One of the main causes is hormonal changes. Increased demands for our time and attention can increase cortisol production, which can disrupt hormone balance, leading to estrogen, progesterone, and the androgen hormones being imbalanced. Then, at around 35, estrogen starts to decline which can cause some very specific issues.

For many women in their thirties, their hormones can also be affected by both birth control, and exposure to xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens are artificial estrogen-like chemicals in our food and lifestyle products, and we have written in depth about xenoestrogens here.

What Does Vaginal Estriol Have to Do With This?

We developed Silky Peach vaginal estriol cream primarily for post menopausal women because it is the drop in estrogen around and after menopause that wreaks havoc on vaginal skin. The estriol in the cream is absorbed into the top layer of the skin and helps the skin to stay firm, strong, and healthy with no ouchie tears. The estriol can also help increase some lubrication and keep the pH level in the optimal zone.

There are also some situations where younger women could benefit from Silky Peach Cream – usually in the short term to help with a specific condition.

Postpartum Healing After the Estriol Drop

Pushing those babies out into the world takes a significant amount of effort and STRAIN. While contractions help the cervix to dilate and the vaginal muscles to stretch, it’s a rare delivery that doesn’t involve some skin rubbing, tearing, or an episiotomy. The joy in the new arrival brings instant pain relief and complete distraction from those contractions. Once things settle however, the vagina, the perineum, sometimes the rectum can be sore, and sore for several days (ask any new Moms about the postpartum poop fears…). Add to this the big drop in estriol after the baby arrives and you have torn, tender skin in need of repair. Because estriol is helpful for skin repair, there is a strong case for using Silky Peach Cream to speed up the healing after delivery. For most women, healing will be complete within 2-4 weeks but for those who have some residual dryness and tenderness, Silky Peach could be helpful for several more weeks.

Pelvic Floor Weakness Leads to Prolapse

One of those age related surprises our Mom’s often decide not to share is the increased risk of bladder and uterine and even rectal prolapse as we get older. We need to know this in our 20’s and 30’s, especially after pushing some babies out into the world! At this age it is time to be super proactive at keeping muscles strong and healthy. The basket weave of muscles that make up the pelvic floor are woven together to hold multiple organs in place.

We stress those muscles A LOT when delivering a baby. In TV shows, the woman has 2 contractions, her water breaks, there is a mad dash to the hospital, and the baby arrives within 5 minutes! But, this is not usually what happens - most mothers had hours of contractions and pushing and straining! While it’s all worth it for our beloved babies, if we are not proactive, those strained muscles lose their strength and can no longer hold the pelvic organs in place. Along with targeted exercises, estrogen and progesterone have both been shown to help maintain the strength of muscles. Starting early and sticking with a routine can help prevent prolapse later in life. We have a comprehensive blog about kegels if you are looking for a pelvic floor workout right here!

Treating Early: Mild Signs of Vaginal Atrophy

While it’s the drop in estrogen at and beyond menopause that can result in vaginal atrophy, some women can begin to experience an increase in dryness, itchiness, and general irritation well before the menopausal transition. Busy lives, stress, and an overall increase in inflammation in the body and, before you know it, your vagina is complaining. You don’t need us to remind you how tender this skin can be and how easily upset it can get. Your vaginal pH is supposed to be low (acidic), but stress, and a food pattern filled with sugars can alter that pH… before you know it, local inflammation is making everything sore!

Using Silky Peach Cream will help to rebalance the pH in the vagina and to keep it healthy – while you reduce your stress and adjust your food patterns to include more of the good green stuff.

Dealing with Chronic UTIs

Inflammation is at the root of much dis-ease. There is the natural inflammation that occurs in response to an acute situation and then there is longer term inflammation which is in response to a chronic situation or imbalance. Just about all women will have a urinary tract infection of some sort in their lives. While the medical industry has typically treated a UTI with antibiotics, when repeated UTIs occur then using an antibiotic over and over carries significant risks of disrupting the good bacteria in the gut and creating antibiotic resistance. Fortunately, the tide is slowly turning, and practitioners are starting to look for other approaches to treating UTIs. One of those other approaches is the use of estriol cream. There are multiple receptors for estrogen around the bladder and along the urethra – the tube that drains the bladder. Estrogen helps the inside lining of the urethra to be healthy and strong which increases its ability to fight off any invaders. When that skin is healthy it is harder for microscopic bacteria to irritate the skin.

Sometimes chronic uti’s can be confused with general inflammation in the local area – often called interstitial cystitis - and you can read the blog about interstitial cystitis here. Taking steps to keep the area clean, healthy with estriol, and to reduce your overall level of body inflammation are all important actions you can take to resolve chronic uti’s.

What Else Can I Do?

🍑 Control inflammation - read about inflammation at this blog.
🍑 Take care of your pelvic floor muscles.
🍑 Eat a diet rich in greens, good fiber, and minimal processed food.
🍑 Consider adding phytoestrogens (like flax and soy) to your diet.
🍑 Avoid xenoestrogens like parabens in food and beauty products.
🍑 Consider supplementing with D-mannose and probiotics to maintain urinary health.
🍑 Read up on sexual wellness to maintain vaginal health post intimacy.

Hopefully for younger women experiencing any of the above, short term use of estriol will be super helpful in the acute healing process and then it will be plain sailing until menopause!