What is feminine rejuvenation?
Feminine rejuvenation procedures reduce, reshape or tighten female genital tissues to help restore a firmer tone and/or a more youthful, symmetrical appearance. Patients choose feminine rejuvenation for cosmetic reasons as well as to improve comfort and alleviate problems caused by vaginal tissue laxity, such as painful intercourse or stress urinary incontinence.
Today, patients have both surgical and non-surgical options for feminine rejuvenation.
How can feminine rejuvenation help me?
Sagging, overly large, or misshapen labia can cause considerable discomfort when wearing certain clothing or exercising, as well as interfere with a woman’s self-confidence. Loss of vaginal tone following childbearing or menopause can lead to issues such as urinary leakage, vaginal dryness, and painful or dissatisfying sexual intercourse.
Feminine rejuvenation can address these issues by restoring a more normal tone and appearance to the vagina and labia. The appropriate procedure, performed by an experienced, board certified cosmetic surgeon, can achieve one or more of the following:
- Help tight clothing and swimsuits fit more comfortably
- Reduce or eliminate stress urinary incontinence
- Alleviate vaginal dryness
- Improve sensation during sex for a patient and her partner
- Provide cosmetic improvements to the genitals
- Key Benefits
- Glossary
- Improves vaginal tone: Feminine rejuvenation procedures, such as labiaplasty and vaginoplasty, can improve the tone and tightness of the vaginal area.
- Enhances sexual function: In addition to improving appearance, feminine rejuvenation procedures can also enhance sexual function by improving vaginal muscle tone and reducing vaginal laxity.
- Boosts self-confidence: Many women who undergo feminine rejuvenation procedures report feeling more confident and comfortable in their own bodies, particularly in intimate settings.
- Labiaplasty: A surgical procedure that alters the size or shape of the labia minora or labia majora, the external folds of skin surrounding the vaginal opening.
- Radiofrequency skin tightening: A non-surgical technique that uses radiofrequency energy to stimulate collagen production and tighten tissues, commonly used for skin tightening or vaginal rejuvenation.
- Vaginal laxity: A condition characterized by decreased tightness or looseness of the vaginal canal, often caused by childbirth, aging, or hormonal changes.
- Incontinence: The involuntary leakage of urine or feces, often associated with weakened pelvic floor muscles.
- Labia Majora: The outer lips or folds of skin surrounding the vaginal opening.
- Vaginal dryness: A condition characterized by a lack of natural lubrication in the vagina, often caused by hormonal changes, menopause, or certain medications.
- Vaginal tone: Refers to the strength, elasticity, and tightness of the vaginal muscles.
- Vaginoplasty: A surgical procedure aimed at tightening and reconstructing the vaginal canal and surrounding tissues for improved vaginal tone.
- Clitoral hood reduction: A surgical procedure that reduces excess skin covering the clitoris, enhancing its visibility and sensitivity.
- Mons pubis reduction: A surgical procedure that reduces the size or reshapes the mons pubis, the fatty area above the pubic bone.
- Vulva: The external genitalia of the female reproductive system, including the labia, clitoris, and vaginal opening.
- Kegel exercises: Exercises that involve contracting and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles to improve pelvic floor strength and tone, often recommended for improving bladder control and sexual satisfaction.
Choosing a cosmetic surgeon
The single most important decision you will make when considering feminine rejuvenation is who will perform your procedure. Surgical procedures such as labiaplasty require highly specialized training and skills to ensure your safety and achieve a successful outcome. Even non-surgical feminine rejuvenation procedures require special training and should only be performed by a highly experienced, licensed medical provider—don’t have these treatments at a spa or other practice without a qualified physician supervising.
FIND AN ABCS COSMETIC SURGEON NEAR YOU »
Always check a cosmetic surgeon’s credentials before agreeing to have surgery. Choosing a cosmetic surgeon who is board certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery is a good place to start; ABCS diplomates have undergone a minimum of 1 to 2 years of cosmetic surgery training post-residency and exclusively operate in accredited surgical facilities.
Surgical Feminine Rejuvenation Procedures
Cosmetic surgeons perform both surgical and non-surgical procedures to restore tone, improve appearance, and improve function of vaginal tissues.
