NO MORE FREQUENT PEEING, DRYNESS OR DISCOMFORT
EVER since Dr. Jennifer Jose, MD of St. Luke's Global City, acquired the vaginal rejuvenation treatment 18 months ago, she has already served close to 400 patients.
As a urogynecolgist, a specialist in pelvic floor disorders, Dr. Jose says the laser-based apparatus Femilift has many applications.
It can also be used to treat recurrent vaginal infections, itchiness, vaginitis or vaginal inflammation resulting in discharge or pain, lichen sclerosus (the vagina thins out and has patchy plaques that are very itchy) and vestibulitis syndrome (intense pain in the vulva and the vagina). "The medicines and steroids do not work all the time. This CO2 laser addresses the problem," says Dr. Jose.
She adds that it is a more advanced and effective solution than conventional treatments. Antibiotics are the usual cure for urinary tract infection and vaginitis. However, its side effects can harm the liver when repeatedly used.
Kegel exercises for pelvic control were designed to strengthen the pelvic floor and prevent urinary incontinence. "If you are not contracting the right mus- cles, they won't work," she says.
Lubricants are superficial remedies for dryness. "It's like putting lotion on top of a table. Once the lotion is gone, it's dry again," she says.
Estrogen creams also have side effects. "Estrogen seeps into the blood vessels. What if you have a breast mass? It can promote malignancy for those who are high risk. I do not recommend hormone creams to women with breast cancer. Femilift is a very good treatment for urogenital atrophy for women with breast issues. I amcareful to prescribe estrogen to patients because of its side effects," she says.
Convenience is another advantage for laser-based therapy. "Some women surprisingly want to have the treatment done immediately. There is no downtime. It's like undergoing a transvaginal ultrasound. I insert the probe and perform the procedure in five minutes. Once it's done, the patient can do anything," says Dr. Jose.
She has been conducting a study that compares local results with the international data. These patients, aged 35 to 80, do not want to undergo surgery.
"If I detect mild incontinence after an examination, I recommend the laser. If you want a better quality of life for longer years of non-leaking, then opt for surgery if it is a moderate type of incontinence," says Jose.
Femilift requires three sessions in 12 weeks with a "memory dose" after a year.
The success rate has been extremely high. Cases of leaking when coughing, sneezing, laughing or before reaching the loo are common.
Incontinence is caused by weakening of the pelvic support muscles. This is due to the decrease of the collagen and elastin fibers in menopause, and the decline in estrogen, the hormone that prevents the depletion of collagen in menopause.
"After laser treatment, the tissues regenerate. There is new collagen. The urethra, where the urine comes out, is strengthened. There is no leakage. It is important that patients should be examined properly. This laser is good only for mild incontinence," maintains Dr. Jose.
She cites a patient who developed recurrent bladder infection due to constant vaginal discharge. The laser-based therapy stimulated the renewal of the tissues in the vagina. "The bacteria is gone in the vaginal tissue. There is less incidence of infection," she says.
"Some women complain of pain or burning when urinating. Then there is the irritated bladder—they want to go to the bathroom all the day. The lack of estrogen makes the bladder dry. Even a little amount of urine in the bladder will make them want to go to the bathroom all the time. After the Femilift treatment, women can sleep through the night, and not get up several times to pee."
The gentle emission of the laser stirs up a natural healing response that results in a thicker and renewed vaginal lining.
"There is no recurrent vaginitis. No need to take different antibiotics to cure them because we are actually changing the lining of the vaginal tissue. It's a big help," says Dr. Jose.
In the past, women opted for surgery for vestibulitis when creams did not help. The laser rejuvenates the tissues.
"The CO2 laser will stimulate the collagen and elastin fibers in the dermis. The vagina then becomes soft because of increased blood vessel formation. The increase in elastin fibers makes the vagina more pliable There is also an increase in glycogen and metalloproteinaises, a substance under the epidermis which is rich in glycogen and lubricates the lining," she says.
Dr. Jose says Femilift has many uses in aesthetics.
The laser-based treatment also improves the vulva structure when the loose areolar tissue and skin start sagging after constantly being pulled by frequent Brazilian wax treatments.
Femilift also has cautery tips for treatment of warts in the pelvic area. "With this laser, you are able to target the warts only. The surrounding tissues are not damaged," she says.