Vaginal oestrogen cream can of great help in the use of dilators. It results in a 'plumping' up and lubrication of the vaginal tissues and makes the use of dilators much more comfortable.

Vaginal oestrogen is available in the form of creams (e.g. Ortho-Dienoestrol, Ovestin, and Premarin) or as pessaries (e.g. Ortho-gynest and Tampovagan), or tablets (e.g. Vagifem).

Ovestin cream contains the natural female hormone, oestriol.

This cream contains the hormone Estriol which is a naturally occurring oestrogen. Ovestin is used by post-menopausal women to relieve local symptoms of the vulva & vagina such as dryness and inflammation of the skin layer. An applicator is supplied with each tube of cream and this is used to apply the Ovestin.

Ovestin® is used predominantly for the relief of symptoms caused by atrophy of the lower urogenital tract following the menopause. These include general vaginal/urinary symptoms, recurrent infections of the vagina and lower urinary tract, and mild urinary incontinence.

Ovestin contains the natural hormone estriol, which is a weak estrogen. It treats urogenital symptoms without causing adverse changes to the endometrium, which means that it can be used without a progestogen in women with an intact uterus (with estrogen therapies containing estradiol, progestogens are given every month to induce a necessary protective shedding of the endometrial tissue, causing a monthly "withdrawal bleed"). The absence of progestogen-induced withdrawal bleeds with Ovestin makes it highly acceptable to women.

As well as treating symptoms, the treatment has a preventive effect, having been shown to increase resistance to vaginal infection and inflammation.