My Favorite Natural Remedies for Vaginal Dryness

August 10, 2023 Dr. Anna Cabeca

I’ve tested out so many natural remedies for vaginal dryness over the years. And in my clinical practice, I’ve written thousands of prescriptions to help women deal with vaginal dryness. Honestly, it’s one of the most common symptoms women struggle with when it comes to menopause.

But there are so many natural ways to keep vaginal dryness at bay. Remember, just because something is common, doesn’t mean you have to live with it!

In this article, I’m talking about some of my favorite natural remedies for vaginal dryness: DHEA and coconut oil. Plus, I’ll explain why vaginal dryness can happen — and how to stop it.

What Are The Symptoms Of Vaginal Dryness?

I think we can all agree: vaginal dryness symptoms are the worst. They can ruin your day and bring your sex life to a screeching halt.

But why does this happen? Why do your lady parts suddenly shrivel when you reach menopause?

Declining hormone levels are to blame.

As your hormones start to wane (a totally natural occurrence as you age), your lush lady oasis can start to devolve into something that resembles a desert.

Here are just a few of the symptoms you may find cropping up down there: Here are just a few of the symptoms you may find cropping up down there: Itching Burning Increased need to urinate A reduction in collagen and elasticity of the vagina Thinning of the epithelium Fewer blood vessels A decrease in the density of connective tissue An increase in vaginal pH alkalinity Decrease in healthy vaginal flora (which can lead to increased yeast infections) Diminished natural lubrication Urinary tract infections (because the vagina’s pH becomes less acidic and more prone to infections) PAIN! (And we just learn to live with it!) In fact, one study reported that 80% of women who experienced pain during sexual intercourse “at least sometimes” also reported that they just dealt with it. (1)

Vaginal Dryness Is Not In Your Head

I think it’s important to note: from my clinical experience, many women believe vaginal dryness is related to a lack of sexual attraction. But that’s not it at all. Vaginal dryness is physiologic and physical. This is important to understand because assuming the worst can add to relationship distress.

Just because things feel dry down there doesn’t mean that you or your partner are doing anything “wrong.”

Natural Remedies For Vaginal Dryness

Here’s the thing about vaginal dryness. It comes for us all — but we’ve got several tools in our natural toolbox to construct a natural remedy for vaginal dryness.

Let’s take a close look at my 3 favorite natural supplements for vaginal dryness.

DHEA

DHEA is short for Dehydroepiandrosterone. DHEA is a natural hormone that is produced in your body.

It is also a popular supplement for vaginal dryness. DHEA is what’s known as a “precursor” to estrogen and testosterone. That means your body needs DHEA to then turn around and make both of those crucial hormones.

When you’re young, you’ve naturally got plenty of circulating DHEA…but as you age, it’s harder to come by. That’s why it’s a natural choice for supplementation.

What’s really amazing about DHEA — and I found this out as a practicing gynecologist — is that when applied vaginally, it’s a miracle worker for vaginal dryness. It gives those dry and thinning tissues extra oomph and builds things back up again.

There is a good deal of research on the benefits and effectiveness (as well as safety) of DHEA in treating vulvar-vaginal symptoms, including vaginal dryness.

The research surrounding vaginally applied DHEA has shown it could (2-11):

Reduce vaginal dryness and irritation
Improve pH acidity
Strengthen vaginal musculature
Increase bone mineral density
Decrease pain during intercourse
Increase arousal and libido, as well as sexual satisfaction

DHEA is the superstar ingredient of my vulva-revitalizing cream, Julva®. Click here to try Julva for free and see why women rave about how it makes them feel down there!

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is another one of my favorite home remedies for vaginal dryness.

I also like to recommend it as a natural lubricant. But be warned: coconut oil can interfere with the effectiveness of condoms. So don’t use both condoms and coconut oil at the same time.

If you’ve ever touched even a little bit of coconut oil, you know that it is quite moisturizing. And when applied topically, it pretty much defines the word “soothing.”

But what’s even more wonderful about coconut oil is that research shows it has anti-inflammatory and skin-protective properties. (12,13) That means it supports healthy vaginal flora — which could provide a natural defense against some infections, like yeast infections.

Coconut oil is generally regarded as safe (GRAS) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That means it’s considered non-toxic and free of potentially irritating additives.

Essential Oils

You might know that I love my essential oils. And I also love to apply some of them “down there” when things feel dry.

Some of my all-time favorites include Salvia sclarea, Roman or Cape chamomile, rose, lavender, frankincense, and sandalwood.

Note: if you use essential oils for vaginal dryness, a word of caution. Never use undiluted essential oils directly on the vulva or in the vagina. Always use a carrier oil (or my DIY natural lubricant recipe which I share below).

