Vaginal dryness is a common and unpleasant symptom of menopause that practically occurs in 75% of women of the same age. The cessation of estrogen production that occurs after menopause is basically the cause of this disorder. Characteristically, the vagina becomes thinner, develops a more alkaline pH, while the endogenous collagen production mechanism is hindered, resulting in the vagina becoming more inelastic.
Women at this age begin to notice some differences in the sensation of the vagina, urination and sexual intercourse.Characteristically, they feel a feeling of dryness in the vaginal mucosa that gradually creates more and more difficulty for them in sexual intercourse, which is scientifically called “dysparenia”.
Even in the climacteric phase, when the sharp decrease in estrogen creates the unpleasant symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, sweats and insomnia the female vagina begins to show early dryness as a response to the rapid decline in estrogen that is its nutritional and hormonal support.
Vaginal dryness is of course the beginning of further disorders of the vagina such as thinning of its walls, insufficient lubrication, difficulty and pain during sex(dysparenia) and eventual recurrences of UTIs due to dryness and damage to the defense mechanism of the urethral epithelium.
The initial feeling of vaginal dryness, while often seasonal and transient in climacteric, becomes permanent and worsens in menopause and finally results, in some cases, in painful burning sensation,or dysesthesia of the vagina that makes everyday life difficult and reduces the quality of life of women who suffer.
The treatment of vaginal dryness has traditionally been pharmaceutical but with generally poor results and a low level of compliance by women.
In the therapeutic quiver of the clinical gynecologist there used to be local vaginal ointments with estrogen which, while they had very good results,they had the potential complication of hormone action increasing endometrial, ovarian and breast cancer, in very small percentages, but capable of causing fear and therefore discontinuation of treatment.
Moreover, the symptoms of dryness return immediately after stopping the treatment.
Also, topical lubricants or nutritional ointments that are administered systematically or before sexual intercourse to women suffering from dryness have moderate results over time and low compliance ,because they are emotionally disturbing and at the same time they create a characteristic smell in the vagina that is undesirable.
So despite the generally low cost of these treatments due to their remaining problems, the gap of undertreatment of vaginal dryness remains.
This term describes the syndrome of narrowing and alteration of the functionality of the vagina during the menopause period.Pain during intercourse (dysparenia) is usually due to the absence or insufficient production of estrogen during climacteric and menopause, which results in a reduced production of fluids for the natural lubrication of the vagina during sex but also later the thinning of the vaginal mucosa itself and the pain during penetration.
The elasticity of the vagina gradually decreases after the cessation of menstruation and is aggravated by the loss of normal flora which brings alkalinization of the PH of the area and further difficulty in achieving sexual intercourse . At the same time, the weakening and dryness of the vagina creates and facilitates conditions of inflammation of the urinary tract, such as recurrent urinary infections, cystitis or pyelonephritis.
The treatment of vaginal atrophy is carried out in consecutive sessions, during which initially with the use of special injectable hyaluronic acid at the entrance and the initial posterior part of the vagina, hydration and moistening of the tissues of the vagina is achieved.
This intense but temporary intake of fluids in the area makes it possible for the patient to resume sexual contacts , but it also enables the application of the special erbium laser in the vagina.
Hyaluronic acid, which is a strongly hydrophilic molecule, attracts liquids from the vessels of the depth of the vagina, while the smooth mode of the laser creates foci of new collagen production, restoring the elasticity of the vaginal compartment.The combination of these two treatments makes possible in a unique way the “rejuvenation” of the vagina and the resumption of normal sexual contacts as at a young age.
A revolutionary new treatment has recently been created based on advances in biotechnology and more specifically the invention of a special type of laser called the erbium laser and due to the very high frequency and the very short wavelength, it has the property ,without burning the upper layers of the skin ,to penetrate to a depth of 1-2 cm and heat the sinus substrate,stimulating the production of collagen by the fibroblasts ,resulting in the absorption of water and the hydration of the vagina, thus negating the feeling of dryness, without, of course, having to increase local estrogens and compromising women’s safety.
In each case of menopausal dryness and depending on the degree of vaginal narrowing and damage, 1-3 treatments lasting approximately 20 minutes may be required, performed at the office level,completely painless and at low cost that can be spaced 4-6 weeks apart, eliminating annoying burning sensation and dryness for at least 12-18 months.
The treatment carried out at the Forever Skin Laser Gynecological Clinic using an erbium laser, which in medical terminology is called Renovalaser because it rejuvenates the vagina, is the fastest, safest , most effective,and with most lasting duration treatment of vaginal dryness .
it is already abroad ,the treatment of choice for vaginal problems during menopause.
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Written by Konstantinos Myrillas, Obstetrician Surgeon Gynecologist