Painful changes after menopause
After menopause, when our ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone, the tissue of our vagina and external genitalia starts to become thinner and drier (vaginal and vulvar atrophy, VVA). The external surfaces can become irritated and itchy. There is less lubrication in the vaginal canal, and intercourse can become painful. If this bothers you, there are 3 options. The first is to use lubricants when having intercourse, but many women find this both annoying and ineffective. The second option is to use estrogen, either systemically (in pill, patch or gel form) or vaginally (cream, ring or pills inserted into the vagina). However, many women desire an alternative to using estrogen treatment. The hormone must be applied nightly or weekly, which is a hassle, as is going to the pharmacy. Furthermore, many insurances do not cover estrogen, and it can be quite expensive. Lastly, many women either want to avoid hormones, or cannot use them due to a history of breast cancer, blood clots in the legs, etc.
The third option to treat vaginal and vulvar atrophy is the Mona Lisa Touch, a revolutionary non-hormonal procedure that causes reversal of the changes of menopause. The Mona Lisa Touch is a short, painless laser treatment that we are doing in our office to treat our patients with vaginal and vulvar atrophy who either do not want to use lubricants or hormones, or who have found them ineffective, or who cannot use them for health reasons.
Come to our open house on May 24 from 6-8pm to learn more about this procedure. We are excited to answer all your questions, and are offering promotional pricing for that night only! RSVP to our office phone number or email office@medparkobgyn.com.
