Correcting Vaginal Laxity

The vagina is made up of 3 layers – soft tissue, smooth muscle and bundles of fiber, all of which works to contract and relax it as required. During childbirth the vaginal canal stretches and when it returns to some extent to its pre-childbirth condition, it will not have its original tone and muscle control. The condition gets worse with each subsequent birth and also with age. This laxity is the reason many women experience a sense of looseness in the vaginal area. The results are lessening of pleasure during intercourse, change in appearance of the labia or vulva majora and often incontinence. Another effect that many women find is that of dryness.

In the past exercises, gels and surgical options were used to cure this condition. There is now a new treatment, ThermiVa, which offers a safe non-surgical and effective remedy.

What is ThermiVa?

ThermiVa is a state of the art hand held device that uses radio frequency to deliver accurate and controlled heat to the areas to be treated. This agitates the collagen causing it to shrink and tighten thereby reducing the laxity. In addition the application of this thermal energy stimulates the production of new collagen which helps the healing process. The new collagen helps to revitalize and thicken the tissue, and by doing so augments the tightening process. The heat that is delivered is controlled between 104 to 113 degrees F, so there is no danger of burning.

The Benefits

• ThermiVa is a safe FDA approved procedure.
• It is non-surgical and non-invasive and can be performed in the doctor’s office.
• The procedure involves 3 treatments that are done 4 to 6 weeks apart.
• The procedure normally takes less than half an hour and the patient is able to resume all normal activities, including sexual intercourse, immediately.
• Minimal discomfort is felt during the procedure.
• It is very effective in treating vaginal laxity.
• The results can be felt immediately after the first treatment and the improvement continues over the next 3 months.
• Unlike some surgical procedures which advise against future pregnancies, there is no restriction on a woman becoming pregnant again after the ThermiVa treatment.
• The device is single use thereby removing the possibilities of infections from it.
• Maintenance treatments are required only once or twice a year.
• It is cost effective when compared to other options.
• ThermiVa can be used on women of all ages and ethnicities.

The Risks

The risks associated with the procedure are minimal. In a few cases a patient may feel slight vaginal irritation for 24 hours after the procedure. If required, the doctor can prescribe medication to deal with this, though it is usually not required. The feeling of warmth during the procedure may, in some cases, cause a slight discomfort but this will disappear after the treatment is over.

While ThermiVa is a safe and effective procedure, only a specialist will be able to advise you if it is the right option for you of if another procedure could offer better results. Talk to a gynecologist about the problems you face to learn if ThermiVa is right for you.