YOU PROBABLY ALREADY know that the body’s production of spongy collagen—the stuff that makes skin plump and firm—decreases with age. But what surprises most people is that collagen loss also extends to the vagina, leaving it less elastic. Similarly, other skin-aging concerns, such as dryness, discoloration, and increased sensitivity, become more bothersome in the bikini area too.
As we get older, we produce less estrogen, and “estrogen is to the vagina what lotion is to the face,” says Karyn Eilber, M.D., a urologist in California who specializes in female pelvic medicine. “Without enough estrogen, the vagina and vulva areas become dryer, the skin there thins and is more easily irritated, and pH levels can become imbalanced, leading to more yeast and bacterial infections.” Aging can also affect skin tone in…
