LADIES!! 5 Reasons Your VAG!NA Is Going Dry

You’ve never had a problem getting w’εt before but now your privates feel like the Sahara, don’t panic you’re not going through early menopause. Fact is, there are many reasons why younger women experience vag!nal dryness, and the problem is a lot more common than you’d think.

Still, it’s not something you want to blow off. It’s important for your hoo-ha to be moist, and not just because lubrication makes s*x feel more plεasμrable. Vag!nal wetness keeps tissues healthy and even serves as a line of defense against infections and STDs, says Alyssa Dweck, an ob-gyn in Westchester, New York, and co-author of V Is for v**ina. Use a water-based vag!nal lubricant in the meantime as you suss out what’s leaving you dry.

1. Your Body Craves More Forεplay. The typical rom-com s*x scene goes from locking lips to full-on intεrcoursε in about 30 seconds. In the real world, we call b.s. most women need at least a little more direct stimμlation before they’re ready enough for pεnεtration, says Dweck.

2. You’re Stressed Out. Stress takes the blame for a lot of health issues, and you can add vag!nal dryness to the list. If it doesn’t temporarily kill your lib!do outright, feeling anxious or pressured can make it harder to get turned on. Once the stress lifts, your juices should start flowing.

3. You’re on Cold Meds. Over-the-counter cold and allergy formulas contain antihistamines that dry out the mucus membranes in your nose, as well as your lady part. Not all women experience it, but it can happen, and things will moisten up again once you stop dosing up.

4. Your Birth Control Pill Is Messing With You. One little-known side effect of oral contraceptives is reduced vag!nal lμbrication. And unlike some other side effects that happen when you first go on the Pill, this one probably won’t clear up in a few months. “I’ll usually advise my patients to use store-bought lμbricant, or if it’s really uncomfortable, consider going off the Pill and trying another type of birth control.

5. You Just Had a Baby. Giving birth (and breastfeeding, too) does a number on your body and changes your s*x life in unexpected ways, including lowering levels of estrogen—the hormone responsible for maintaining vag!nal lμbrication. A few months post-birth, when your regular cycle returns and you stop lactating, the slippery stuff will be back.

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