Dr. Seema Khareja

Vaginal rejuvenation is a surgical procedure or technique where the inner and outer muscles and structures around the vagina are surgically tightened. Remember that the vagina and surrounding tissues are composed of muscles and elastic tissue. With age and the process of childbirth, these go through a lot of changes. This could lead to changes in the way a woman experiences sex and improve her urinary function. All of this can affect overall health, both physically and emotionally.

Vaginal rejuvenation as a surgery helps to restore muscle tone, improve control and strength. It not just increases sexual pleasure, but can also relieve urinary incontinence.
Ideal candidates: Now, there are specific women who would benefit from this. They are:

• Women who desire a more youthful appearance and improved functioning of the vulva and vaginal areas.
• Women with weakened muscle tone and strength. This could be result of aging, trauma, genetics, or childbirth. In these women, the vaginal tissues are stretched and therefore have less tone and strength and poor control. The sexual experience may be less than satisfactory because of the laxity of these tissues.

Options: Rejuvenation of the vagina can begin with a nonsurgical option and progress to gradually invasive modes.

• The first option would be the Kegel exercise. This involves conscious effort on the woman to hold her breath and consciously control the pelvic floor muscle contractions. This can be done anywhere and often yields wonderful results.
• The second option is the laser wherein a beam of fractional laser light is used to heat the vaginal tissues to about 60 to 70 degrees Celsius. This increased heat causes neocollagenesis, which is the production of new collagen that is firmer and more elastic. The result is growth of a thicker, more youthful vaginal lining.
• The next option would be surgical where the vaginal tissues are surgically manipulated to remove excess, redundant tissue, or shaped to improve cosmetic appearance. This is often required if the pelvic floor muscles have separated. These exercises need to be followed up with Kegel for long-lasting results.

Results:

1. Increases friction during sexual intercourse
2. Improves control over vaginal tissues and muscles
3. Improves sexual satisfaction
4. Improves cosmetic appearance of the vaginal area
5. Reduces internal and external vaginal diameters
6. Strengthens the pelvic floor, and can also help relieve urinary incontinence

What to expect?

1. This procedure may not be covered by insurance
2. Get yourself in safe hands and be clear on what to expect. Expectation mismatch can be a big disappointment post-surgery, and there is nothing much that can be done about that aspect. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.