Advertorial · Women’s health · Medically reviewed by Dr Anne Henderson

Told it's “just thrush” again? Gynaecologists say it could be something far more common.

More than 8 in 10 women experience intimate dryness. Most are never told what it is, or that there's a simple fix.

For eight years, Helen thought she had recurring thrush. The itching. The burning. Days where it was too uncomfortable to sit still.

“I tried cream after cream and it never really went away,” she says. “I honestly thought, this is my life now."

Then a friend asked a question nobody else had: "what if it isn’t thrush at all?"

The condition hiding in plain sight

It's called vulvovaginal atrophy: dryness and thinning of intimate skin caused by falling oestrogen. It's incredibly common in perimenopause and menopause, and after childbirth.

“The fibroblasts become dormant and they're not generating that collagen… it hasn't got that give and elasticity.”

Dr Pavan Minhas, Consultant Gynaecologist

82%

of women experience intimate dryness

66%

say it affects their sex life

From a NAYDAYA survey of 2,000+ women

Why nothing you've tried has worked

Thrush creams treat a fungal infection. They can't put moisture back into thinning skin.
Lubricant helps during sex, then it's gone. It isn't designed to care for the skin day to day.
Everyday body creams often contain fragrance or ingredients that sting delicate vulval skin.

Rather than another round of thrush cream, Consultant Gynaecologist Dr Anne Henderson recommends a daily, oil-based intimate moisturiser, caring for vulval skin the way you'd care for your face.

What Gynaecologists are recommending instead

Thrush creams treat a fungal infection. They can't put moisture back into thinning skin.
Lubricant helps during sex, then it's gone. It isn't designed to care for the skin day to day.
Everyday body creams often contain fragrance or ingredients that sting delicate vulval skin.

Rather than another round of thrush cream, Consultant Gynaecologist Dr Anne Henderson recommends a daily, oil-based intimate moisturiser, caring for vulval skin the way you'd care for your face.

“Oil-based moisturisers create a protective layer that locks in deep moisture, supporting the skin's hydration barrier and soothing irritation.”

Dr Anne Henderson
Consultant Gynaecologist & British Menopause Society Advanced Specialist

"I recommend oil based products like the Victory Oil this every single time. It provides comfort to that delicate area. It's simple, and it's effective.

Dr. Sonja Bobart
Doctor Practitioner

Victory Oil

The one she recommends to her own patients is Victory Oil by NAYDAYA - a hormone-free intimate pol created by Fiona Toomey after her own experience of intense dryness after childbirth, and developed with Gynaecologists.

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How it works

Pomegranate oil supports collagen and skin renewal. Mango butter soothes irritation. Vitamin E and nourishing oils help fragile skin heal. No hormones, no fragrance.

The results women report

Based on a consumer study of 2000 women.

First use

87% said Victory Oil instantly relieves dryness.

Week 1

94% said it felt soothing. 90% said it relieved dryness.

Week 4

95% said it reduced stinging & burning. 86% felt more comfortable during intimacy.

Week 12

95% reported long-lasting hydration with twice-daily use.

What other women are saying

Verified customer

“As a 62yr old woman with vaginal atrophy… I didn't believe anything could give me relief… from the first drop it felt soothed. It really has changed my life.”