There aren't solid numbers on how many women suffer from vaginal pain, because many don't report it to their doctors, or talk about it with anybody. But pain, burning, itching and inflammation around the opening of the vagina (which is called vulvodynia when there is no known cause) are estimated to be hugely common, especially after menopause when vaginal tissue thins and becomes more fragile.
Until now, one of the few fixes for menopause-related discomfort "down there" was estrogen cream, which can increase natural lubrication and relieve some symptoms. But an alternative treatment has recently hit the market that I thought you'd like to hear about: Neogyn, a topical cream that uses cutaneous lysate, a "proprietary growth factor and cytokine blend" developed by Swiss researchers who were looking for a formulation to speed wound healing. Neogyn doesn't contain any potentially irritating fragrances or harsh petrochemicals and is available without a prescription.
"I suggest Neogyn to my patients frequently and for many of them it's almost like a miracle, because the suffering they've been living with is suddenly gone," says Andrew Goldstein, and OB-Gyn and president of the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health, who serves as a spokesperson for Neogyn and who specializes in treating vulvar disease. "It's especially great for women who have or have had breast cancer and are suffering from inflammation but can't use a hormonal cream."
He adds, "Aside from being non-hormonal, Neogyn has a lot of nice properties, such as anti-inflammatory ingredients, that estrogen creams don't have."
Women typically apply Neogyn to the area around the entrance of the vagina once or twice a day. Although it's not a sexual lubricant, soothing vaginal pain obviously can lead to more pleasurable sex, so if painful intercourse is an issue for you, Neogyn could be part of a solution.
Interested readers can buy Neogyn here. At $40 per tube it's not cheap, but if it gives you the promised relief from vulvar pain and itching then it could be worth every penny.
