Viveve is a groundbreaking, new generation treatment in women’s sexual health, targeting vaginal laxity to increase sensation during sexual intercourse. Erin Docherty reports.
Vaginal laxity is the number one physical change post childbirth – more than weight gain, stretch marks or incontinence (1). However there is a consistent lack of clinically proven treatments to address this condition, and when surgery is not an option, where do women turn? Enter the Viveve system – the only single-treatment non-surgical approach to vaginal tightening.
Distributed in Australia by Device Consulting, the non-ablative, radiofrequency treatment targets the vaginal introitus to rejuvenate collagen production, resulting in tightening and an increase in sensation.
Dr Bruce Allan, a gynecologist in Canada, has specialised in vaginal tightening procedures for decades, often through surgical procedures. Dr Allan has been using Viveve for 4 years and is an avid supporter of the procedure, classifying it as a revolution in women’s sexual health.
“It is definitely the biggest development in women’s sexual health in the past 50 years. We have done a very poor job of addressing women’s sexual health and really we haven’t come up with anything better than counselling,” says Dr Allan.
“I think Viveve is a huge advancement – it’s a half-hour procedure with no downtime, purported to increase sexual response and tightness of the vagina. It is far less expensive than surgery. It is safe, effective and there are no medications involved. I’m trying to get my patients to choose this over surgery,” he says.
Marianne Jacob, a registered nurse from California and the Global Training Manager for Viveve, says that most women notice that there’s a change after childbirth, but they’re not quite sure how to define it, “It’s in the back of people’s minds, they all know it’s there but it’s the white elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about. Viveve is changing this.”
The revolution behind Viveve
The Viveve system features a range of technological advancements that set it apart from existing solutions that deal with vaginal laxity.
While other systems treat the vagina’s superficial tissue layer, the Viveve procedure uses proprietary monopolar radiofrequency (RF)-based energy to restore collagen at a deeper level to provide optimal structural support. Its controlled capacitive cooling mechanism enables volumetric heating at depth for significant collagen remodeling and neogenesis, while the integrated cooling system maintains patient comfort and avoids any surface irritation.
Dr Allan ensures that treatment protocol is simple, results are reproducible and it can easily be incorporated into a practice as there is no learning curve, “The patient is treated with 21 pulses around the vaginal canal from 1 o’clock to 11 o’clock, and we do this five times. Other treatments are kind of randomised, but Viveve has a very replicable protocol – that’s why I like it because I know whether I’m doing it or my nurses are doing it, it’s going to be done safely and it’s going to obtain good results.”
Viveve in your practice
Doctors introducing vaginal rejuvenation into their practices will be bringing a never-before approach to an underserved women’s health and wellness need.
“This is a huge opportunity for gynaecologists, however the biggest step is for non-gynaecologists, doctors that provide cosmetic procedures but don’t yet treat the vagina,” says Dr Allan.
“The company will train doctors, and it is not difficult for them to come up to speed.”
Doctors using Viveve will benefit from being an early adapter of the proven RF technology for neocollagenesis, as well as becoming a valuable resource for female sexual health. The conversation about women’s sexual health is timely and trending and there is very much an integral demand for a natural low-risk/high reward procedure.
“Viveve is a game-changer. This is probably the equivalent to Viagra for men,” says Marianne. “Pharmaceutical companies have been trying for years to find that magic pill to give women to restore libido and sensation and I think they can try for many more years. We’re talking about restoring function and getting that collagen back to what it was like before, no pill can do that.”
The clinical trials
The Viveve system is strongly supported by clinical trials and published studies, including two clinical studies in the Journal of Sexual Medicine and the Journal of Women’s Health.
Trials in the U.S. and Japan revealed statistically significant improvement in vaginal tightness, to pre-childbirth levels, at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months following treatment. At 12 months, improved and sustained tightness was shown by 88% of the women. Significant improvement in sexual satisfaction was indicated through 12-month follow-up. These results were achieved after a single Viveve procedure.
“Right now we know that single treatments are lasting up to a year or more on average because we have the long term data. What we found is about 80-90% of women will show a positive response to both laxity and sexual sensation. We now have an international trial conducting a first-of-its-kind placebo controlled study which will be published within the next few months,” says Dr Allan.
Dr Allan classifies Viveve as a revolutionary benchmark in women’s sexual health, an effective and reliable treatment that provides an option for patients who do not want surgery.
“To me, it’s revolutionary. I would highly recommend this device to my colleagues, because it’s a way to address a sector of women’s health that we’ve ignored for years,” Dr Allan concludes.
For enquiries contact Device Consulting on 03 9998 2020 or email sales@deviceconsulting.com.au
[1] Millheiser LS, Kingsberg SA, Lukes A, Chen B, and Pauls RN. “Cross-sectional Surverys of Women and Obstetricians/Gynecologists: Perceptions on the Consequences of vaginal Deliveries on Sexual Satisfaction, Sex Life and Introital Laxity.” (Viveve research of 421 women and 524 Physicans, 2009.
Patient Case study
Female, 44, presented with vaginal laxity and decreased sexual sensation. She has received one treatment with Viveve. This is her experience.
What made you consider Viveve?
I knew my body had changed after I had my second child – in more than a few ways. Changes to one’s sexual health is never an easy topic to discuss, but when I finally plucked up the courage to talk about it with my GP, I found out I was not alone and that there was a solution available. My doctor recommended Viveve as a non-surgical option to increase my sexual sensation and satisfaction. After researching Viveve and looking at the benefits and long-term results, I couldn’t wait to have the treatment.
Was it painful?
I didn’t experience any pain. The treatment was quick, easy and not too uncomfortable. The physician explained to me that each kit was disposable – I knew everything would be thoroughly sterilised anyway, but it gave me that little extra peace of mind!
What kind of results have you experienced?
The changes have been phenomenal. Along with increased sexual satisfaction and sensation, I feel more confident and happier.
Would you recommend it to other women who are struggling with this condition?
Absolutely. Viveve has significantly changed my life and my relationship. I would recommend it to anyone who is struggling with sexual satisfaction, especially after having kids.
