As you readied yourself for the menopausal experience, you may have prepared for hot flashes, mood swings, and sleepless nights. But you may not have expected the dryness, sensitivity, and other vaginal changes that can make sexual intercourse dissatisfying and sometimes downright painful.
Medically identified as vaginal atrophy, vaginal changes associated with menopause tend to last — unless you seek treatment. Here’s the good news: There are many beneficial treatments available that can help restore and rejuvenate your vaginal tissue.
The experts at The Ob-Gyn Center in Las Vegas specialize in all facets of women’s health, including your sexual well-being after menopause. These talented and well-respected professionals often recommend their patients consider MonaLisa Touch® to help reverse the negative impact of menopause on vaginal health and your sex life.
What is vaginal atrophy?
Vaginal atrophy describes thinning, drying, and inflammation of the skin lining your vaginal walls. It’s a result of dropping estrogen levels that are most often related to menopause. About half of all menopausal women experience negative changes in their vaginal health.
Because many women with vaginal atrophy also have problems with urinary incontinence, genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is sometimes used to more accurately describe vaginal changes related to menopause. Whatever you choose to call it, vaginal atrophy can create a host of frustrating and painful symptoms.
What are the symptoms of vaginal atrophy?
Symptoms of vaginal atrophy often vary in frequency and intensity. They can be mild, moderate, or severe and may include:
- Persistent vaginal dryness marked by burning, itching, and unusual discharge
- Itching throughout the genital area
- Burning discomfort with urination
- Increased frequency of urinary tract infections
- Sensation of urgency or unexpected loss of urine (stress urinary incontinence) with laughing, coughing, or minimal physical activity
- Decreased vaginal lubrication during sexual activity
- Mild to severe discomfort with intercourse
- Loss of erotic sensation during sexual intercourse
You may also notice a change in the appearance of your external genitalia due to a loss of elasticity and tone with significant redness and visible cracks in the skin that indicate ongoing dryness and irritation.
How can MonaLisa Touch help with vaginal atrophy?
Designed with your safety and comfort in mind, the MonaLisa Touch system uses advanced fractional laser technology to deliver gentle warmth to the vaginal walls via a vaginal probe. The laser energy passes through the surface tissue and interacts with the deeper tissue layers. This stimulates your body to increase blood flow to the region and prompts the production of higher levels of collagen, elastin, and other tissue-rebuilding substances.
As your body increases its production of these natural repair and rebuilding processes, your vaginal tissue strengthens and tightens, becoming more elastic as natural lubrication returns. These improvements cause the symptoms of vaginal atrophy to lessen and even fade completely over time.
Because it’s a natural process, you can expect improvements to continue for several weeks after a MonaLisa Touch session. For optimal results, we recommend several treatments spaced several weeks apart initially and then maintenance visits about once a year or as necessary to maintain your vaginal health.
What happens during a MonaLisa Touch treatment?
We give you complete details before scheduling your first session. Generally, though, it’s an in-office procedure that fits well into busy schedules. The treatment itself takes about five minutes. As you recline in that familiar pelvic exam position, your physician inserts the vaginal probe, and the laser does its work.
The probe is designed specifically for treating gynecologic conditions such as vaginal atrophy. Advanced safety measures regulate the temperature so that you experience a consistent, gentle warmth that’s typically very well-tolerated.
You won’t need recovery time following a MonaLisa Touch treatment, although we may recommend you refrain from sexual intercourse for a few days. Otherwise, it’s back to your normal routine once you leave the office.
Don’t let the changes associated with menopause interfere with your sexual intimacy and pleasure. Schedule a visit today at The Ob-Gyn Center to discuss whether MonaLisa Touch is right for you.