Life has a way of changing a woman’s body. It seems like all of our life stages are doing their best to leave a mark on our bodies. From puberty to pregnancy to menopause, a woman’s body is in a constant state of change. For many women, the body changes wrought over a lifetime can mean feminine health concerns and a lack of confidence down the road. Dr. Bruce Kadz in Beverly Hills, CA wants every woman to reclaim her feminine confidence with vaginal rejuvenation.

What Is Vaginal Rejuvenation?

Vaginal rejuvenation is an umbrella term that refers to any kind of treatment that corrects the state of the vagina. Rejuvenation is a broad way of speaking about treatments that correct the appearance and function of both the interior and exterior vagina. Rejuvenation treatments such as these are rapidly gaining popularity among women who are ready to empower themselves by addressing their feminine health concerns.

Common Feminine Health Concerns

Recently women have been growing bolder in talking about feminine health – as they should. As modern women, we know that over 40% of women over the age of 18 suffer from feminine sexual dysfunction and that over 30% of women over age 50 have urinary incontinence. We also know that women are more conscious now than ever about the appearance of the vagina, especially in intimate settings. Let’s take a closer look at the most common feminine health concerns.

Feminine Sexual Dysfunction

Feminine sexual dysfunction is a medical term that references the wide range of sexual dysfunctions women can have. Sexual dysfunction in women can be experienced at any age but is generally more common after childbirth and menopause. However, even young women can experience sexual dysfunction. Symptoms of feminine sexual dysfunction include:

Painful or uncomfortable intercourse
Difficulty reaching orgasm
Dryness of the vagina
Difficulty being aroused or creating natural lubrication
Lack of sexual interest

Feminine sexual dysfunction can greatly impact many aspects of a woman’s life, including her intimacy with a partner, her sexual confidence, and her self-confidence. As sex is a normal, healthy human experience, it can be distressing for women who have sexual dysfunction since it feels like they are missing out on a natural part of being human. For most women, feminine sexual dysfunction is not something that resolves itself. Feminine sexual dysfunction is commonly treated by hormone therapy and rejuvenation treatments for the vagina.

Incontinence

Incontinence is a term that describes the inability to prevent urine leaking. Both stress incontinence and urinary incontinence are twice as common in women than in men, but as of now, finding the right treatment for incontinence issues is a challenge. Both types of incontinence are thought to be caused by a combination of an overactive bladder and a weakening of the muscles in the vagina. Treatments for incontinence include adult sanitary underwear, hormone treatments, medication, and vaginal treatments.

Vaginal Appearance

More and more women are concerned about the appearance of the vagina. The way the vagina looks and feels is a huge part of sexual confidence during intimacy, so women who are self-conscious about the shape of their labia or pubis mons can shy away from sexual encounters. Common concerns with vaginal appearance include:

Loose labia
Distended clitoris
Vaginal laxity
Vaginal muscle atrophy

Being concerned with the appearance of your vagina is not an issue of vanity – in fact, having confidence in your vaginal appearance can lead to a more active sex life, a greater interest in your overall health, and boost your self-esteem. Additionally, correcting the shape or tightness of the vagina can also make clothes, such as underwear and swimwear, fit better.

Causes for Feminine Health Concerns

What is the cause for feminine health concerns? It’s understandable that many women want to know where to point the finger and assign responsibility for the embarrassing, and often distressing, feminine health concerns that impact their lives so greatly. There are three main causes for feminine health concerns:

Hormones

Without a doubt, hormones are the biggest culprit behind most feminine health concerns. As many women know first-hand from monthly menstruation, even the slightest change in our hormonal balance can lead to mood swings, changes in appetite, and the formation of acne. It shouldn’t come as any surprise then that sustained hormonal changes can significantly alter feminine health. Hormonal imbalance is a major contributor to feminine sexual dysfunction, as well as incontinence.

Childbirth

Pregnancy is a wonderful journey, but natural childbirth takes a toll. In addition to stretching the vaginal muscles and tissues, natural childbirth can also damage the nerves in the vagina that are associated with sexual stimulation and cause a significant hormone imbalance. Childbirth can completely alter the appearance of the vagina as well, particularly the labial folds. And women who have given birth are more likely to experience incontinence issues, even years after childbirth.

Aging

Aging is another common cause of feminine health concerns. As we age, our production of both hormones and proteins like collagen begins to slow. The natural aging process often means that vaginal tissues become dry and thin, a lack of libido develops, and incontinence issues become more common. Rejuvenation treatments can reverse many of these changes related to aging for women who are post-menopausal.

Common Vaginal Rejuvenation Treatments

There are many common rejuvenation treatments for the vagina. These treatments can be surgical or non-surgical. It is important to note that the invasiveness of many of these treatments is comparable to visiting an OB/GYN for a women’s annual check-up or a pap smear. Some common rejuvenation treatments include:

Labiaplasty

A labiaplasty is a corrective surgery procedure for an enlarged labia. This surgery creates a more youthful appearance for the exterior by removing excess skin and tightening the outside tissues of the vagina. You can think of a labiaplasty as equivalent to a facelift.

Vaginoplasty

While some consider a vaginoplasty to be interchangeable with a labiaplasty, these are two different surgical procedures. A vaginoplasty tightens all vaginal tissues, particularly those that are affected by aging or childbirth. It is common to combine a vaginoplasty with a labiaplasty for a more comprehensive rejuvenation.

Energy-Based

Energy-based treatments refer to minimally-invasive techniques that use advanced technology, such as radiofrequency and CO2 lasers, to rejuvenate the vagina. Energy-based treatments are good options for patients with mild to moderate concerns about the appearance of the vagina. Most energy-based treatments only rejuvenate the exterior of the vagina, but there are some treatment options that also correct muscle and tissue laxity within the vagina.

O Shot

The O Shot is a minimally-invasive treatment, a plasma formed with your own blood, to stimulate the body’s natural regenerative abilities. The O Shot is a good option for patients who are more concerned with sexual dysfunction, as this treatment is also called the orgasm shot.

Hormone Therapy

Both bioidentical hormones and hormone replacement therapy are common solutions used to address feminine health concerns. Hormone therapy is typically used to address sexual dysfunction and incontinence issues as it is thought to correct the root hormonal causes of these health concerns. Hormone therapy is sometimes used in conjunction with other rejuvenation treatments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is There a Right Time for Treatment?

Many women want to know if there is an ideal time to have a rejuvenation treatment for the vagina, and the answer is yes. It is best to rejuvenate the vagina after you no longer plan to have children. Most physicians will recommend waiting 6 to 9 months after childbirth to have a treatment.

Are Results Permanent?

Yes, they can be. Surgical treatments for rejuvenation are generally permanent, while non-surgical energy-based treatments can last for several months at a time. You will enjoy the results of a rejuvenation for a longer amount of time if you do not get pregnant again and do not gain a significant amount of weight.

What Can You Expect From a Consultation?

When you come in for your consultation, you can expect it to follow many of the same steps as a visit to the OB/GYN. We will talk about your feminine health concerns, your treatment goals, and your general medical history, particularly if you are pregnant, planning to be pregnant, or currently breastfeeding. We may examine the vagina for a better assessment to determine which rejuvenation treatment is right for you.

When Will You See Results?

How quickly you will see results depends on what kind of rejuvenation treatment you have. For surgical treatments, you will immediately notice a change in the appearance of the vagina once you have recovered from the procedure. For non-surgical treatments, the time for results varies depending on what the method of treatment was. Energy-based treatments show results after 2 to 4 weeks, while the O Shot and hormone therapy show results 3 to 6 weeks after treatment.