genito pelvic laxity remains a heterogenous medical condition that is treated by a variety of health care professionals including obstetricians, gynecologists, urologists, dermatologists, and plastic surgeons. there remains much confusion regarding definitions of esthetic and functional pelvic laxity as well as which therapeutic intervention may be best suited to treat this condition. there are currently no commonly accepted vernacular, definitions, medical etiology, and predisposing risk factors to this medical and esthetic condition. there is no accepted standardization for assessment and treatment paradigms.
what are the symptoms of vaginal laxity?
most of the symptoms that come with vaginal laxity are related to the woman's sexual life. this is why they can have a normal life, even when they suffer from it. women affected may have:
● a decreased sexual function and libido.
● sounds produced by the expulsion of air during sex, exercises or some specific movements.
● loss of vaginal lubrication.
● problems to achieve orgasm during intercourse and lower sexual satisfaction.
which are the causes of vaginal laxity?
there are many reasons why this condition occurs and while these causes may differ somewhat from woman to woman, the most common causes are ageing and childbirth
the ageing process affects everyone's body. the loss of
collagen fibres makes the skin and other tissues thinner. of course, vaginal tissues are also affected by this. another consequence of ageing is menopause, which is a phase where oestrogen production diminishes. this hormone is related to the growth, maintenance, and repair of the vaginal tissues.
pregnancy and childbirth can drastically change a woman's body. it does not matter if a woman has had natural labour or a cesarean section, the pressure of the pregnancy will affect the pelvic muscles and the vaginal tissues.
how is vaginal laxity diagnosed?
it is important to know that there is not a specific way or test to diagnose vaginal laxity. the diagnosis is basically made by the doctor through taking a history and genital physical exam. having done this, the doctor will recommend treatment
vaginal laxity treatment
we all know having kids places huge demands on our bodies. one of the most affected, yet least spoken about issues, is that of our vagina being stretched to the max and therefore creating a feeling of looseness and decreased feeling of sensation and sexual satisfaction during intercourse. in a survey of over four hundred women, nearly half reported some level of vaginal looseness, or what is known as vaginal laxity.
viveve is a non-surgical vaginal treatment that tightens and tones the vaginal canal. the radio frequency energy combined with cryogen cooling penetrates through the mucosal tissues to act directly on the
collagen layer to stimulate cellular
collagen growth. over a 12 week period, the
collagen remodels and strengthens to support not only the vaginal tissues but also creates an improved
collagen hammock under the urethra that acts a bit like a “natural” sling to decrease stress incontinence.
● performed in the comfort of our clinic
● typically takes 40 minutes
● well-tolerated and doesn’t require anaesthesia
● little to no downtime, you can go back to your normal activities following the procedure, with the exception of no sexual intercourse for 48 hours
viveve can increase feelings of vaginal tightness. treating the vaginal opening and the vulval tissues also provides a visible and cosmetic outcome. the partners of women we have treated commonly comment that intercourse feels more like it did prior to having kids.
in a sexual satisfaction survey of women who had undergone the viveve treatment after experiencing vaginal deliveries, 67% of the women reported an increase in vaginal tightness at 30 days, and 87% at 6 months after the treatment.
to date the treatment has been tested in two prospective clinical trials in the usa and japan which assessed the safety and efficacy of the treatment. the results from both studies showed that at 12 months after treatment vaginal tightness improved significantly (for 88% of women in the study), often to pre-childbirth levels, with a 68% mean increase in vaginal laxity scores, with no serious adverse effects reported in either study.