No Wonder Women are Smiling
MonaLisa Touch® is quick, virtually painless, and effective therapy for postmenopausal dyspareunia
Ask any woman “of a certain age” (i.e., menopausal and post-) what she dreads the most about getting older, and you wouldn’t be surprised if “Wrinkles!” were the first word she uttered. Close behind might be, “Sagging! Nothing is where it used to be!” Or the ever-higher number that seems to greet her every time she steps on the scales.
A more thoughtful woman might respond that the loss of independence, or her memory, or a loved one, was her greatest fear. Or perhaps the possibility of loneliness.
Women have no trouble expressing these concerns about the aging process. They are, after all, part of life, and therefore, can be shared and discussed without embarrassment.
What women have been less inclined to talk about openly as they get older are the symptoms that accompany an aging female body, and their effects on a woman’s emotional and physical comfort. Women can feel these symptoms are too embarrassing to mention, even to a gynecologist or other physician. They needn’t be, as they, too, are part of life – and neglecting them can lead to unnecessary discomfort.
Atrophic vaginitis.
As a woman ages and approaches menopause, she experiences a drop in estrogen that can lead to atrophic vaginitis, the lack of nourishment and hydration of the cells of the vaginal mucosa. She may experience some or all of these symptoms:
• thinning of the vaginal walls;
• shortening and tightening of the vaginal canal;
• vaginal dryness and/or burning;
• vaginal burning (inflammation)
• pain or burning with urination;
• more frequent urinary tract infections.
Dyspareunia.
The atophic vagina is thin, fragile, lacking elasticity, and above all, dry and unlubricated. Consequently, postmenopausal women often experience pain (sometimes severe) during intercourse, and may even notice some spotting blood after sex. These women learn to fear sexual intimacy, which is often mistaken for lack of sexual desire by an uncomprehending partner. The damage to these women’s self esteem – and to their relationships – can be devastating.
Until now, physicians have had little to offer these women.
The treatment has generally been prescription vaginal estrogen creams. Many women, however, concerned about the use of hormones and the threat of associated cancers, prefer not to use these. While some of their fears might be unfounded, it can be an unsurmountable mental block. And breast cancer patients and survivors cannot use them at all.
Additionally, there are no generic options in this drug class, so all prescriptions are branded and tend to be very expensive. Even with co-pays, women can spend upwards of $50 to $100 every time she fills her prescription.
And then, there is the “ick factor.” Vaginal estrogen creams are messy, and unpleasant to administer, which far from enhancing pleasure, can actually diminish it. Women don’t like them, and are thus less likely to use them.
MonaLisa Touch® is a quick, virtually painless, and effective therapy for postmenopausal dyspareunia.
In December 2014 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared a new laser therapy for gynecologic health. Developed in Italy, and named for one of Italy’s most enticing women, the treatment was introduced in the United States by internally renowned urogynecologist Dr. Mickey Karram, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and urology, at the University of Cincinnati. Learning about the new treatment, Dr. Karram visited the manufacturer to observe the MonaLisa Touch® and evaluate its application for his own patients. So impressed was he with what he found that he acquired the laser from Cynosure and began to experience the same remarkable results in the United States.
The MonaLisa Touch® is based on a special fractional CO2 laser that was specifically created for the vaginal mucosa. The therapy both resolves and prevents estrogen drops in the vaginal tissue by re-activating the production of new collagen and reestablishing the conditions the vaginal mucosa once had.
In menopausal women, the lining of the vagina is about a millimeter thick. The laser acts on the vaginal lining through a special scanner, creating micro-lesions that trigger the production of new collagen, reorganizing and re-equilibrating the components of the vaginal mucosa. It is the body’s response – increasing blood flow and collagen to heal the wound inflicted by the laser – that allows the vagina to normalize.
The laser’s action reactivates and reestablishes the proper function of the relative urogenital structures, while also improving symptoms associated with urinary dysfunction (mild incontinence due to stress).
Quick, virtually painless and safe.
The treatment takes no more than five to seven minutes, and is performed in the office. There is no need for anesthesia, no need to insert a speculum. Women report that the physical experience is very much like having a vaginal probe ultrasound – something almost every woman is familiar with. Some have reported a tingling sensation while the probe is in place.
To this point, thousands of women in America, Italy, Australia and throughout Europe have had the procedure. To date, not one case of adverse side effects has been reported. Some women note a small amount of irritation a day or two after the treatment, but that soon resolves.
The proof is in the results.
The therapy regimen consists of three treatments, six weeks apart. The tissue regeneration process lasts a number of weeks, but stimulation occurs immediately. Women have reported experiencing significant improvement of their symptoms as early as days after first treatment with the MonaLisa Touch® – improvement that has translated into an invigorated, almost youthful approach to an activity they found painful just weeks before. Husbands and partners are thrilled, not just with a revitalized sex life, but also with the re-energized woman who has emerged.
The results are far-reaching.
Even beyond the bedroom, women are experiencing relief from virtually all of the vaginal symptoms of menopause. UTIs are resolved, the burning and itching that often accompany urination are gone. Additionally, the MonaLisa Touch® works very well in treating the vulva for a very specific non-hormonal condition called lichen sclerosis, a chronic skin condition that may be caused by a too active immune system, almost like lupus. Lichen sclerosis in the genital area can create patches that left untreated can cause problems with urination or sex. There is also a very small chance that skin cancer may develop in the patches.
Truly a remarkable breakthrough.
For so long, we have seen our patients suffer the sequelae of menopause. The MonaLisa Touch® – a therapy that is effective and safe and proven – heralds a new age for gynecologists and the women they treat.
880 Kempsville Road, Suite 2200
Norfolk, VA 23502
757-466-6350
thegroupforwomen.com
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