Having vaginal discharge is normal. It protects the vagina from bacteria and helps to clean it out. Whether bloody during menstruation or sticky during ovulation, vaginal fluids are great indicators of a woman’s health. Most women know that there are some dry days when there’s no vaginal discharge. Different volumes of vaginal fluids depend on the hormone estrogen. 

Sometimes dryness can be accompanied by unpleasant symptoms such as soreness, burning or pain inside the vagina or the lower vagina, around the entrance to the vagina, etc. Up to one in three women will experience it during their lives. Some women may experience pain during sex and even light bleeding. Recurring urinary tract infections, a frequent need to urinate and thinner vaginal lips may also signal some issues. 

Sometimes it may have health-related underlying causes, while sometimes it is just a sign of cyclical changes. The woman’s lifestyle can also lead to vaginal dryness. 

5 main lifestyle reasons for vaginal dryness 

1. Smoking

2. Douching

3. Feminine sprays

4. Medications: cold and allergy medications, some antidepressants, birth control pills, sedatives, blood pressure and heart medications

5. Less sexual activity. Vaginal dryness is more likely to develop in women who have not delivered children vaginally

If your vaginal dryness lasts for longer than just a few days, has unpleasant symptoms or is bothering you, please see your doctor to find out the underlying reason. 

Keep logging your vaginal discharge details with the MIA app to spot possible issues and provide your doctor with as many details as possible.