Dr Amir Khan

painful sex, so pain around the vulva, vaginal area, is dryness and not enough lubrication.

And that could be because there hasn't been enough foreplay or stimulation beforehand, or it could be perimenopausal or postmenopausal dryness because of lack of oestrogen.

And lubrication and stimulation are really important for

You know what I've also noticed?

And I think this is just from watching American television.

But when they have sex on shows, they just go straight to it.

Like, he just rips off an underwear.

He just loosens his trousers and they're straight into it.

Or man, for that option, depending if there's two men.

It's not how it happens.

If it's two men, there needs to be a bit of cleaning up afterwards.

A gentle wash.

Yeah.

So that's a really common cause for painful sex because they haven't preheated the oven, as you say.

And then I get that there's sexually transmitted illnesses can cause inflammation around the vagina, vulva and urethral area and that can make sex painful.

Chlamydia, gonorrhoea are the big ones because they cause a lot of inflammation around the cervix and around the urethra.

So that kind of additional friction can not just cause pain, but also bleeding after sex as well.

If you've got a skin issue around the vulva or the penis, additional friction can cause that.

So if you've got something like lichen sclerosis, lichen planus, which is an autoimmune skin condition, or eczema around those genital areas, then that additional friction can make it painful.

So you might need to see someone for creams or certain treatments beforehand.