NONSURGICAL VAGINAL REJUVENATION IN ATLANTA

Just like your skin, vaginal tissue is made of collagen fibers. Collagen is a protein that plays a protective and supportive role in your body. It’s a primary structural component of tissues like your skin, cartilage, muscles, ligaments and bones. Over time, your body naturally produces less collagen, and the collagen it does produce is of lower quality. One of the most visible effects of this change is in your skin, which becomes less firm and supple.

Collagen fibers in vaginal tissue can also lose their strength and shape, or be damaged by trauma, creating a feeling of looseness (laxity). Some of the most common causes of vaginal laxity include aging, lifestyle factors and genetic predisposition, as well as childbirth and other physical stress on the tissue. Women with vaginal laxity often find that the looseness is particularly noticeable around the vaginal opening, and that they have reduced sensation and satisfaction during intercourse.

Vaginal laxity is a very common medical condition. In fact, a Viveve-sponsored survey of US-based OB/GYN physicians found that it is the number one physical change that they observe or their patients report following vaginal childbirth — even more common than weight gain, stretch marks or incontinence. In a survey of more than 400 women in the US who had vaginal deliveries, nearly half reported experiencing issues with vaginal laxity.

In the past, the only available treatment options for vaginal laxity were surgery, which is costly and invasive, or pelvic floor exercises such as Kegels, which are limited in their effectiveness. And such treatments were only helpful if women brought their concerns to a doctor in the first place — despite the prevalence of these issues, many women stayed silent about their concerns for fear that nothing could be done or they’d be too embarrassed to talk about it.

Fortunately, times are changing, and women are feeling more and more empowered to take control of their sexual satisfaction and their overall quality of life.

Viveve, formerly known as Geneveve, has been called the “women’s Viagra” and deemed a breakthrough treatment for women seeking vaginal rejuvenation benefits without surgery. When collagen fibers in the vaginal tissue lose their strength or start to disappear, a woman may experience painful intercourse, the inability to climax or excessive vaginal dryness. All of these conditions can be addressed with Viveve, an innovative, clinically proven nonsurgical vaginal rejuvenation treatment. Viveve is currently used by physicians and women’s healthcare providers in over 50 countries worldwide.

Viveve uses cryogen-cooled monopolar radiofrequency (RF) technology to treat conditions of the vagina that affect a woman’s quality of life, including desire, lubrication, arousal and even orgasm. An ergonomically shaped wand delivers tiny pulses of RF energy into the deeper vaginal tissue while simultaneously cooling the surface tissue to maximize patient comfort.

The nonablative RF energy generates gentle heat that activates fibroblasts and stimulates the body’s natural collagen formation process. Collagen remodeling improves the integrity of the vaginal tissue, resulting in improved tightness, sexual function and sexual satisfaction. The new collagen fibers can also improve urinary continence. Sensitive tissues in the targeted area remain unharmed, thanks to Viveve’s patented integrated cooling mechanism.

The beneficial effects of Viveve appear over time. As collagen production increases, firmness, flexibility and tone return to the vaginal canal. This, in turn, heightens sexual sensation, enhances lubrication and improves mild urinary incontinence or bladder leakage.

Viveve is a safe, effective way to restore comfort and form to the vaginal canal. The benefits of the Viveve procedure include:

• Improves vaginal laxity
• Increases vaginal lubrication
• Increases vaginal sensitivity
• Reduces or eliminates stress urinary incontinence
• Can treat an overactive bladder
• Improves sexual function
• Restores arousal and ability to orgasm
• Reduces or eliminates vaginal pain and discomfort
• Increases quality and quantity of climax
• Results typically last a year or more
• Affordable and convenient treatment option

“Vaginal rejuvenation” is an umbrella term that encompasses several different types of procedures. These procedures can achieve a number of different goals and may be surgical or nonsurgical.

