Moisturize Lubricate Stretch MLS Handout
written for ALL women.**
Maintaining sexual health is important whether or not you are sexually active. I’ve met clients who were not interested in having a loving, sexual partner, then after years (decades even) they meet someone and feel differently. It has taken some female clients 1-3 years to restore vaginal tissue quality if it is not cared for properly.
We are all taught how important it is to maintain dental hygiene like flossing our teeth, it’s the same for self-care for your vaginal health.
If the vulvar or vaginal tissue is not moisturized, lubricated, and stretched regularly, there can be atrophy and dryness which can lead to painful fissures, (cracks, cuts, or splits). Please share this medical information with any woman that you care about that you believe might be interested.
**April 2018 comment from Heidi–new research has shown that OTC vaginal moisturizer like Replens or KY Liquidbeads are as effective as synthetic hormone suppositories, so for vaginal dryness (besides doing the “Moisturize Lubricate Stretch” Handout exercises regularly) consider using both Replens and Vit E suppositories first before using prescription estrogen suppositories. For the suppositories I suggest either
1. Earth’s Botanical Harvest brand (right now they have a probiotic, lavendar and tea tree oil–downside to Earth’s brand is they have to be kept in the fridge or
2. Carlson’s Key-E which is made with natural Vit E and coconut oil, you can cut either suppository in thirds or in half and insert every few days at night. Another option (if the Replens and/or naturally moisturizing suppositories don’t work and you don’t want to use the synthetic estrogen, Vagifem,) is using a prescription-only, bio-identical hormone cream compounded at a local pharmacy.
Research article is here: This study compares low dose vaginal estradiol
<https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2674257>
with a vaginal moisturizer, Replens <http://www.replens.com/>, every three
days and a placebo vaginal gel every three days. It is a prospective,
randomized double-blinded placebo controlled trial and was funded by the
National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging (so not Pharma).
The placebo gel had a fairly similar pH and viscosity to Replens, but did
not have the mucoadherent properties (meaning it wasn’t supposed to stick
around and provide lasting benefit). The main outcome was a decrease in
severity on a 4 point scale (with 0 being no bother and 3 being the most
bother) of the most bothersome symptom between enrollment and 12 weeks.
Secondary outcome measures were changes in pH, how the vaginal cells
responded to the therapy, and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).
The big surprise? The three regimens were equal, even the supposedly non
pharmaceutical placebo.
The sexual health information in this handout was part of my Sexual Health Certificate Program through the University of Michigan.
Remember Heidi Crockett is available as a counselor. Email her at HeidiCrockett at gmail dot com
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