Vaginal Rejuvenation - Types, Treatment, and Complications

What Is Vaginal Rejuvenation?

Vaginal rejuvenation involves the restoration of the form and function of the vagina. Various reasons, such as aging, heredity, and childbirth, causes the vagina and surrounding tissues to lose their strength and elasticity. Eventually, this causes several problems, including incontinence (leaking pee), dry vagina, sagging skin, and diminished sexual pleasure. Many women turn to vaginal rejuvenation to restore the strength and elasticity of the tissues. Both surgical and non-surgical methods are available for vaginal rejuvenation.

What Are the Reasons for Getting Vaginal Rejuvenation?

Vaginal rejuvenation addresses vaginal dryness, looseness, and lack of sexual pleasure due to childbirth or menopause. This procedure helps to overcome these issues and boosts women's self-esteem.

These include:

• Loss of elasticity.

• Loss of lubrication and increased dryness.

• Irritation of vaginal tissues.

• Decreased tonicity of tissues around the vagina.

• Uncontrolled discharge of urine during jumping, sneezing, or laughing.

• Decrease of sexual pleasure due to loss of sensations.

• Pain during sex.

• Involuntary urination due to loose muscles.

What Are the Different Types of Surgical Vaginal Rejuvenation Treatments?

Vaginal rejuvenation requires a range of procedures that gynecologists or plastic surgeons perform. These procedures are also referred to as vaginoplasty. There are both surgical and non-surgical procedures involved in vaginal rejuvenation.

Surgical procedure for vaginal rejuvenation:

• Surgical procedures are generally performed under general anesthesia.

• The gynecologist or plastic surgeon generally explains the surgery's anatomy, procedure, and what to expect.

• Patients should discuss the issues which need to be addressed, and the doctor will evaluate and suggest the treatment.

• Surgical procedures usually take one or two hours, depending on the reconstruction required.

• The surgeon makes incisions in the vagina or vulva, depending on the type of surgery.

• After the surgery, the incisions are closed using resorbable sutures and doctors' advice for post-operative precautions and instructions to follow.

Some of the common surgeries which are done in vaginal rejuvenation are

• Labiaplasty: This procedure is done to reduce the size of the labia minora (tissue begins from the clitoris and ends at the opening of the vagina) or reshape the labia. Labia are lips and usually short, wrinkled, or sometimes smooth. They are typically brown to pinkish. This procedure should not be done below 18 years of age as the labia develop after puberty.

• Vaginoplasty: This procedure involves the repair of the birth canal that is traumatized during childbirth. This procedure also treats other pelvic floor complications. This procedure is done in transgender people to build a vagina and help them achieve their identity as females.

• Clitoral Hood Reduction: This procedure involves the removal of excess tissue folds on the clitoris. This skin fold is called the clitoris hood. It is usually sensitive, and people with ample skin folds are more prone to infection. Clitoris hood reduction helps to reduce this issue.

• Monsplasty: This procedure involves the removal of excess skin and fat tissue or fat pad from the pubic bone. This is usually seen when excessive weight gain or sagging is due to fat accumulation. This fat tissue is called mons pubis and forms a bulge in the pelvis. This procedure can be done with a scalpel or laser.

• Vulvoplasty: This procedure involves reshaping external genitals such as mons, labia, clitoris, and urethral opening.

• Perineoplasty: This involves the tightening or reshaping of the area between the anus and vagina. This area is called the perineum. This procedure helps to minimize the vaginal opening after childbirth.

Are there Non-Surgical Vaginal Rejuvenation Treatments?

• Non-Surgical vaginal rejuvenation techniques are noninvasive and require little recovery time.

• They support vaginal tightening and toning without the use of incisions or surgery.

• The top layers of vaginal tissue are heated as part of non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation.

• The underlying tissue responds by producing more collagen and fresh, more rigid tissue.

• This procedure is generally painless, and no anesthesia is required. However, surgeons may use topical anesthetic agents to prevent discomfort.

Different types of non-surgical treatments include:

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Laser Treatment:

• This procedure is usually done in five to thirty minutes, depending on laser intensity and type of treatment.

• During this procedure, a probe (or wand) is put into the vagina or guided across the external genitals to achieve vaginal rejuvenation, tightening, and toning.

• The probe's light-like top heats the tissue, and heat is applied to the troubled areas.

• The doctor or surgeon twists the wand or utilizes light strokes during the procedure.

• This process promotes collagen formation in the lower layers and helps create firmer and toned tissue.

RF (Radio Frequency) Treatment:

• This procedure involves the use of electromagnetic waves to heat the vaginal tissues.

• These waves are similar to the waves used in microwaves.

• These waves heat the tissues, increase blood flow, boost collagen production, and create a tighter vagina.

• Sometimes surgeons may use local anesthesia during the procedure.

What Are the Post Operative Instructions for the Patients?

• Patients are advised to take medications as suggested by the doctor.

• Avoid strenuous activity for six weeks and swim for three months to heal properly.

• Sitting will be uncomfortable for one typical month.

• Labial swelling is common and can be minimized by applying ice on the perineum every hour for ten minutes.

• Avoid wearing tight, uncomfortable clothing as these may cause friction and promote bacterial infection.

• Sexual activity should be avoided for at least three months or more, depending on surgeons' advice in case of surgical procedures.

• In non-surgical procedures, sexual activity can be resumed after three to five days.

• Care should be taken to wash the hands before touching the genital areas.

• Patients can start bathing after the first postoperative visit, and gentle washing with water is recommended in vaginal regions.

Complications:

• Continuous pain.

• Bleeding.

• Infection at the surgical site.

• Pain during sex (dyspareunia).

What Is the Recommended Waiting Period Before Engaging in Sexual Activity Following Vaginal Rejuvenation?

For Nonsurgical treatment - Wait three to five days before having sex. Look for signs of infection or bleeding first. Also, avoid using tampons or putting anything in your vagina during recovery.

For Surgical Treatment - People might need to avoid sex for several weeks until the area heals and the stitches are gone. Talk to the concerned surgeon or provider about what to do during recovery.

What Is the Longevity of Vaginal Rejuvenation Treatments?

It varies depending on the type of treatment. Laser and RF (radio frequency) treatments often require multiple sessions, and their effects are not permanent. Surgical procedures might last longer, but there is no assurance that the results will be permanent.

Conclusion:

Vaginal rejuvenation helps in tightening the skin in and around the vagina. This procedure helps with issues such as sexual dysfunction, involuntary urination or leaking of urine, and pain during sex due to vaginal dryness. Results are temporary and may require additional surgical procedures to have a long-lasting effect