Vulva & Clitoris Shrinkage

[cosmicbabe]

Does this happen during perimenopause / menopause? I’ve just seen a video about it and it’s horrifying. I’m 46 and do not want to believe this happens !!

Here’s a thread from May on the same topic:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/menopause/5341585-the-strange-case-of-the-vanishing-labia-minora?page=1

It was educational for me. That thread led to me talking about it with DH and he confirmed that my labia had reduced in volume. I was surprised. Since then I noticed that the skin had gotten thinner and more fragile, and my vulva was almost constantly irritated or sore. I’m 46 and perimenopausal, and have a Mirena.

I started oestrogen cream about a month ago. Relief. It’s so much calmer and happier down there. No more pain or uncomfortable heat. As a bonus my labial volume has increased and the colour has improved to a healthy pink. Clitoral size has returned to its previous size. DH has said that I look more like I used to down there.

Even though it’s a tiny tiny dose of oestrogen it did start to affect my moods during the three week loading dose stage. I felt rage towards DH. Just him. Now that I’m using it twice a week and using a smaller dose it’s much better. Little flare ups of anger but not constant rage. I’m very sensitive to hormones and DH knows that so once the rage went I apologised and adjusted the dose.

@FeralWoman what cream did you get please? I’m on pessaries and no difference to my shrunken clit so I think I’d like to change. Thanks

Pessaries for the vagina, Ovestin for the vulva. You can use both at the same time.

Amazing - didn’t know this (despite seeing someone privately and my GP and the menopause clinic - sigh)
Thank you!

Ovestin. My GP said to insert some of cream into the vagina and wipe the rest over the internal vulva parts where I’d been having pain and irritation. That’s included the clitoris.

Unfortunately, my GP wouldn't let me have both so I bought the cream from an online pharmacy. I definitely need the cream and the pessary.

Thank you!

I'm getting more and more angry about this. If we can use cream and pessaries together and maintain everything properly, why are GPs refusing?
I'm considering a t shirt saying Brenda's Clit Matters! for my next visit

I know they can't just go giving hormone treatments out like sweets but I can't help feeling that my orgasm would be taken more seriously if I were a man.

Was this an NHS GP?

Yes! I'm very lucky. We have a very forward thinkong surgery.

#allclitsmatter

It’s not inevitable so don’t panic OP!

Regular sex or masturbation will ensure the tissues are engorged with blood which helps against atrophy. It really is a case of use it or lose it!

I’ve also found that vaginal oestrogen cream has stopped the tissue thinning and plumped every thing up.

I also take testosterone which has actually increased the size of my clitoris… and my libido.

I got all my HRT via my NHS GP.

Something else to be aware of: my surgery is on an economy drive involving substituting the cheapest generic products for the drugs that actually work. Without any warning or explanation. Having been happily on vagifem for 10 years, I discovered something called Vagirux in my bag of repeat meds. Fair enough, I tried them. Within 3 weeks all my symptoms had returned. Uti, itching, burning, leaky bladder, tissue atrophy. It was horrendous. It took a further 3 weeks of begging and trying to get an appointment to convince them to let me have the vagifem again.

@musicalcars - Yes, I lost hair when starting HRT. It's why I don't use it now, though I'd love to, for all the other symptoms, My hair also started shedding when I tried vaginal estrogen, though the GP didn't believe me. It was too much of a coincidence.

I’m 69 and can orgasm and although labia minora?sp smaller, so have to wipe well after weeing, all still ok. There is life after menopause

For all of you using testosterone, did it make you any hairier ? This is what worries me

I get a small patch of localised hair where I rub it in, it’s very sparse and easily whipped off with a razor

Ohhhhh I thought that was happening because of my second pregnancy & childbirth.

Does estriol cream help with that too?

Now I think of it, the timing doesn't even add up for my assumption it was childbirth.

Sorry, I think this question might be a bit stupid, but the things I notice are:

1. Bit more dryness in general in vulva (external).
2. Labia majora have sagging skin where they were taught and sort of fuller. Bit like breasts shrink after pregnancy.
3. The one which worries me the most... it's like the minora are getting stuck to the majora and kind of fusing together. The ridges are shallower and it looks more joined on.
4. It's sometimes very uncomfortable to use tampons now, a sort of dry soreness feeling.

I have a weird form of lichen sclerosis, which is quite mild and doesn't itch. I'm not sure how much of that to attribute to the LS, and how much might be atrophy.

How much of it sound like atrophy/ something pessaries / cream would help ?

I had a 2nd degree tear after childbirth, my GP gave me estrogen cream to help heal it but a consultant took me off because it caused a burning feeling (which was awful). So now I'm a bit hesitant.

I'm ever so glad this is an anonymous forum

You’re amongst friends @101trees . Saggy, dried up, liver-looking atrophied leathery-labia’ed friends, but friends nonetheless.

Is atrophy what's going on there then?

It's the bits which look like they're joining up which really freak me out.

I don't want it all to vanish !

Not stupid questions at all. How old are you?

I'm only 40, but well on my way to early menopause (family history) and on a high dose of HRT.

It has all looked a bit pinker again since increasing HRT dose.

Thanks :-)