luis-machado-nCGl8FrGHb0-unsplash

What is Vaginal Atrophy and What Treatments Are There?

Jul 23, 2021 2:37:00 PM

Many women face the arrival of menopause with mixed feelings. On the plus side, you can say goodbye to monthly cramps and the inconvenience of dealing with your period, and you will no longer have to worry about getting pregnant. On the down side, women often experience hot flashes, mood swings and other uncomfortable consequences as they journey through menopause. Thankfully, these symptoms are only temporary.

However, about half of women suffer from ongoing symptoms associated with menopause, including: 

  • Vaginal dryness
  • Vaginal itching, or burning during urination
  • Discomfort (sometimes outright pain) during intercourse
  • Occasional leakage when she coughed or laughed too hard
  • Feeling an urgent need to urinate
  • Recurring bladder infections

The Cause? Vaginal Atrophy

Doctors now refer to vaginal atrophy by a broader name that reflects all these symptoms -- genitourinary syndrome of menopause, or GSM for short. Vaginal atrophy occurs as the body stops producing estrogen, which happens during menopause, although estrogen loss can also be triggered by other factors such as certain breast cancer treatments.

What can you do?

  1. Kegel exercises – rhythmic contraction of the pelvic floor muscles – are believed to help strengthen the vagina and improve blood flow. Doctors usually recommend doing at least 30-40 per day, but not all at once.
  2. Over-the-counter products can provide temporary relief from external itching. Vaginal moisturizers such as Replens or K-Y Liquibeads can help replace some of the natural internal hydration lost after menopause. Other types of lubricants (K-Y Jelly or Astroglide, for example) can increase lubrication for more comfortable sex.
  3. Estrogen therapy, typically in the form of oral medication, can get to the heart of the matter by restoring this essential hormone that promotes vaginal health. However, estrogen therapy comes with significant and potentially dangerous side-effects, so many woman don’t want that option. And it’s not suitable for women who have had breast cancer or are undergoing certain types of cancer treatment.
  4. Topical estrogen is a less onerous alternative. These prescription-only products also help replace lost estrogen, but their effects are confined to the vaginal area and the dosage is much smaller, which further reduces health risks. Vaginal estrogen is available in a cream, as a suppository or tablet, or as a flexible, insertable ring.

These vaginal atrophy treatments are all quite different, and some of them address only specific symptoms. The one thing they all have in common is that you have to keep using them to continue to experience the benefits.

MonaLisa Touch Delivers Long-Term Results

MonaLisa Touch is a non-invasive laser treatment specifically designed to address GSM symptoms.

It is safe, highly effective and produces proven results. MonaLisa Touch delivers gentle, precisely targeted heat energy that treats the entire vaginal area, internally and externally. The treatment stimulates renewed natural production of healthy skin tissue and blood flow. That helps restore natural hydration and lubrication as well as pre-menopausal pH levels within the vaginal canal. Just three 5-minute sessions can dramatically improve function and comfort.

Major gain, and no pain! You, too, can join the ranks of thousands of women around the world who are telling their friends about MonaLisa Touch. But you don’t have to wait for a friend to call, you can make an appointment right now to start treating your vaginal atrophy symptoms once and for all.

New call-to-action