For some ladies, starting Silky Peach comes with a painful burning and stinging sensation that makes them want to hurl the cream off a cliff. So, what gives? You bought Silky Peach thinking it was going to make your vagina feel like a glorious Scottish fairy pool in the morning spring dew...not like the seventh circle of hell.

Red, Raw, and REALLY Painful...

To explain this, let’s leave our tender bits aside for the moment and think instead about your nose; recall a time when you had a cold, one of those annoying lingering colds that had your nose running endlessly for days. Endless nose wiping results in your nose getting sore and red and tender to the touch.

In this scenario, the skin has been rubbed raw and the cells in the dermis now have lots of tiny micro-tears. The skin is vital for keeping pathogens and bacteria from getting in, so there is always an inflammatory response to try and heal the micro tears.

Back to your red-raw-Rudolph nose. You put some lotion on and bam! Nose burning that makes you cry (literally and figuratively). The lotion will seep into the micro-tears on the skin and, even though it is there to rejuvenate that tender skin, the combination of ingredients in the cream will result in a stinging sensation.

Micro-tears & Menopause

Well, so it is with the vaginal and vulva tissue. Without estrogen, particularly estriol, there are significant changes in the vaginal and vulvar tissues.

Estrogen normally maintains the thickness, elasticity, and hydration of the epithelial lining, as well as supporting collagen synthesis and blood flow. When levels fall, the mucosal tissues become thinner, less elastic, and more fragile. The decrease in natural secretions also reduces lubrication, which increases friction during activities such as intercourse, wiping, or even wearing certain fabrics. This combination of thinning epithelium, reduced collagen, and dryness creates a higher susceptibility to small breaks in the skin known as micro tears.

These tears are not only painful but can contribute to burning, itching, bleeding, or recurrent infections, since the weakened barrier is less able to protect against mechanical stress and microbial entry.

What Can I Do About It?

There are three options we’d like to suggest:

One is to give up… but, y’know, don’t do that.

The second option is to work out how to get the estriol in the cream to where it is needed. Try this: instead of applying to the vulva and the inner labia – try putting the cream on the outer labia, where the skin is likely to be thicker. The estriol will be absorbed through the skin and picked up by red blood cells. There are lots of little capillaries throughout the whole vulva, vagina, and pelvic area, so the estriol – catching an Uber on a red blood cell - will get delivered to the cell receptors where it is needed. If your skin is very raw, it will likely take several weeks to rebuild the estriol levels in the tissue and gradually allow the skin to rejuvenate. The skin has several layers to it and, without a regular supply of estriol, it breaks down from the outside inwards.

There is a third option; discuss the situation with your doctor. Ask for a prescription-strength bioidentical estriol cream. That might work to get past the worst of the painful skin recovery process and then you can use the Silky Peach Cream for peachy maintenance.

You can also check out Dr. Robyn as she talks how to navigate any stinging:

A Continuum

The degree of vaginal and vulvar atrophy is on a continuum, and we know that our ladies are not all in the same place. Some are just beginning to feel the dryness, others can barely wear clothing because it hurts so much, then of course, there is everything in between.

We hope our educational info helps you understand what is happening to your body!

If you experience extreme burning, swelling, or pain, it could be a sign of an allergic reaction - which is rare, but not impossible - in that case, discontinue use immediately, and reach out to us at kate@parlor-games.com!