Vaginal Moisturizer vs Lube: What’s the Difference
Many women have a skin routine. Maybe it’s washing our face with a special cleanser, using a special type of sunscreen on our face, using lip balm, or moisturizing our face and neck. Why do we put special products on certain parts of our body? Well, for many people those areas are a little more sensitive or delicate skin that reacts to wind or sun. An area of the body that is often overlooked for special care can be our vulva! This is certainly an area with sensitive or delicate skin that also needs care, especially as women start to move into perimenopause or menopause.
The tissue of the vulva is very sensitive to estrogen and testosterone, so any changes in these hormones can really start to affect the integrity of the vulvar tissue. It is common for women on certain medications, in the postpartum phase, on hormonal birth control, or moving toward menopause to start noticing dryness and irritation of the tissue around and in the vagina. We should be treating those tissues with as much extra care and attention as we do for the delicate skin of our face, lips, and neck. Using a vaginal moisturizer on a regular basis can be very helpful in maintaining good health of the tissue as well as using a good lubrication during sexual intercourse. Wait, what? I though a vaginal moisturizer and lube were the same thing? Nope. Read on.
Think of vaginal moisturizer as a product that is designed to be used daily as part of your usual skin care routine. The purpose it to help re-hydrate the cells of the vaginal tissue and help protect the tissue from cell damage which can lead to infections. It can feel similar to lube, but lube is actually designed to be applied just prior to/during sexual intercourse. Lubrication also helps to decrease risk of cell damage or increased risk of infection (when using a good lubrication - read my previous blogs about selecting a good personal lubricant), but is also designed to help reduce friction during penetration which can help increase pleasure during intercourse.
Maybe it is time for you to start thinking about your skin care routine for “down there!” If putting lotion on your body is part of your post-shower routine, you may also need to consider getting a vaginal moisturizer to use on your vulva as part of that routine. For the record, I do NOT recommend using body lotion on your vulva. Many body lotions have scents added to them which can irritate this sensitive tissue. Even non-scented body lotions often include ingredients such as propylene glycol, types of alcohol, or even petroleum based ingredients. As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, these are ingredients to AVOID for your personal lubricant and also for a vaginal moisturizer. If you’re not sure where to start, talk to your local pelvic floor physical therapist! They can provide you with suggestions of products to try. They can also give you advice or recommendations if you need to have further assessment of your vulvar tissue, or if you may need something other than a vaginal moisturizer to address your symptoms.
Now you know the difference between a vaginal moisturizer and a personal lubricant. Happy skin routine to all of you, and don’t forget your vulva!
Written by: Renee Hancock, Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist
