritation, and even flashing pain.This, in turn, can lead to a decrease in intimacy between you and your partner, and potential problems down the road. The good news is that using lubricants can alleviate discomfort associated with vaginal dryness during sex. We will help you find the best sex lubricant for dryness for you below!
Choosing the Best Lubricant for Vaginal Dryness
No two women’s vaginas are the same; neither is the way vaginal dryness manifests itself. This means that you should think carefully about the type of lubricant that you use. When it comes to applying lubricant, you are in exactly the right place as K-Y® has decades of experience in creating vaginal lubrication products specially designed to help relieve discomfort during sex caused by vaginal dryness.
Key Ingredients to Look For
Broadly speaking, K-Y® offers two types of lubricants that you can use: water-based lubricants and silicone-based lubes. Water-based lubricants are designed to add moisture and enhance comfort during sex. They're easy to clean up and compatible with most toys and condoms, but they may need to be reapplied more often. Silicone-based lubricants, on the other hand, are ultra-slick and long-lasting, making them a good option if you’re looking for even less friction and fewer reapplications. However, it's important to note that silicone-based lubricants are not compatible with silicone sex toys, as they can degrade the material over time. Just remember that your personal mileage will vary, so it’s worth trying different types of lubes until you find the right one for you.
There are also ingredients you may want to avoid, such as glycerin or parabens, as these ingredients may cause irritation.
Best Lubricants for Vaginal Dryness
To help you find the best lubricants for vaginal dryness for you, we have created a list of three different types below.
K-Y® Jelly Water Based Personal Lubricant (Body Friendly Formula)
K-Y®’s classic lube, the K-Y® Jelly Water Based Personal Lubricant with a body friendly formula, provides longer-lasting pleasure that complements your natural lubrication. It is a thick gel that glides on without effort. It also stays where you want it to, quickly prepping you for intimacy and easing the discomfort of vaginal dryness during sex.
K-Y® Ultragel Water Based Personal Lubricant (Body Friendly Formula)
For longer-lasting pleasure that is similar to your natural moisture, K-Y® Ultragel Water Based Personal Lubricant helps to supplement the lubrication that you already have. This formula is not made with hormones, parabens, or silicone, but is made to enhance the experience of intimacy, alleviate the discomfort associated with vaginal dryness, and help you feel closer to your partner. The same applies to the jelly version—the only difference is the texture.
KY® Liquibeads Vaginal Moisturizer & Lube
When you are looking for an extra cushion of moisture, K-Y® Liquibeads Vaginal Moisturizer & Lube can give you just the right amount of wetness — now and for up to 3 days. The best thing about this is that it lets you be spontaneous and playful whenever you want, allowing you to choose when to have sex. It comes in an ovule insert form, so there’s no mess to worry about; it also dissolves within minutes.
Tips for Using Lubricants Effectively
Using lubricant effectively can make all the difference. That’s why it’s important to know how to use the lube properly and how frequently to use it to ease the discomfort associated with vaginal dryness and to enjoy sex more.
Application Tips
When you are applying lube, assuming that you are having penetrative sex with a man, or someone else with a penis, then using as much lube as possible is always a great idea. You can drop a few bits of lubricant onto your finger and then first apply it onto your vulva and then around your clitoris and vagina. It’s also a great idea to apply as much as needed to your partner’s penis, whether or not they are wearing a condom or not, to allow for easy insertion of the penis into the vagina.
Frequency of Use
You should also reapply lube whenever you run out of lubricant or you feel a lack of lubrication. Water-based lubricants dry out more frequently than silicone-based lubricants, such as the long-acting vaginal ovule insert mentioned above, which means that it should be more consistently re-applied.
Key Takeaways about Lubricants
Vaginal dryness might not cause discomfort by itself, but the lack of lubrication due to vaginal dryness leads to an increase in friction, causing pain during intercourse. While lubricants are not a cure, they help to alleviate discomfort due to vaginal dryness. If you are looking to relieve vaginal dryness and enjoy sex more, then K-Y© does have a variety of lubricants that you can use today. If symptoms still persist after using lube, then it might be worth consulting the services of a doctor.
Resources:
National Institute of Health, 2018, Factors associated with developing vaginal dryness symptoms in women transitioning through menopause: a longitudinal study
Harvard Health Publishing, 2021, Don't ignore vaginal dryness and pain
National Institute of Health, 2015, The Effect of Hysterectomy on Women’s Sexual Function: a Narrative Review
National Institute of Health, 2020, Effect of vaginal douching on vaginal flora and genital infection
National Institute of Health, 2018, Cigarette smoking is associated with an altered vaginal tract metabolomic profile
National Institute of Health, 2019, Antidepressant-Induced Female Sexual Dysfunction
National Institute of Health, 2010, Vulvovaginal Atrophy
National Institute of Health, 2019, The Potential of Hormonal Contraception to Influence Female Sexuality
- Harvard Health Publishing, 2021, Don't ignore vaginal dryness and pain
