Vaginal rejuvenation has become a trending topic over the past few years, and with more women asking their physicians about it, I realized that there is a lot of confusion about what this innovation actually is. I am happy to say that this is one of the fastest-growing fields in women’s health because this procedure helps rebuild the confidence, sexual health, and overall quality of life that so many women have been missing.
What is a Vaginal Rejuvenation?
Vaginal rejuvenation is a broad term encompassing surgical and non-surgical procedures that are used to tighten the vagina. There are a variety of benefits for this technology, including eliminating incontinence, resolving vaginal dryness, increasing sexual sensation, and more. With these technologies, doctors restore the vagina to its previous function by rebuilding collagen that has been lost due to childbearing, aging and hormone changes.
There are a few main modalities currently being used for vaginal rejuvenation: The most common is the CO2 laser. The CO2 laser works by superficially affecting the outer layer of tissue. This treatment uses laser applicators that will deliver heat energy to the superficial layer of vaginal lining that results in more collagen being produced as the body’s natural reaction. There isn’t a significant nerve supply in the internal vaginal lining, so we can use the CO2 laser internally and that is relatively pain-free. For treatment of the external vaginal area, however, we do have to numb prior to the procedure. We like to treat both the internal and external vaginal areas because both are connected to the sexual response and are also going to affect vaginal lubrication.
Radiofrequency is another popular treatment. Like other vaginal rejuvenation techniques, radio-frequency helps to create collagen, which increases glycogen and the ability of the cells to turn over and create lubrication. This procedure can dramatically improve urinary incontinence. In fact, radiofrequency and CO2 laser are technologies that urologists are using to treat incontinence as opposed to invasive surgical procedures.
Currently, there is no significant evidence that combining the therapies is superior, but in my own practice, I have found that when we combine treatments, we get enhanced results.
Cost Estimation
The cost for a vaginal rejuvenation varies greatly by procedure and geographic location. Women’s Health reports that a combination vaginoplasty and labiaplasty can reach $12,000, but don’t worry – noninvasive treatments often ring up far less. ThermiVa can cost anywhere from $2,000 – $3,500 for three treatments, and Mona Lisa Touch ranges from $1,500 – $3,000 for three sessions.
After a Vaginal Rejuvenation
After patients have received vaginal rejuvenation therapies, they often comment that they feel like their brains and their vaginas are synced up again. Once they had a treatment, whether it’s hormone treatment or the more technical treatments, like radiofrequency or CO2 laser, it’s as if there was a reconnection between the brain network and their vaginas. For this reason, perhaps, the frequency and intensity of orgasms improve for many. With these new technologies, women are experiencing dramatic improvements in their sexual and urinary health.
Vaginal rejuvenation is not just a medical procedure, but a means of practicing self-care. It enables women to feel confident about taking ownership of their bodies, sometimes for the first time in their life. If you’re interested in exploring what a vaginal rejuvenation might do for you, I encourage you to talk to your doctor. And if you are curious about specific procedures, I go in-depth on ThermiVa, Mona Lisa Touch, and Geneveve treatments on my website.
If you’re interested in learning more, give my office a call at 520-447-1772 or schedule a consultation and we’d be happy to talk through the procedure with you!