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Ask Dr. Elijah | What Is MonaLisa Touch®? A Non-Surgical Approach to Vaginal Health
Can you guess what taboo topic we think shouldn’t be taboo at all?
If you guessed vaginal health, then you’re absolutely correct!
Just like we talk freely about mental and physical health—we think sparking a conversation around vaginal health should be just as easy to speak about.
(Imagine if “watercooler” talk about this vital topic was as easy as telling someone what your favorite Netflix show is—that’s our goal!)
I’m grateful to the service MonaLisa Touch® because it gives us the opportunity to have an important conversation with women about a non-surgical approach to vaginal health.
What Is MonaLisa Touch®?
“In the US, as many as 50% of 64 million post-menopausal women suffer from changes to their vaginal health, and over 2.8M breast cancer survivors. Only 25% of women currently seek assistance for symptoms…”
– MonaLisa Touch®
You know what the above statistic tells me? Most women don’t seek help.
And that doesn’t surprise me.
As women we’re pulled in many different directions and we place our own health on the backburner in sacrifice of others.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
MonaLisa Touch®
is a treatment option for vaginal health and may treat symptoms such as—
• Vaginal dryness/burning/elasticity
• Challenges related to menopausal symptoms
• Painful intercourse
• Stress and/or urinary incontinence
This procedure aims to balance your vaginal health and help you feel confident again.
How MonaLisa Touch® Works
MonaLisa Touch® treats the symptoms of vaginal health
by generating new collagen, elastin and vascularization of the vaginal mucosa.
It does this using a gentle fractional CO2 laser with a vaginal probe. The laser energy is virtually painless.
Similar to your annual exam, the physician will insert the probe into your vagina and deliver laser energy pulses.
Fractionated beams of light penetrate small areas of tissue. This creates small injuries in the epithelial layer of the vaginal mucosa which triggers fibroblast activity which stimulates new collagen production.
MONALISA TOUCH® FOR VAGINAL HEALTH
• Simple and safe; no referral needed
• Uses proven methods similar to those used to treat aging facial skin
• In-office procedure
• Most patients report little to no pain
• Entire procedure is less than 5 minutes
• Therapy requires 3 procedures every 6 weeks (a significant improvement is typically noted even after initial treatment)
• Annual follow-up treatment once a year
What Are the Risks of MonaLisa Touch®?
Just like any procedure, there are risks—especially if your consultation doesn’t include a proper assessment.
You may not even be aware that what you’ve been experiencing is something MonaLisa Touch® (or other non-surgical approaches like physical therapy for your pelvic floor) may support.
While other challenges like a severe organ prolapse may require a surgical approach to begin the restoration of your vaginal health.
I highly recommend finding a physician who can have a conversation with you about this and is highly knowledgeable in non-surgical and surgical options for your vaginal health.
Next Steps
Start a conversation about your vaginal health with your physician or a MonaLisa Touch® provider.
This isn’t a topic or concern to brush to the side—it’s just as important to seek support for your vaginal health as it is to talk to a therapist or your doctor about a lingering cough.
Let’s normalize conversations around this topic because it’s so important for not only your physical health, but your mental health as well.
If you’re in the Pueblo or Southern Colorado region, I’d love to begin the conversation with you and help you feel comfortable—inside and out!
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