Can the next generation female condom help with painful sex??

So the glories of menopause include dry, irritated vaginal skin. Typically we think only of lube, lube, lube to fix it, but the female condom could act as a barrier to protect the vagina from whatevs you want to insert into it. 😉
One end of the condom is inserted similarly to a Nuvaring, where you pinch a small, flexible circle and insert into the vagina. The other end remains outside of the body (if my description leaves more questions than answers, check out https://fc2.us.com for more information). The condom is latex free and lubricated on both sides. 
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Anyone wanna try this and report back???

As you can imagine, many topics come up in our private #OurTribe Facebook group.  Looking for a good moisturizer during radiation? Post reconstruction bra? We've got that covered.  But when the topic of sex came up...well we were stumped.  One member suggested pole-dancing classes, and while we still might try that, I was struck by the general lack of suggestions from these incredibly resourceful women. 

I went looking for answers, and fortunately found Dr. Shannon Chavez, a Beverly Hills psychologist and Sex Therapist, whose many areas of expertise include Cancer and Intimacy.  I was impressed with her Mind-Body approach, and ability to suggest very practical things (such as the best lube) to more emotional support. I felt confident she would have some answers to our questions.  Luckily, Dr. Chavez was willing to offer a workshop at our Beverly Hills clinic. 

On October 21st, ten women bravely joined us to discuss Sex after Breast Cancer.  A common component of breast cancer treatment involves placing women into menopause. The effects of menopause on their sex life was probably the number one complaint we heard.  Decreased libido, vaginal dryness and pain can all result from decreased estrogen.

Luckily, Dr. Chavez had some advice.  We learned that the skin in the vagina can be moisturized daily just like the skin on your face! Imagine how dry, flakey skin anywhere else on your body can be itchy, irritated, and more prone to cracks and cuts.  The same is true for vaginal skin.  We received free samples of “moisture drops” by Hip Hemp (www.hiphemp.com/product/moisture-drops). These little drops are actually small “pearls” containing organic hemp oil, grape seed and vitamin E.  It is recommended to insert vaginally at bedtime.  ​​
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​In addition to daily moisturizing, lubrication is essential.  Dr. Chavez’s favorite is from a German company, called “Pjur Med.”  They offer both silicone and water based lubes.  

​If all the moisture in the world isn’t enough to soothe your angry vagina, the newly revamped female condom might be just the thing.  One end of the condom is inserted similarly to a Nuvaring, where you pinch a small, flexible circle and insert into the vagina.  The other end remains outside of the body (if my description leaves more questions than answers, check out www.fc2.us.com for more information).  The condom is latex free and lubricated on both sides.  The material of the condom can act as a barrier between vaginal wall and penis (or whatever you choose to insert) and may reduce pain.

The two hours scheduled for our workshop flew by, and with a giant basket of vibrators for us to explore, the workshop went over the allotted time.  We decided we needed more- we barely touched on the emotional components surrounding your body after the invasive, life altering treatments for breast cancer.  In addition, we thought the spouses would benefit from a similar workshop, and we are in the process of creating a “Couples Only” one to be held in early December.  

I’ll keep you posted as we learn more!

For more info on sex after cancer:
www.drshannonchavez.com
www.sexualityresources.com

(Ok so "pump" isn't the best euphemism for vagina, but "Prime the hooha" just didn't have a ring to it..)
Priming is a daily, 10 min technique to help with vaginal dryness. 

• Get a vibrator (either the sexy kind or something sold as a "massager" from Brookstone)
• Use all around EXTERNAL genitals: 
  • inner thighs
  • labia
  • mons pubis (fleshy mound with pubic hair)

Doing this increases blood flow to the region, and over time more blood vessels will grow, making it easier for your vagina to moisturize itself.
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You may start noticing a difference after one week, but stick with it if not. In order to work this needs to be done daily.

by Stacey R
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I am one of the very few whose brows never came back after chemo. Mind you, I went through chemo twice, which I am sure didn't help the situation. I began resenting the amount of time it took to draw on my brows in the morning and began investigating my options.  There’s Latisse, which is a gel approved by the FDA to grow eyelashes, but has been used “off label” to grow eyebrows as well.  Most users begin to see changes in 4 to 6 weeks, with the biggest improvement between weeks 12 and 16.  Latisse doesn’t work for everyone (unfortunately, including me) and results only last as long as you use the product.  Another, more extreme option was an eyebrow hair transplant.  For this, they remove a strip of hair from your scalp and then graft individual hair follicles into your brow. Because you now have head hair for eyebrows, you need to trim it fairly often and may need to “train” the hair to act more, er, eyebrow-y.  No thank you.
 
After sharing my eyebrow tales of woe with a gal at my plastic surgeon’s office, she mentioned that a friend of hers did permanent makeup.  No, not like the sharpie drawn on kind Michael Jackson or past-her-prime Elizabeth Taylor wore (may they rest in peace). This technique, called “microblading,” uses precise, individual strokes to recreate your brow. Because the ink in microblading is applied closer to the surface of the skin than with tattooing, it needs to be touched up every 1 to 3 years.

 I got them done for the first time about a year ago. It was 2 sessions, 2-3 weeks apart, and let me be clear, she basically recreated my brows from scratch. Each session lasted about 3-4 hours and the pain is minimal…truly. It's not like getting a regular tattoo, because it doesn't go as deep, so you barely feel it. It is actually kind of relaxing and she told me she's had people fall asleep in her chair. I got mine touched up last weekend and am just as in love with them as I was a year ago. They actually look better than my real brows used to look. If your eyebrows need some help, I highly recommend permanent makeup.

USES FOR HONEY

1. As a Face wash: Weird as it sounds, honey is a pretty "sweet" facial cleanser.  Simply apply and massage to dry skin, then rinse with warm water.  It's antibacterial property helps prevent acne, and it leaves your skin soft and moisturized.
2. As a gargle:  Throat feeling sore? Adding honey to your favorite tea can help kill off bacteria growing in the back of your throat.
3. As a salve to heal wounds: Honey can be used in place of a drugstore antibiotic cream (think Neosporin). It creates a moist environment for healing, reduces wound odor and can naturally debride it (aka, clean out the bad junk).  Oh and did I mention it is antibacterial?