Two of the most common surgical options are labiaplasty and vaginoplasty. Labiaplasty is a cosmetic surgery that reshapes the outer or inner lips of the vagina. It is meant for exterior rejuvenation only. Vaginoplasty is a surgical procedure that achieves interior rejuvenation by tightening the vaginal canal. These procedures are invasive and come with greater risks and a longer, more painful recovery period.

Nonsurgical vaginal rejuvenation treatments like Viveve require no incisions or anesthesia. They are performed in an office treatment room with minimal discomfort, few recovery restrictions and no downtime. They work with your body’s natural processes, encouraging it to heal and revitalize itself.

Viveve is a suitable option for many women seeking vaginal rejuvenation. Women who have given birth or who are going through menopause are ideal candidates. These milestones can alter your vaginal tissues, causing reduced sensation during intercourse, painful intercourse, trouble reaching orgasm, difficulty wearing tampons and other concerns that impact your sexual and emotional health. Women who experience urinary leakage during daily activities like sneezing, laughing or exercise may also benefit greatly from using Viveve to improve these symptoms.

Age alone is not a determining factor. Women in many stages of life can benefit from a vaginal rejuvenation procedure if they have relevant concerns. Ideally, however, any woman considering Viveve should be in good physical health and have no contraindications to make treatment inadvisable. You may not be a candidate for Viveve if you have an implantable metal device, such as an implantable pacemaker or an Automatic Implantable Cardioverter/Defibrillator (AICD).

During your initial consultation in our Atlanta office, we will review your current health status and your medical history to make sure that Viveve will be safe and effective for you.

When you come in for your consultation, you’ll meet with us to discuss your particular concerns and your expectations for your vaginal rejuvenation procedure. We understand that this is a sensitive, and sometimes challenging, conversation for patients. We approach every consultation with the utmost personal concern and discretion, and all of the Muse Plastic Surgery team strive to make the practice a welcoming, compassionate and judgment-free space.

The consultation is your time to ask questions, raise any concerns you have and learn more about the Viveve procedure. It’s important to be as forthright with us as possible so we he can determine the best treatment plan for your unique circumstances. Based on what we learn during your consultation, we will create your personalized plan and provide you with any necessary guidelines to follow in preparation for your procedure.

Viveve treatments take place right in our Atlanta office. The procedure is performed without local or topical anesthesia — most patients only feel a slight tingling or warming sensation as the device heats and cools the tissues. During the procedure, the specially designed Viveve wand is carefully positioned within the vagina and slowly rotated to ensure all the tissues are treated evenly. The Viveve treatment takes just 30 minutes to distribute radiofrequency energy throughout the vaginal canal.

One of the most remarkable parts of this treatment is its lack of downtime. After your Viveve procedure, you are free to return to most normal activities immediately. However, we do recommend waiting at least 72 hours before using tampons or having sexual intercourse. This gives your tissues the necessary time to recover and begin the collagen restoration process. In many cases, Viveve is a procedure that can be done on your lunch break, as you can return to work right away with minimal or no side effects.

Viveve results are gradual because the procedure works by triggering collagen production. As new collagen fibers start to form, there is a significant tightening of the treated tissues. Collagen remodeling typically takes about two to three months to reach full effect, but many patients notice improvement within a few weeks after their Viveve treatment. Most patients experience a noticeable improvement in sensitivity and tightness, and a reduction in urinary continence issues, within six to nine weeks after their visit.

Women who undergo this nonsurgical vaginal rejuvenation therapy report feeling younger, more sensual and more confident with their partners. Viveve can improve vaginal firmness, enhance sexual arousal and sensation, increase lubrication, reduce pain during intercourse and improve the quality and quantity of sexual climax.

Only one Viveve treatment may be needed to obtain full results. This is a substantial improvement over other nonsurgical vaginal rejuvenation procedures, which often require multiple visits and a long wait time to experience results. Viveve results typically last 12 months or more, and patients can undergo more than one treatment throughout their lifetime.