During the past several years, we’ve seen the popularity of nonsurgical vaginal rejuvenation procedures at our Houston practice steadily increase. The number of treatment options provides patients with choices that can sometimes be confusing. Even though there are various treatments available, there are 2 types of technologies used for nonsurgical vaginal rejuvenation procedures.
These 2 technologies are radiofrequency (RF) and carbon dioxide lasers (CO2 lasers). Each of the technologies offers benefits to patients who want to address concerns such as vaginal dryness, atrophy, urinary leakage, or orgasmic dysfunction without surgery. Both types of treatment use heat. The device uses the energy to heat up the top layers of the tissue. When the tissue is heated, the underlying layers of tissue create extra collagen to help heal the area. By damaging the top layers of tissue, the lower layers make new and firmer tissue.
In this post, I’ll describe the different energy-based vaginal rejuvenation treatments in a bit more detail.
Radiofrequency Treatments
Procedures such as ThermiVa®, which we offer in Webster, TX, and our other locations, can benefit women of all ages. It’s an excellent treatment for women concerned about a loss of tone in the vagina and vulva, either after having children or simply due to age-related changes. Using a specially designed electrode wand, ThermiVa uses controlled radiofrequency energy to gently heat targeted tissues. Patients can choose to treat the labia, the vaginal canal, or both, depending on their individual preferences.
ThermiVa produces immediate results, but patients usually need 3 treatments over the course of 3 months for optimal results. One of the many benefits of the ThermiVa procedure is that there’s no downtime. Patients can resume their typical daily activities and even have sexual intercourse after the treatment. Because ThermiVa is a nonsurgical procedure, there are no incisions or stitches required.
Other vaginal rejuvenation treatments that use RF energy include Geneveve™ and Votiva by InMode.
Laser Treatments
There are several vaginal rejuvenation treatments that use laser energy to tighten and improve the sensitivity of the vagina. These procedures often involve more discomfort than RF treatments and require a topical anesthetic to minimize pain. Most laser vaginal rejuvenation treatments also require some downtime following the procedure. With these laser treatments, which include FemiLift and diVa, patients must avoid sexual activity for up to a week after the treatment.
Even though these are nonsurgical treatments, some patients considering Mommy Makeover surgery also ask if they can include a procedure such as ThermiVa as part of the combination surgery. That’s acceptable in most cases. In addition to improving vaginal laxity, ThermiVa is also a good solution for secondary conditions such as:
- Occasional incontinence, especially when sneezing, coughing, or laughing
- Diminished sexual satisfaction and enjoyment
- Vaginal dryness
In some cases, I may recommend a patient get labiaplasty instead of pursuing nonsurgical treatments. If you’ve been thinking about vaginal rejuvenation and want to learn more about your options, contact us using the online form to request a private consultation or call us at one of our three Houston-area offices, (281) 282-9555 (Clear Lake), (713) 521-4777 (Med Center/Museum District), or (713) 436-2222 (Pearland).
Leave a Reply