Discover how laser can save your patients’ intimate relationships with MonaLisa Touch, providing a solution for dyspareunia and vaginal atrophy.
Dyspareunia can be a major physical and psychological burden for intimacy.
Physical changes, typically associated with age such as menopause, mean women can experience pain before, during or after vaginal intercourse.
As well as the physical painful ramifications of dyspareunia, psychologically it could mean older women are retreating more from their sexual partners. If dyspareunia is not managed, it may result in a loss of sexual interest, mood changes and other psychological symptoms.
A recent survey from the Office for National Statistics in the UK has suggested that many over-50s are even ending their relationships due to lack of intercourse. Figures show that 28 percent said they divorced because their partner was emotionally cold and distant, while a quarter cited a loss of interest in sex.
Dyspareunia is one symptom of vaginal atrophy, a condition that affects around 50 percent of women during their lifetime. While the term vaginal atrophy isn’t so common, its symptoms certainly are. These include urinary incontinence, poor lubrication, painful intercourse, dryness, itchiness, burning, vulval and vaginal pain, or laxity. It affects not only peri- and post-menopausal women but also women after childbirth, who suffer from laxity and are no longer enjoying intercourse.
MonaLisa Touch, distributed in Australia by High Tech Laser, is revolutionising the 
gynaecological area by offering women a surgery- free option for treating vaginal atrophy and the symptoms of dyspareunia. Additionally, because of how the treatment works, it can be used for vaginal rejuvenation. According to South Australian gynaecologist Dr Fariba Behnia-Willison, a treatment to improve vaginal function is sought by a significant number of patients, for many different ages. “Although many of my patients are going through menopause or are post menopausal, there are also many younger women suffering from similar symptoms,” she says. “I have found the treatment particularly effective for women who find it painful to have sexual intercourse.”
The individual concerns of women of all age groups can be addressed, including those previously untreatable with conventional hormonal treatment. The treatment requires no anaesthetic and is performed in less than five minutes.
The recommended treatment protocol for vaginal atrophy is a course of three to five treatments; for vaginal tightening it is one to three treatments. The majority of patients return to normal activity immediately post-procedure. The results generally last 12-18 months. A top-up treatment may be required, due to individual results and needs.
Satisfied patients
In Australia, more than 10,000 patients have been treated with MonaLisa Touch. In a survey of 200 patients, 99 percent reported an overall improvement of vaginal atrophy symptoms and would recommend to their friends.
A number of patients noted improvements in incontinence, with some reporting they no longer need to wear incontinence pads. Others are no longer troubled by urinary frequency and urgency, so they can plan longer trips and sleep through the night.
With vaginal atrophy affecting half of all post-menopausal women, there is growing demand for treatments that can assist women to improve quality of life. If women’s health is an important part of your practice then MonaLisa Touch may offer a lasting solution for your patients.
How MonaLisa Touch works
The MonaLisa Touch procedure results in a hydrated and turgid mucosa, which functions like healthy, younger tissue.
During menopause, a dry mucosa with low water content in the connective tissue is less nourished and therefore more fragile and prone to infection.
As it is the mucosal fibrocytes that are metabolically quiescent, as opposed to fibroblasts, the mucosa is unable to produce hyaluronic acid and other molecules necessary for an adequate glycoprotein ground matrix.
Treatment with CO2 laser helps recover pre-menopausal metabolic activity by synthesising the production of collagen, hyaluronic acid, glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans.
To achieve this, the MonaLisa Touch probe uses a specifically modified pulse shape of fractional CO2 laser energy, suited to the vaginal mucosa. The specific emission characteristics allow the energy load to be transferred directly to the mucosa, preventing excessive localised thermal damage.
‘It’s a straightforward procedure,’ says Dr Behnia-Willison. ‘It simply involves a probe being placed inside the vagina and the fractionated CO2 energy being delivered to the vaginal tissue.’
Call High Tech Laser to receive full copies of scientific papers or for more information on 1300 309 233