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is one of my favorite plants. In fact, I think everyone should keep an aloe plant in their home.

Sometimes, I like to use aloe vera for vaginal dryness and as a natural lubricant. I usually mix it with some fractionated coconut oil and essential oils.

Click here to check out my simple and all-natural DIY lubricant recipe.

Foods That Help

You might be surprised to hear that what you put on the end of your fork can impact your vaginal health.

But I can assure you, eating a Keto-Green™ diet can help keep your pH down there on point. And, because it includes plenty of essential fats and probiotics — the Keto-Green™ lifestyle is a must-have vaginal dryness survival tool.

Curious about how to eat Keto-Green™? Check out this quick-start guide.

The Keto-Green™ diet includes healthy fatty foods such as wild-caught salmon, oysters, free-range eggs, avocado (yummy), butter from free-range cows, and olive oil.

It also focuses on fermented foods — which are rich in probiotics and fabulous for your vaginal flora.

Another important nutrient that helps with vaginal dryness? Omega 3. Most of us don't get enough Omega-3s, and for that reason, I typically recommend supplementing with a high-quality source. Be sure to find one that is tested for heavy metals and obtained from sustainably wild-caught fresh (not farmed) sources.

Why Am I Suddenly Dry Down There? Causes Of Vaginal Dryness

Sometimes, vaginal dryness seems to appear overnight. Other times, it happens more gradually.

Either way, it’s an unwelcome visitor.

So what can you do to make sure you don’t unintentionally invite vaginal dryness over for the weekend? Are there certain things that make vaginal dryness worse?

Definitely.

Let’s look at a couple of examples.

First, you’ve got to minimize toxin exposures to your delicate lady parts. Your vulvovaginal area is very vascular. It absorbs anything that touches it into your bloodstream very easily.

So that means you have to be extra careful about the personal care products you use, especially things like bubble baths and perfumed soaps. These can be very irritating to your lady parts. They can cause allergic reactions. And they may even expose you to nasty, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, so please read labels and be aware of this potential danger.

Tampons and pads can also be laden with hormone-disrupting chemicals & GMOs. Plus, they can cause tissue trauma and irritation on their own.

Considering how many feminine hygiene products women use across the span of their lives, it is surprising that there isn’t more information detailing what ingredients are used in these products (and whether those ingredients are safe given their repeated use and absorbent tissues of the vagina).

In the past, some of these products have been found to contain parabens, which are chemicals used as preservatives. Parabens are known endocrine disruptors.

Parabens can also be found in personal lubricants, by the way. Fragrances, adhesives, and other synthetic materials can be of potential concern in all of these products. (14)

As I suggest relating to all of the products you apply to your body, start reading labels. Try to find more holistic and natural products to use. The Environmental Working Group has a lot of good info on personal care products, so be sure to investigate with them a bit before you purchase your next box of tampons or body lotion.

Another one of the big reasons you may start to feel dry down there is because of waning levels of estrogen due to menopause.

While there’s nothing you can do to prevent menopause, you can certainly manage its onset with diet and lifestyle interventions.

Click here to View the Masterclass: Breeze through menopause

Check out my free masterclass, Breeze Through Menopause for my best tips and tricks for making this time of your life full of joy instead of discomfort.

Vaginal Dryness + Breast Cancer Treatement

Vaginal dryness is a common side effect of breast cancer treatment and one that really affects the quality of life for many survivors.

Chemotherapy, ovarian failure, and other hormone therapies — like aromatase inhibitors and estrogen modulators can trigger the onset of vaginal atrophy or exacerbate existing symptoms.

Women receiving breast cancer treatment and breast cancer survivors have to be so selective about the vaginal dryness remedies they turn to and the products they use. Be sure to read more about using DHEA if you’ve had breast cancer here.

You Don’t Have To Live With Vaginal Dryness

As a practicing gynecologist, I watched so many women struggle with vaginal dryness.

And when I tried finding clean and natural vaginal dryness remedies that met my standards for both myself and my patients…I came up empty-handed!

So I created my own.

My patented Julva® anti-aging cream for the vulva is natural, gentle, and formulated with the cleanest ingredients on the planet to help rejuvenate your tissues “down there.”

And the best part about Julva® is that it works.

Julva® has attracted a massive following of raving fans and amassed tons of 5-star reviews. Women say things like:

“Only 10 days and the difference is real! Julva has been a game-changer for me! Hot flashes are gone, moisture is back. Definitely recommend giving this a try!”

Learn more about Julva® here and check out the glowing reviews for yourself!