Our Philosophy at the Menopause Center:
Vaginal Rejuvenation is part of an integrated approach to get your sex life back on track.
This approach starts with a consult with Dr. Melinda Hall, an experienced gynecologist and menopause practitioner who is considered an expert in female sexual dysfunction. First, we balance your hormones and make sure the vagina is as healthy as possible, then, if needed and desired, we progress to advanced procedures for sexual health.
Vaginal Tightening…
It is not a secret that getting older or giving birth may leave the vagina somewhat looser than it used to be. No woman is immune to experiencing a loose vagina, causing less sensation…however now there are non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation procedures to help solve looseness and lack of friction during sex.
These laser treatments use a minimally invasive technique will make your vaginal walls tighter, restore tone to your tissue, increase blood flow and most importantly boost your sexual pleasure. All of these beneficial factors may increase your lubrication and strengthen the supporting ligament surrounding your bladder and urethra to reduce symptoms of stress urinary incontinence.
Vaginal PRP Rejuvenation…
The loss of desire and difficulty in having an orgasm affects millions of women on a daily basis. Independent of the woman’s age, these disorders affect a woman’s life and self-esteem. Many factors are implicated in a woman’s sexual arousal disorder, with hormonal, physical, psychological and relationship issue being contributing problems.
At The Menopause Center, we treat women of many ages for these problems, but specific to menopausal and peri-menopausal women, several physiologic changes occur. The body produces decreasing amounts of estrogen and testosterone, both contributing to a lack of interest in sex.
This decrease in hormones is often followed by a thinning of the vaginal tissue, and sex of any type may hurt. As this is a gradual process, many women continue sexual relations, even if painful, and may eventually develop chronic pain in the vagina, and then sexual intercourse becomes unbearable.
Even if the vagina is in good health, many complain of a change in sexual function. Complaints range from not being able to have an orgasm at all, to it taking forever for it to happen, only to be disappointed in the decreased strength of the orgasm.
Many other factors play a role, including a poor body self-image that may develop with age. Most women gain weight around the middle with menopause, the vulva may hang down more than when younger, the vagina may be too tight or too loose.
Many women are embarrassed about this, even with their long-time husbands or partners to the point of avoiding sexual relations altogether. Women also may see their partner as old, flabby and lacking sexual imagination. What can you do?
The Vaginal PRP Rejuvenation is part of an integrative approach designed to get your sex life back on track.
What is The Vaginal PRP Shot?
PRP stands for platelet rich plasma. Our bodies have a remarkable capacity to heal themselves. PRP involves removing platelets from our own blood, and reinjecting it in tissue that really needs it. (The vagina and clitoris) Platelets are rich in bioactive proteins, which release growth factors to stimulate new, younger, cells to regenerate and to accelerate tissue repair.
The benefits of PRP were initially used in wound healing and in the treatment of sports injuries, but now have evolved to address aesthetic concerns, sexual rejuvenation, and urinary incontinence. PRP is one of the most advanced, effective natural treatments for cellular repair and rejuvenation throughout the body.
The Vaginal PRP Shot is when PRP is injected into the vagina at the opening and is injected directly into the clitoris. The reason for it, is to regenerate healthier tissue in these areas to increase sexual response. Interestingly, the glans of the clitoris is just the tip of the iceberg. The clitoris extends around the vagina in areas we never see.
Therefore, injecting PRP directly into the glans of the clitoris may make the entire clitoris more robust and sensitive. This action is thought to cause expansion due to the tissue thickening, leading to easier stimulation and improvement in orgasm quantity and quality. It is injected around the urethra as part of the vaginal treatment and this may improve urinary stress incontinence.
How is the Vaginal PRP Shot performed?
A potent topical anesthetic cream is put on the areas to be injected and is left in place for at least 20 minutes for full effect.
Blood is drawn from the arm similar to any other blood draw. Special collection tubes with a gel barrier for separation are used, and then put into an ultrafast centrifuge that separates the plasma (with the platelets) from the serum.
The plasma, rich in platelets, is then withdrawn into a syringe and prepared for injection.
Once we confirm adequate anesthesia, the PRP is injected in small amounts into the anterior wall of the vagina close to the vaginal opening. It is injected around the urethra as part of the vaginal treatment. The clitoris is then injected directly into the glans with PRP.
How long does the procedure take?
The whole procedure, from blood collection to processing and reinjection to the treatment area takes approximately 45 to 60 minutes. The injection into the vagina and clitoris takes about 10 minutes.
Is the treatment painful?
Most women say the procedure is not painful. A powerful numbing cream is put on the clitoris, vulva, and vagina and left in place for 20 minutes before injections are started. We have had great success with the numbing cream reducing the pain tremendously.
Many women feel no pain, otherwise pain is greatly reduced. While it may sound painful, the numbing cream eliminates most, if not all of the discomfort a woman feels with this procedure.
How soon are results noticed and how long does it last?
About 10 to 15% of patients receive an immediate benefit from the shot and some patients become highly sensitive to clitoral orgasms within hours after the procedure. This may be due to an immediate blood flow to the area, and the hypersensitivity wears off relatively quickly.
It takes two to three weeks for the PRP to start rejuvenating cells and tissue growth. After that time, most women start reporting healing symptoms.
Most women need two treatments, with the second one being 10 to 12 weeks after the first one. Some women need ongoing PRP therapy to maintain positive results, usually every six months. About 10% of women have no response to this treatment.