Let's Light Up Our Pink Parts!
How well do you know your clitoris?
While most of us can certainly feel it, we tend to know very little about how it works. There’s a reason for that. It’s been ignored by the medical community until very recently. In fact, the clitoris wasn’t fully anatomically mapped out until 2005 by Australian physician, Dr. Helen O’Connell. That’s not even twenty years ago!
For women in perimenopause, it is crucial to understand the clitoris and all of our pink parts for that matter. Estrogen swings up and down during perimenopause and declines in menopause which results in a reduction of vaginal moisture and blood flow to the area, as well as skin thickening, atrophy, and changes in the tissue of the clitoris.
If there was ever a time to pay attention to your vagina, vulva, and clitoris, it is just before you enter perimenopause.
Like 80% of women, you may not experience changes until entering menopause or not at all but, being aware and in tune of small things happening, can help you protect your beautiful pink parts and your sex drive (1).
If your libido is not impacted by physiological changes including dryness, atrophy, itchiness and irritation in your vagina and vulva, achieving orgasm can still be more difficult during this phase.
Stacked against you are estrogen induced brain and nerve communication changes and a weaker pelvic floor which contracts during orgasm.
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Moreover, if the physical changes to your pink parts don’t hamper your ability for arousal, other perimenopause symptoms such as depression, irritation, or weight gain might.
Libido is a complicated thing influenced by physical, emotional, mental, and environmental factors. It is impacted by:
- your upbringing and gender-biased social discourse about women’s sexual appetites,
- a history of sexual traumas,
- the healthiness of your relationships,
- life stress, and many other factors (2)!
Research shows that libido steadily declines from premenopause (before perimenopause) to menopause.
In fact, in one study, 26.7% of premenopausal women and 52.4% of menopausal women had low sex drive (3). We’re on a mission to change that!
Perimenopause is an evolution in which we can re-define who we are. Our cells rejuvenate on average every 7 to 10 years. If our cells are becoming new, our identity, priorities, and libido can also be redefined and renewed!
What Can I Do?
1. Mindset & Libido
A woman's orgasm depends as much on her mind as her clitoris.
First, Prioritize Your Libido
Start getting curious! Many women may feel shy and uneasy at the thought of this but, we urge you to give it a try! Cultivating your libido is crucial to your sexual fulfilment.
Like getting your children to soccer practice on time, making your work deadlines, and getting your exercise in, it takes some time management and prioritization but sexual health is as important as your physical and mental health.
Explore Your Pink Parts
If you don’t currently masturbate, start! A vibrator is a great way to learn about your orgasm. You can order one online and they will ship discretely.
A vibrator is also helpful to keep blood flow in the area, supporting a healthy vagina (4). We are all different, so the challenge is finding one that is your Cinderella slipper without breaking the bank. Unfortunately (or fortunately!), it is not something you can sample before purchase.
Toys to Choose From
Googling “best vibrators” will lead you to countless sites ranking them for effectiveness with little consistency. However, some of the top choices under $40 on Amazon include The Rabbit, XO Play Personal Wand Massager, and Rose Sex Toy vibrator.
There’s no need to go for one of the triple-digit options without being certain it will work for you. The bottom line is, don’t overthink it—just have fun!