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Changes in Vulvar Physiology and Skin Disorders with Age and Benefits of Feminine Wipes in Postmenopausal Women

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Textbook of Aging Skin

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Abstract

Postmenopausal estrogen deficiency may lead to vulvar atrophy and irritation. This chapter reviews the morphology and physiology of the vulva over a woman’s lifetime, discusses vulvar irritation associated with the menopause, and reports the benefits of feminine wet wipes’ use by postmenopausal women. As women age, the skin of the vulva becomes less elastic and the underlying fat and connective tissues can break down. These changes can lead to a variety of disorders and symptoms which result in vulvar irritation, such as atrophic vaginitis, incontinence dermatitis, vulvar intertrigo, fungal infections secondary to urinary incontinence, bacterial infections, pruritis ani and perianal inflammation, and decubitus ulcers. A 28-day, examiner-blind, randomized, prospective trial compared skin effects of a prototype wet wipe to dry toilet tissue. The treatment group used individual sheets of tissue moistened with a lotion that contained skin cleansers and moisturizing agents. The comparison group used a commercially available dry toilet tissue. Skin condition was assessed at two time points, and the participants also reported subjective symptoms and product preferences. In general, mild to barely discernible irritation was present at study inception. Erythema, when present, improved over the course of the study in both groups. Genital moisture significantly increased in wet wipe users (p = 0.01) compared to dry tissue users. Most postmenopausal women in the study favored wet wipes over dry toilet tissue, which may suggest improved comfort of atrophied vulvar skin and amelioration of dryness associated with postmenopausal estrogen depletion.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Winton Hill Business Center, The Procter & Gamble Company, 6110 Center Hill Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45224, USA

    Miranda A. Farage & Kenneth W. Miller

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA

    William J. Ledger

Authors
  1. Miranda A. Farage
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  2. Kenneth W. Miller
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  3. William J. Ledger
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Miranda A. Farage .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

    Miranda A. Farage

  2. Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

    Kenneth W. Miller

  3. Department Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA

    Howard I. Maibach

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Farage, M.A., Miller, K.W., Ledger, W.J. (2015). Changes in Vulvar Physiology and Skin Disorders with Age and Benefits of Feminine Wipes in Postmenopausal Women. In: Farage, M., Miller, K., Maibach, H. (eds) Textbook of Aging Skin. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27814-3_103-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27814-3_103-2

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27814-3

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