Vaginal Health is an Important Topic!
Are you Ready to Talk About Vaginal Dryness and Urinary Leakage?
Over time women begin to notice certain symptoms that alert her to changes in her vaginal health. These may be due to pregnancy and childbirth, and the hormonal loss that comes over time. Loss of vaginal health is the result of dropping estrogen levels before and during menopause. Depending on the symptoms and the severity with which they present themselves, a woman’s lifestyle will often suffer.
Common symptoms associated with vaginal atrophy include:
- Vaginal discomfort or itching due to dryness.
- Frequent or chronic vaginal infections.
- Discomfort during sexual intercourse.
- Loss of sexual satisfaction due to discomfort or loss of sensation.
- Slight bleeding after intercourse due to Tissue tears or rupture.
- Stress urinary incontinence with sneezing and exercise.
We used to consider this an irreversible part of aging, but research has shown that these issues can be improved beyond what was previously possible with estrogen treatment. Physicians are now seeing issues such as dryness and stress urinary incontinence in women as young as 25-45 years.
A woman deserves to feel confident and comfortable. She deserves to feel satisfied with sexual intercourse, and live without the fear of urinary leakage.
We are the first in Northern California to offer Fem Touch Fractional Laser Resurfacing to help reverse these unpleasant age-related changes.
What is Vaginal Atrophy?
Vagina atrophy, thinning, laxity, and dryness occurs in response to estrogen depletion. Without crucial hormone balance, the delicate mucosa that makes up the walls of the vaginal canal become dry, fragile, thinned, inflamed, and itchy. Hormone replacement can help, but now it’s possible to achieve more benefit even without hormone replacement.
Women can now address the Problems Associated with Vaginal Atrophy
FemTouch™ vaginal laser resurfacing helps women regain their comfort, confidence, and sexual satisfaction. This approach does not involve the use of hormones to rebalance vaginal health, so even breast cancer survivors can benefit. The laser resurfacing rejuvenates the thinned tissues that form the vaginal mucous epithelium layer that is responsible for lubrication and reducing infections.
FemTouch™ treatment works by gently ablating (replacing) and coagulating (warming) the vaginal lining in a safe, comfortable, and controlled manner. The laser device is based on proven CO2 laser and fractional laser technology. The small applicator delivers precision laser energy along the walls of the vaginal canal, guided by a sophisticated scanner that facilitates the optimal treatment of target tissue. The beauty of Fractional laser resurfacing is that it does not affect the entire tissue surface, only a fraction. This enables healing in 2-4 days and is virtually painless.
What to Expect
Woman Listening About FemTouchA thorough history and exam are performed prior to FemTouch™ laser treatment, to rule out the contraindications and abnormalities that may ultimately affect the success of this treatment. Topical numbing medication is applied to the introitus or opening of the vagina (the vagina canal itself does not feel any discomfort) and the labia if they are also being rejuvenated. We wait for about 15- 25 minutes before commencing with treatment after this step. The sterile laser applicator is inserted, then moved slowly outward and rotated as laser energy is delivered into the targeted tissue. The absorption of energy may cause a slight warming sensation but typically does not cause pain. The entire process takes only a few minutes to complete, and recovery is rapid.
Many women treated with FemTouch™ report improvement after their first or second treatment. However, for best benefit, we recommendation 3 to 4 visits occur at 4-week intervals.
Benefits of FemTouch™ Treatment
The treatment for vaginal atrophy is indicated for healthy women with mild to moderate symptoms of vaginal atrophy, or atrophic vaginitis. Some of the benefits to this minimally-invasive, drug-free treatment include:
- Increased tissue elasticity and tightness in the vaginal canal.
- Stronger, thicker vaginal mucosa.
- Improvement in natural lubrication.
- Improved comfort during sexual intercourse.
- Decrease in symptoms of stress urinary incontinence.
- Decreased urinary track infections.
Vaginal “rejuvenation” is a term sometimes used to describe non-surgical procedures intended to treat vaginal symptoms and/or conditions.
To date, the FDA has not cleared or approved for marketing any energy-based devices to treat these symptoms or conditions, or any symptoms related to menopause, urinary incontinence, or sexual function. The FDA has cleared fractional CO2 lasers for incision, excision, ablation, vaporization, and coagulation of body soft tissues in the specialty of aesthetic dermatology. The treatment of these symptoms or conditions by applying energy-based therapies to the vagina may lead to serious adverse events, including vaginal burns, scarring, pain during sexual intercourse, and recurring/chronic pain.
- Be aware that the safety and effectiveness of energy-based devices to perform vaginal “rejuvenation” or cosmetic vaginal procedures has not been established.
- Understand that the FDA has not cleared or approved any energy-based medical device for vaginal “rejuvenation” or vaginal cosmetic procedures, or for the treatment of vaginal symptoms related to menopause, urinary incontinence, or sexual function.
- Discuss the benefits and risks of all available treatment options for vaginal symptoms with your health care provider.
Jeffrey H. Binstock, MD is a Fellow of:
