Vaginal Laxity Treatment: What On Earth Is It And What Does It Do?

We ask the experts

If you're not sure what this treatment is (like we were, too), let Dr Sabika Karim, Cosmetic Physician at Revere Clinic answer all the questions you never knew you had...

What exactly is Vaginal Laxity treatment?

'Quite simply put, it’s a treatment that makes women feel better by plumping the tissue in the vaginal opening. Just like skin, vaginal tissue relies on collagen for its support. With the normal ageing process or physical stresses from child-bearing, the tissue can become overstretched and weakened. The result is very commonly a feeling of vaginal looseness called laxity, the side-effects of which can be a loss of sensation during intercourse, inability to orgasm or fewer orgasms and even urinary incontinence.'

'The Geneveve treatment was specifically designed to help the millions of women who would otherwise silently accept vaginal laxity. Geneveve works at a cellular level to rebuild and restore collagen within the vaginal tissue – without surgery, without pain and without down time. Taking just 30 minutes, vaginal laxity treatment safely delivers patented deep heating and surface cooling to stimulate the body’s own natural regenerative processes.'

Why do women need it?

'According to 81% of Obstetrics and Gynaecology practitioners, vaginal laxity often goes un-reported by their patients, and therefore untreated. This can have a profound effect on a woman’s sexual experience in terms of how much she can physically feel during intercourse, and by extension, her overall health and well-being. In multiple studies, including large, randomised, blinded and placebo-controlled trials, women who received the vaginal laxity treatment showed statistically significant and sustained improvements in vaginal tightness, sensation and satisfaction at 12 months.'

How old do you need to be to have it?

'It’s hard to specify a recommended age for the treatment, as your need for it can be very dependent on lifestyle. For example, if you’ve had children, the treatment may be more effective and feel more noticeable to you than to someone else your age who has never given birth. The vaginal tissue also becomes weakened from the natural ageing process, so the older you are, the more likely it is that you will benefit from the treatment - especially if you’ve had children.'

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How do you know you need it?

'The result of the vaginal tissue becoming overstretched or weakened is, most commonly, a feeling of vaginal looseness and lack of sensation during intercourse. If you’ve felt less of a physical sensation during intercourse than you did in your twenties, particularly since childbirth, and it’s impacting your sex life, Geneveve by Viveve is probably for you.

What does it do exactly?

'Geneveve uses tiny pulses of radio-frequency energy to gently heat the deeper layers of the vaginal tissue whilst simultaneously cooling and protecting the delicate surface. Since vaginal laxity is a problem that involves the full thickness of soft tissue and requires a treatment that reaches the deeper layers of tissue. Only the Geneveve treatment is able to treat the full thickness of the vaginal tissue. The vaginal tissue reacts to the heat by replenishing new youthful, cushioning collagen within the tissue.'

How will it feel?

'At the beginning of the procedure, the practitioner will insert a treatment tip (the size of a toothbrush without bristles) just inside the vaginal opening. This tip is circumferentially moved around the opening of the vagina delivering just the right amount of alternating pulses of heating and cooling. There is a comfortable feeling of warmth during the 30 minute Geneveve treatment. There is no pain or soreness during or after the procedure. Unlike surgical vaginal reconstruction procedures, the Geneveve by Viveve treatment can tighten vaginal tissue discreetly, without incisions, tissue abrasion or need for anaesthesia.'

Does it improve sex?

'Importantly, vaginal laxity treatment is not about cosmetic appearance, it is about how a woman feels. Only Geneveve shows proven, clinically validated improvements in tightness, sexual sensation and satisfaction. A gratifying sex-life correlates to overall health and vitality, so by improving a woman’s sex life, the Geneveve treatment contributes to overall well-being.'

Are there any side effects?

'No, there have been no reported side effects. During the treatment, the surfaces of the vaginal walls are not injured - only the area just inside the vaginal opening is treated. This means you return to normal activities immediately and the comfortable, quick and convenient nature of the treatment means there is no need for downtime or after-care.'

How often do you need to do it?

'It's often a single-session solution - its lasting results mean only one treatment should be needed to feel a difference. Everyone’s baseline level of laxity and natural response mechanisms may vary, but results typically peak at around 90 days and will still be evident in excess of 12 months.'