How birth control affects your vaginal health
If you have ever tried birth control you know that there are usually side effects. Since everything in the body is connected you will notice side effects with almost all options of birth control.
One thing you might not have heard of is the connection between birth control and your vaginal health overall and how sometimes birth control can be a cause of vaginal dryness.
What kinds of birth control is there to choose from?
There are many different options for birth control for women. Some of the most common ones are:
- Oral contraceptives or pills
- Ring
- Patch
- Birth control shot
- Implants
- IUDs (Intrauterine devices)
What are the most common side effects from birth control?
Every woman will have different symptoms from their birth control, but some are more common than others. Some of the most common symptoms are:
- Hormonal changes
- Mood swings
- Headaches
- Reduced acne
- Breast tenderness and enlargement
- Change in appetite (increased or decreased)
- Menstrual relief
- Blood clotting
- Change in body weight
- Hair growth or reduction
Are some birth controls better than others?
Different birth controls will have a different impact on different women. The best thing to do is to have a dialogue with your gynecologist and try different ones until you find something that you are comfortable with.
Can birth control cause vaginal dryness?
In some cases, the pill can cause vaginal dryness leading to discomfort and possibly problems with feeling wet or lubricated when having sex. This is most common for women over 45 but can affect women of all ages.
For some women birth control can affect the pH balance in the vagina causing a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis (BV). Both of these can feel very unpleasant and cause itching, irritation and vaginal dryness.
Some birth controls also affect the sex drive making it more difficult to feel lubricated. Very-low-estrogen pills that contain desogestrol, drospirenone or norgestimate seem to have the most negative impact on your libido and vaginal dryness.
If you feel like this is the best option for you, you can treat your vaginal dryness with Vagivital’s hormone free gel to feel lubricated and enjoy sex more. If the side effects bother you, you can also have a conversation with your doctor to find a more suitable option for you.
If you want a birth control that does not usually lead to vaginal dryness you can try the mini-pill or IUD. These however can have different unpleasant side-effects so make sure you find something that suits you and your body.
How do the hormones effect the body?
When talking about vaginal health and vaginal dryness there are two hormones that affect our bodies more. Estrogen and testosterone. Estrogen is important because it helps keep the vaginal tissues lubricated and moist.
When a woman enter menopause the estrogen level in the body decreases which can lead to vaginal dryness. However, since most birth control contains estrogen, this can affect younger women as well.
Testosterone also contributes to lubrication in the vagina and is important for female bodies, even though we might associate it with men. In fact, the testosterone is vital in keeping the vagina moist.
Some women have an inefficient testosterone receptor which they don’t notice until taking the pill which makes the testosterone levels decrease below a certain level.
If you have a genetic defective testosterone receptor there is help to get. One first step to treat the vaginal dryness is to try the VagiVital Active Gel.
How should I treat vaginal dryness caused by birth control?
Vagivital treats vaginal dryness without hormones reducing discomfort and makes sex more enjoyable. If you treat yourself daily you will see a long lasting change. Women who tried Vagivital say that it increased their libido and making their sex lives more exciting.
Try it and see how your sex life improves.