Vaginal dryness and discomfort. Pain with sex. Inability to orgasm. These symptoms might be embarrassing to discuss, but if they sound familiar, you’re not alone. Around 50% of women suffer symptoms of vaginal atrophy after menopause.
Vaginal atrophy is a condition caused by low estrogen levels, and it can have a serious impact on your quality of life and your self-esteem.
The good news? Vaginal atrophy and its complications can be treated. At OB-GYN Associates of Marietta, our compassionate team specializes in MonaLisa Touch®: a drug-free, minimally invasive treatment to fight atrophy and revitalize your sex life.
Your sex life is personal, but it’s no secret that getting older changes it. After menopause, your body makes less estrogen than it did in your reproductive years. It means you can no longer get pregnant, and unfortunately, the changes don’t stop there.
Lower estrogen levels often cause vaginal atrophy, a condition that decreases vaginal moisture and thins vaginal tissue. These changes come with a range of complications, including:
The most common symptom of vaginal atrophy is dryness. Low estrogen levels dehydrate your vaginal tissue, your natural lubrication disappears, and your vagina loses the elasticity it once had. Unfortunately, dry vaginal tissue can be very uncomfortable, causing symptoms like pain, burning, or itching.
Along with general discomfort, vaginal dryness can make sexual intercourse painful. Your body can’t produce adequate vaginal lubrication, even if you’re aroused. As a result, penetration is uncomfortable, and you may also experience bleeding after intercourse.
Vaginal discomfort, combined with painful intercourse, often means achieving orgasm is difficult — if not impossible — after menopause. Many women also notice a natural decrease in libido as they get older, which can also make the thought of sexual intimacy downright unpleasant.
For some women, the complications of vaginal atrophy go beyond their sex lives. Vaginal changes can cause stress urinary incontinence, frequent urges to urinate, and pain or burning with urination. You may also suffer more frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs) following menopause.
At OB-GYN Associates of Marietta, we understand how vaginal atrophy and its complications can impact your quality of life. That’s why we offer MonaLisa Touch, a minimally invasive procedure to revitalize vaginal tissue.
MonaLisa Touch is a fractional CO2 laser that’s specially designed for gynecological use. Using a small wand, we target the atrophied tissue inside your vagina, and the proprietary fractional laser pattern stimulates cell regeneration.
Treatment preserves healthy tissue to promote more rapid recovery, and new cell growth increases the amount of healthy tissue within your vagina. MonaLisa Touch is a simple in-office procedure that takes about five minutes, and there’s no downtime required.
Following treatment, you can expect to notice enhanced vaginal comfort, increased moisture, and more. For many women, MonaLisa Touch can eliminate the symptoms of vaginal atrophy and make sex an enjoyable experience again.
To find out if you’re a good candidate for MonaLisa Touch, book a consultation with our team at OB-GYN Associates of Marietta. Call our offices in Marietta or Woodstock, Georgia, to get started.