Labiaplasty
Labiaplasty is a surgical procedure and is typically the most appropriate procedure to treat the following:
- Overly large or misshapen labia
- Moderate to severe sagging in labial tissues
- Significant cosmetic issues that bother a patient
Labiaplasty is an outpatient procedure, typically performed using general anesthesia. Small incisions are made in the labia majora, labia minora, or both, excess tissue is removed, the remaining tissue tightened and shaped to restore symmetry, and incisions are closed with sutures.
Recovery is relatively straightforward for most patients. Discomfort after surgery is typically mild and easily controlled with over-the-counter or prescription pain medication. Patients typically return to work within 3 to 5 days and resume exercise within 2 to 3 weeks. Sexual intercourse is permitted after about one month.
Results of labiaplasty are long-lasting. Although labial tissues may begin to sag again due to normal age-related changes, this is usually mild in comparison to what patients would have experienced without surgery.
Other Vaginal Rejuvenation Surgery Options
In addition to labiaplasty, select cosmetic surgeons are experienced in and perform other specialized vaginal rejuvenation procedures:
- Vaginoplasty: surgically tightens loose or stretched vaginal muscles. Results can last for many years; best suited for women who do not plan to have more children
- Clitoral hood reduction: removes excess tissue over the clitoris to improve sexual experiences and/or alleviate discomfort caused by an enlarged clitoral hood.
- Mons pubis reduction: removes excess fat and skin from the mons pubis to restore a more streamlined appearance to the pelvic area.
Non-Surgical Feminine Rejuvenation
Non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation treatments provide women with an alternative to surgery that achieves results nearly as quickly, if not for as long. These treatments use highly focused energy, either radiofrequency or laser, to invoke tissue contraction and promote collagen production in the vulvovaginal tissues.
Current FDA-cleared non-surgical feminine rejuvenation treatments include ThermiVA, FemiLift and FemiTight. All are essentially non-invasive—no incisions, tissue ablation, or needles are involved, although certain treatments use an instrument that is inserted internally (much like a transvaginal ultrasound device).
Benefits of non-surgical feminine rejuvenation
- Treatments typically take less than 15 minutes to perform
- Many patients notice significant improvements within 1 to 2 days after treatment, which continue to improve with time
- No downtime is needed; even sexual intercourse can be resumed the same day
- Results can last up to 1 year before another round of treatments are needed
- Can significantly improve:
- Stress urinary incontinence
- Vaginal dryness
- Pain during intercourse
- Sexual pleasure for patient and partner
Limitations
Non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation can be a great option for women suffering the effects of vaginal atrophy; however, it is not an optimal solution for every patient. Limitations include:
- Multiple treatments are typically needed for optimal results
- Results are temporary, lasting up to 1 year
- May not be effective to treat significant tissue laxity or severely sagging labia
Get more information about feminine rejuvenation
When performed by a highly qualified provider, feminine rejuvenation procedures can help a woman feel more comfortable and confident in her body, enhancing many aspects of her life. The best way to learn more is to meet with a board certified cosmetic surgeon for a consultation. You can find qualified cosmetic surgeons in your area by using our ABCS Find-a-Surgeon tool.
References »
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Bizjak-Ogrinc U, Senčar S. Sutureless Laser Labiaplasty of Labia Minora. The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2021 Oct;9(5):100406. doi: 10.1016/j.esxm.2021.100406.
Willis RN, Wong CS, Pai A, Patel BC. Labiaplasty Minora Reduction. 2023 Apr 3. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–.
Sasson DC, Hamori CA, Placik OJ. Labiaplasty: The Stigma Persists. Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 2022 May 18;42(6):638-643. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjab335.
Juhász MLW, Korta DZ, Mesinkovska NA. Vaginal Rejuvenation: A Retrospective Review of Lasers and Radiofrequency Devices. Dermatologic Surgery. 2021 Apr 1;47(4):489-494. doi: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000002845.
Le C, Murgia RD, Noell C, Weiss M, Weiss R. Female genitourinary treatments in aesthetics. Clinics in Dermatology. 2022 May-Jun;40(3):259-264. doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2021.11.009.
Prodromidou A, Zacharakis D, Athanasiou S, Protopapas A, Michala L, Kathopoulis N, Grigoriadis T. The Emerging Role on the Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma Products in the Management of Urogynaecological Disorders. Surgical Innovations. 2022 Feb;29(1):80-87. doi: 10.1177/15533506211014848.
