Summer is officially done and these last few days have been a chilly reminder of what’s in store in the coming months.
Apparently it’s going to be a terrible winter with cold spells rivalling those brought with the Beast from the East last year…remember that?
Yeah…cold!
Manuka honey on tap methinks!
But imagine, whilst we’re all out here stock piling cold and flu remedies, how many of us are actually considering what the cold does to our bodies, physically?
More specifically, what does the cold do to your vagina?
Real talk, winter vagina is actually a thing.
A real situation…
A genuine concern!
Winter vagina is basically when she downstairs decides to enter drought mode due to the lack of moisture in our bodies because of the dry winter air. Having the heater on certainly wouldn’t help.
The drought itself equals vaginal dryness and with vaginal dryness comes painful sex and potentially uncomfortable conversations with your partner/lover.
As expected, not everyone buys into the idea that winter vagina is real and often attribute vaginal dryness to a drop in oestrogen levels – absolutely nothing to do with the weather BUT, I believe there may be an element of truth in the weather thing…
It makes some sense, wouldn’t you agree?
But jokes aside, according to the NHS website, vaginal dryness is very common and very treatable.
Symptoms include;
- vaginal irritation, discomfort, itchiness or a burning sensation
- discomfort during sex
- a reduced sex drive
- difficulty getting aroused and reaching orgasm
- the surface of the vagina looks pale and thin
- narrowing or shortening of the vagina
- needing to pee more often than usual
- repeated urinary tract infections (UTIs)
It’s also worth noting, some women may only experience a few of the above symptoms sometimes like during or after sex, whilst other may be affected all the time.
If you do find you’re drier down there, try a vaginal moisturiser or lube, both of which can be purchased over the counter.
When it comes to sex and intimacy, if vaginal dryness is an issue, spending more time on foreplay and becoming aroused could help.
Most importantly, if you are not happy and have tried to self-help, visit your GP and discuss next steps with them.
Click this link for more on vaginal dryness.
Every vaj matters!
