Unique solution

A RECENT survey by Nielsen on menopausal women found that over half the women in Malaysia who were aware of menopause did not know that vaginal dryness is a common symptom that occurs as much as hot flushes, affecting one in two menopausal women.

It is also common among breast or ovarian cancer survivors, pregnant or breastfeeding women and women taking oral contraceptive pills.

Many women also did not fully understand vaginal dryness compared to other similar conditions. The same Nielsen Malaysia survey was done in October 2016 and showed that one in two Malaysian womendidnotknowthecauseof vaginal dryness.

Ever since the launch of Vagisan Moisturising Cream in October 2016, more women have become aware of vaginal dryness as a symptom of menopause.

For decades, gels or lubricants have been the standard treatment method for vaginal dryness. Another popular choice is female hygiene washes. But these are not the right solution.

Gels or lubricants are aqueous solutions that often have no soothing components. They also dry up quickly and leave a messy, crumbly residue.

Female hygiene washes are another problem – the more you use it, the worse the dryness gets.

Dr August Wolff GmbH & Co medical director Dr Iris SchmidtsWinkler said moisturising the vaginal area after washing is crucial to replenish the skin’s moisture.