Skin thinning - which cream/gel

[poppym12]

I'm post menopause (3 years) but have recently found sex to be painful. It's not dryness as I tried various lubricants, its as if the skin inside is thin and sensitive?

I'm not a suitable candidate for hrt due to previous head injury and a pituitary tumor but I believe there's a cream or gel that can be applied topically that doesn't absorb like regular hrt.

If there is, could I buy it from the pharmacy? Does it really not have the potential side effects of regular hrt?

Thank you.

Vaginal oestrogen - estriol etc cream is what's recommended ( applied internally) and apparently it's a tiny dose so safe for all. You'll need a prescription though and may need to read up on it - try Googling Vaginal atrophy/ Genito urinary syndrome of menopause and Louise Newsom for some info.
In my experience some doctors witter on about dryness etc when it's nothing of the sort ( and if it was it could be remedied by good lubricant etc); on the contrary it is in many cases as you describe - a thinning and great sensitivity of vaginal wall causing pain during sex, smears etc in women who have never before had problems.

You can use vaginal estrogen. A head injury / other illness is not relevant.
The vaginal estrogen cream or small pessary releases estrogen into the vagina and it stays there :)
It's absolutely safe. Old ladies in their 90s still use it. You need to use it for life.

lube and moisturisers just make things wetter. estrogen actually changes the thickness of the cell walls making them thicker and more robust, and able to cope with what they were designed for :)

You can only get it on prescription.

Thank you.

I've bought some Ovestinon ,(estriol) cream OTC (Spain) so will try that.

@poppym12

Thank you.

I've bought some Ovestinon ,(estriol) cream OTC (Spain) so will try that.

Good luck! You use it daily for 2 weeks, then drop back to 2 (or 3) days per week. Give it time.

Is it best to use it at night? Is it particularly messy?

It's recommended at night- if it's the cream, I notice the extra lubrication next morning. I occasionally use it in the morning, but don't see any problems with it,