Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By Andrea Bickerton, M.D.
As a woman ages, there are many changes that her body may go through that may affect her vaginal health. The most common changes are childbirth and menopause, but hysterectomy, chemotherapy, and certain medications may also reduce estrogen production and lead to changes as well. Decreased estrogen affects vaginal walls by causing the tissue to become thinner, drier, and oftentimes, inflamed which leads to diminished vaginal function. Childbirth also causes damage to the vaginal canal, perineum, and surrounding tissues and, although this is mostly repaired naturally, the tissue never fully returns to the pre-birth state and has a great effect on vaginal health overall. These changes can lead to a decreased quality of life by causing painful intercourse, increased urinary incontinence, increased urinary tract infections, and decreased confidence during intimacy. Thankfully, we live in a day when there are multiple treatments available to help. Dr. Andrea Bickerton, MD of Refined Image Naples provides vaginal laser treatments using the revolutionary diVa® Hybrid Fractional Laser and discusses why this is the ONLY vaginal laser to receive a 100% “worth it” rating on RealSelf.com.
diVa® Laser Vaginal Therapy is non-surgical, non-hormonal treatment designed specifically to restore vaginal tissue to a healthier state by utilizing the world’s first, and only, Hybrid Fractional Laser (HFL) technology. HFL technology combines two types of laser therapy, ablative and non-ablative, that work together synergistically to achieve the best possible results. The first laser treats the cells that make up the vaginal wall with deep resurfacing leading it to be replaced with brand new, healthy tissue. The second laser treats deeper tissue by stimulating the body’s natural cellular matrix to increase collagen and elastin production which helps to strengthen and revitalize vaginal tissue and give improved strength to bladder support muscles.
You may be a good candidate for diVa® vaginal therapy if you have experienced any of the following:
– Vaginal childbirth
– Perimenopause or menopause
– Bladder leakage
– Vaginal dryness/itching
– Vaginal pain/painful intercourse
– Decreased sexual satisfaction
– Vaginal laxity
– Hysterectomy
– Chemotherapy
Why should you choose diVa®?
In addition to being the only laser with Hybrid Fractional technology, diVa® also has a specially designed motorized control system that is extremely accurate to ensure symmetric, uniform, and consistent treatment of all vaginal tissue with the shortest treatment time available; typically 3-5 minutes. diVa® also uses single-a use Strengthened Quartz Dilator (SQD) which expands and flattens vaginal tissue while remaining stationary, resulting in a more uniform, and comfortable, treatment. The laser handpiece is inserted into the SQD and rotates 360 degrees within the dilator delivering pulses through brand new sections of quartz; this improves the efficiency of the laser. Also, because each SQD is only used once, there is no risk of cross contamination.
Benefits of diVa® include a quick, customizable treatment with rapid results, no downtime, and are done with no surgery or use of hormones making it a safe treatment for nearly every woman. diVa® also greatly changes the way women feel about themselves and help to restore feminine confidence. While the effects of having the layers of the vaginal walls resurfaced are physically noticeable, they are also significantly noticeable in the emotional and mental health of women who receive treatment. They feel renewed confidence in themselves as women, more able to satisfy their sexual partner, and more satisfied in their own intimate experiences. For these women, intimacy is far more pleasurable and no longer painful, meaning they can once gain have a healthy, and active, love life. They are also able to resume previous physical activities without fear or worry and report an overall improved quality of life.
How long does the treatment take and how many treatments are recommended?
The typical treatment time for diVa is 3-5 minutes as well as approximately 30 minutes of numbing cream prior to treatment. A series of 3 treatments every 4-6 weeks is the recommended treatment plan, followed by annual check-ups for maintenance.
What do patients experience during treatment?
diVa® vaginal therapy is a quick treatment with minimal discomfort. You may experience a sensation of pressure against the vaginal wall during treatment. There have been multiple studies that show patients rank pain as a 3 out of 10 on the pain scale on average. A topical numbing cream is applied to the treatment area before the procedure to help increase comfort.
When can I resume normal daily activities?
You may return to normal daily activities immediately following the procedure; however, you may experience mild vaginal spotting or discharge for 24 hours and vaginal rest is required for 48 hours following the procedure meaning no sexual intercourse or insertion of foreign objects into the vagina (i.e. tampons).
If you are suffering from any of these issues, or are looking to restore your feminine confidence, Dr. Andrea Bickerton, MD of Refined Image can help. Call 239-302-3540 or go online to www.refinedimagenaples.com to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Join us THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020
5:30-7:30pm
8855 Immokalee Rd, Ste. 11, Naples, FL 34120
RSVP @ (239) 302-3540 or
info@refinedimagenaples.com
Join Refined Image and Dr. Andrea Bickerton, MD as she answers all your questions about diVa Laser Vaginal Therapy and BioTe bio-identical hormone replacement.
Refined Image
8855 Immokalee Rd. Unit 11
Naples, FL 34120
239-302-3540
www.refinedimagenaples.com