But common or not, a dry vagina feels uncomfortable and can make sex downright painful. The amount of vaginal lubrication varies from woman to woman, with a wide range of normal, says Theresa Crenshaw, M.D., a sex therapy specialist and author of Bedside Manners. The fluid itself is clear and relatively odorless. Apart from its gentle blessing when you're sexually aroused, you may not take much notice of your vaginal fluid most of the time. But when it's absent, you may start to feel dry as a desert.
Vaginal dryness can have a variety of causes.
Or you may be drying up as part of an allergic response to perfumes or dyes. As you get closer to the years of menopause, lowered estrogen levels may also cause dryness of the vagina. And certain skin conditions may interfere with vaginal lubrication. Symptom Relief H ere's how to get that gentle lubrication flowing again. Scrutinize your soap.