Vagina Care: Thank you, Kaiser! Sincerely, My Vagina

The other day, I called Kaiser to talk about vagina care.

I can feel some slight changes, including vaginal dryness and pain after intercourse. My vagina has served me very well thus far and I plan to continue our wonderful relationship. We both deserve heaps of TLC, so I wanted to find out about what my vagina care options were to make sure she stays supple and ready for action!

Coconut Oil for Vaginal Dryness

Here’s what Kaiser had to say about HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) as vaginal dryness treatment:

— They recently did a study comparing HRT cream to coconut oil.  The latter would get applied once or twice a day as natural hormone replacement therapy for vaginal dryness. They found that coconut oil worked just as well as HRT cream as a female dryness cure, solving the problems that happen as we age.

— In case coconut oil for vaginal dryness doesn’t work or is not an option for you because of allergies, they are currently doing a cancer study on an HRT ring that offers an even lower dose of hormones than the cream. Keep your eye out for the results!

— Any kind of hormone replacement therapy increases your chance of breast cancer, but pills are by far the worst.

Coconut Oil as Lube

We also talked about coconut oil as a viable substitute for lube.

Kaiser recommended applying it inside of the vagina at least a half hour before intercourse. This seemed like too little time for absorption to me. To be safe, I plan to try this vaginal dryness treatment a few hours before having sex. They also cautioned that you cannot use coconut oil as lube if you are using it with condoms.

If you’re allergic to coconut, they suggested going with an established lube, but certain lubes are much better for happy vaginas than others. Some lubes cause pH imbalances and kill the healthy bacteria in your vagina, so they advocated for the following lubes:

— Good Clean Love: Almost Naked Personal Lubricant

— Slippery Stuff Gel

— Sliquid: Organics Natural

— Sliquid: H2O

They said to avoid lubes that contain chlorhexidine gluconate or polyquaternium.

General Vagina Care

They also sent a list of other hot tips about vagina care in general:

— Avoid all soap. Only wash with warm water and gently pat dry.

— Do not douche.

— Do not use baby wipes nor wet wipes on the vulva.

— Wear all cotton underwear. Try to avoid synthetic and silk underwear.

— Wash your underwear separately with a mild fragrance-free detergent. Use the extra rinse cycle and do not use fabric softener or dryer sheets.

— Do not use any topical products containing benzocaine (such as Vagisil).

— Only use feminine hygiene products (menstrual pads, tampons) when you are menstruating. Avoid daily use of these products. If possible, try to use organic, chemical-free feminine hygiene products. Some women even find these products irritating. If that is the case consider using all cotton menstrual pads.

— Do not use any feminine hygiene sprays nor deodorants.

— Do not use baby powder or talcum powder.

— After exercising or swimming, change out of your wet clothes to limit your exposure to excess moisture and heat.

Thanks, Kaiser! I appreciate that you did not push pills but instead gave the alternative, food-based option of coconut oil for vaginal health. I’m so glad you are doing research on how to take care of our vaginas and stay cancer free…

I thank you, my vagina thanks you, and I KNOW my lovers will thank you too!

Love,

— Celeste