The muscles of the vagina are sensitive, and like any muscle, they can change based on various reasons. For example, if you find it difficult to contract the muscles there, that’s a sign they’re weakening.
You can gauge the tightness of your vulva by placing several fingers inside. Do you feel a pushback or firmness?
Hormonal Changes
When a woman’s vagina feels loose, it can be due to a few things. Typically, the most common causes are hormonal changes. The most common hormonal changes that make the vagina feel loose include childbirth, aging and long term use of birth control or antibiotics.
During childbirth, your muscles stretch to accommodate your baby’s head passing through the vaginal canal. This stretching can make your vagina feel a little looser for a while, but it should return to its original shape over time. If you have multiple children or a cesarean delivery with a vacuum or forceps, your vagina may feel loose for longer. If you have an episiotomy, it can also cause your vagina to lose some elasticity and feel loose for a while.
You might hear your partner complain that your vagina is too loose down there, but it’s not true and can be extremely uncomfortable. Your vagina is a muscular canal with elastic muscle tissue, meaning it can expand or contract to accommodate objects coming in, like a penis or sex toy, or leaving, such as urine. If your partner makes comments about you having a loose vagina, consider talking to them about why they might think that. Educating them with medically accurate information on the anatomy and function of your body could help to put their feelings at ease.
Childbirth
A lot of women feel a little bit loose in the vulva after childbirth. This is because of the stretching of the pelvic muscles that happens during birth. In fact, according to a study of first-time mothers, vaginal laxity is the most common complaint women have with their health professionals after giving birth. This can cause problems with intimate sensation, painful intercourse and even pelvic organ prolapse.
The good news is that a loosened vagina does not have to be permanent. The vulva is actually very elastic and can snap back into shape after sex. This is because the sexy stuff makes the muscles expand to fit the penis or a sex toy. However, if a woman does not do exercises to strengthen her pelvic floor muscles, then the muscle elasticity may break down and a loose vagina can become permanent.
Having a loose vagina can also make women uncomfortable and even self-conscious. For this reason, it is important for a woman to take care of her body and make sure that the muscles in the vulva are healthy. One way to do this is by doing Kegel exercises. Another option is to have an electrical stimulation treatment (NMES) that targets the pelvic muscles and helps them tighten up. These treatments can be done at home or by a trained healthcare professional.
Premenopause
Women can experience a loose vagina during the early stage of perimenopause, which happens around your 40s. This is when estrogen levels drop significantly, causing symptoms like hot flashes and irregular periods. The loosening of the vulva is due to hormonal changes, but also because the muscles are getting older and less flexible.
During sex, your vagina is naturally lubricated and expands to fit a penis or sex toy. This is why a tight vagina can feel uncomfortable during penetrative sex. But it’s important to remember that a “loose” vagina isn’t actually dangerous. It’s just a part of the normal menopause process.
It’s also false to believe that having multiple sexual partners causes a loose vagina. Your vagina is very elastic and can return to its original shape after sex. However, if you’re experiencing pain during sex, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor.
To help alleviate pelvic floor pain, a healthcare professional may recommend doing pelvic floor exercises and/or Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES). This treatment involves placing electrodes around your body that send an electric current to contract the muscles. You can purchase a NMES device to use at home, or your healthcare provider can perform the treatment in their office. A urogynecologist is an expert in female pelvic health and can provide suggestions for treating issues like pain during sex.
Age
When an individual reaches the age of 40, her body begins to lose its elasticity. This is due to a loss of collagen, which occurs naturally with aging. This change in elasticity can affect the vaginal muscles, making them feel looser. However, this change in elasticity is normal and there are exercises that can help tighten the muscles.
Some women may find that their vagina is loose because of having multiple children. Although this can cause a temporary looseness, the muscles can be strengthened with kegel exercises. This can improve urinary incontinence and reduce the risk of pelvic organ prolapse, which is when the abdominal muscles weaken enough to cause the womb or bladder to slip out of place inside the pelvis.
Another myth about a vagina being loose is because of having too much penetrative sex. This is a harmful and untrue myth that shames people for wanting to have fun in the bedroom with their partners. When a woman has penetrative sex, her vagina will stretch to accommodate the penis and/or sex toy, but it will snap back into shape afterwards.
If a woman is experiencing a loss of intimate sensation with her partner or has other concerns about her pelvic muscles, it’s important to talk to her OB-GYN. The doctor can recommend pelvic floor strengthening exercises or a procedure called vaginoplasty, which tightens the muscle. Patients who undergo this procedure have better satisfaction during sex and improved bladder control and function.
See Also:
