Vaginal Rejuvenation for Menopausal Symptoms: What to Know

Women going through genital atrophy are presented with a wide range of treatment plans. One such option is vaginal rejuvenation.

Vaginal Rejuvenation for Pain and Discomfort

Vaginal rejuvenation is a high-tech laser procedure that has been both beneficial and controversial in nature in recent years. It is used to treat genital atrophy as a result of menopause. Genital atrophy is in fact a common ailment that many women experience after menopause, cancer treatment or sexual intercourse. It’s a condition where the vaginal wall gets thin and dry, leading to painful urination and inflammation of the surrounding area. The treatment options for genital atrophy, however, are limited. Some physicians choose to treat it with regional hormone therapy; others want to experiment with vaginal rejuvenation or fractional CO2 laser procedure.

Beneficial or Controversial?

While the laser has been utilized for a wide range of treatments for years, its use in treating genital atrophy is considered to be fairly new and bound with confusion. What is also new is the processing unit for this specific procedure and its ability to treat the illness differently. Yet, many physicians are still weighing the pros and cons of laser for genital atrophy, and some have even come to a conclusion that it’s worth the clinical trials, effort and time learning new things.

Although fractional CO2 laser is believed to relieve symptoms associated with genital atrophy, some doctors and surgeons are reluctant to offer this option due to the fact that it’s not FDA approved. While the hope is to make vaginal rejuvenation a mainstream treatment for women experiencing pain and inflammation due to menopause, experts in the medical industry want to get the word out and put less pressure on the insurance payers. This means most insurance providers may not agree to participate in the cost-sharing process as of this writing. Moreover, there are no specific data proving the procedure’s efficiency, long-term results and possible side effects.

The Candidate

Nevertheless, fractional CO2 laser for genital atrophy is not an easy treatment choice for those suffering from a declining health condition. The laser energy may have been precisely positioned to create shallow holes in the wall of the vagina. Or it may have just started to stimulate the natural response system of the body. But unless the patient’s immune system is in overall good shape, this procedure is not recommended by the few physicians familiar with it, or the FDA for that matter.

The Process

For those who want to know what the vaginal rejuvenation process looks like, here are the details. To begin, the patient is given a numbing cream in order to lessen the pain and discomfort during the procedure. This is followed by a quick laser guiding that lasts around 5 to 10 minutes. The entire treatment plan involves four to five appointments, during which the patient’s symptoms and side effects are monitored. Most patients are expected to see improvements after their third visit. Again, what side effects the patient will experience and how well they will respond to the procedure is unique to the patient.

Every woman is unique, which means whether or not vaginal rejuvenation is the right procedure for you is a personal choice. If you have been experiencing pain and discomfort post-menopause or post-surgery, your next step is to contact an experienced OBGYN and follow their guidelines to feel your old self once again.