Perimenopause shouldn't put a major damper on your sex life. While its symptoms can be annoying, finding the best lube for perimenopause will allow you to find comfort during your intimate moments.
What is Perimenopause?
Perimenopause, also known as menopause transition, occurs when your body starts producing less of the hormones that control your period. Thus, the ovaries gradually begin to make less estrogen.
Usually, perimenopause begins years before menopause, around women's '40s or '30s and earlier and lasts until menopause. The average length of perimenopause is four years. However, this varies for every woman. For some, it can last only a few months. For others it can continue for ten years. Every woman is different. Perimenopause ends when women have gone 12 months without having their period.
A doctor can diagnose Perimenopause based on your symptoms and a blood test to check your hormone levels. You can also learn how to identify these signs with the following list of the most common symptoms women experience during perimenopause.
Perimenopause Symptoms
Changes In Your Period
Your period might feel light or very heavy. Your period might last longer than usual. Your periods may happen at closer intervals. You may have spotting between periods or after sex. You may even miss a period.
Going more than 60 days between periods can mean you are near the end of perimenopause.
While you should always check with your doctor, Taking a low dose of birth control pills can keep you more regular and help with other symptoms.
Hot Flashes
Hot flashes may be the most common symptom caused by perimenopause. A hot flash means a feeling of sudden heat, sometimes accompanied by sweating and flushing.
It may happen any time of the day, even when you are sleeping. In this case, they are known as night sweats. Nothing can cure hot flashes but you can stay away from triggers like stress, caffeine, alcohol, spicy food, and tight clothing.
Make sure you have cooling material pillows in hand; you can also fill them with fresh water. Exercise daily and eat estrogens found in foods like tofu and edamame.
Vaginal Dryness
Estrogen allows the walls of the vagina to stay lubricated with a thin layer of clear fluid. However, estrogen levels can drop during perimenopause.
A drop in estrogen can result in vaginal dryness. The most common treatment for for vaginal dryness is lubricant which can keep your vagina hydrated and reduce discomfort during sex. Some doctors may prescribe birth control as a treatment. Although birth control hormones are not suitable for all women, you should consult with your doctor first.
It is crucial to keep in mind that you can still become pregnant even in the perimenopause stage despite having a fertility drop. If pregnancy is not within your plans, continue using condoms, or birth control until you have reached menopause.
Sex Drive
Dryness and thinning vaginal tissues due to the lack of estrogen can make sex very uncomfortable or even painful. The best treatment for this is using a dermatologist-tested water-based lubricant.
How Can Topical Skin Care Products Help with Sex During Perimenopause?
Many of us use specially formulated products to care for our skin, especially on the face and decolletage. Most of us also moisturize our bodies - but we may take an “out of sight, out of mind” approach to our intimate skin. GoLove is the specialty product designed for your intimate skin. It’s water-based and composed of clean, moisturizing, hydrating ingredients - with the added benefit of 200mg organic CBD! Apply GoLove liberally to the labia and perineal skin, as often as you like, to plump up the skin. You can use it daily, and apply extra when the time is right for intimacy. GoLove is hypoallergenic, non-irritating, pH balanced and dermatologist tested. Enjoy it!
There are several different options with lubricants, such as oil-based, silicone-based, and water-based products. Choosing the best lube for perimenopause will definitely help to reduce its symptoms during intimate moments.
Oil-based lubricants damage latex, leaving you vulnerable to pregnancy and STDs. Some oil-based lubricants can include baby oil and petroleum jelly, increasing the risk of a urinary infection. Silicone-based lubricants are hard to wash off and as a result can damage sex toys and stain your clothes.
Water-based lubes are the best choice as they mimic the natural lubrication of the human body. Water-based lubricants are great for making sex a comfortable, pleasurable experience. Water-based lubricants will also not damage latex and are easy to wash off.