CO2RE® Intima

Vaginal Rejuvenation

ENJOY LIFE LIKE YOU USED TO

The Intima laser resurfacing isn’t only for post-menopausal women

Many women are severely affected by the lack of or low levels of the female hormone oestrogen leading to lots of unpleasant menopausal symptoms. Oestrogen keeps the vaginal tissue healthy, allowing it to maintain it’s natural physiological function and healthy vaginal environment. However, problems arise when oestrogen levels start dropping as a result of a natural age related decline or a premature menopause.

This hypo-oestrogenic state causes the thinning of the vaginal wall, dryness, itching, burning with urination and pain during intercourse. It also causes changes to the pH and bacterial flora in the vagina predisposing it to vaginal and bladder infections.

The Intima treatment has been demonstrated to significantly restore the normal vaginal architecture and environment as if the oestrogen was still there, thereby improving many of the unpleasant consequences of low oestrogen states.  Most women report significant improvement in sexual function after the very first treatment.

The Women’s Clinic was one of the first UK clinics operating Candela’s revolutionary CO2RE® Intima system. The precision enabled by the Intima laser is next level and its ergonomics and settings are perfectly calibrated for women’s intimate areas. Our clinicians are trained in its use and we have treated hundreds of women with CO2RE Intima, achieving outstanding results and patient satisfaction

Enjoy Sex again! Or Enjoy Better Sex!

Vaginal laxity is a common problem in women whether they have had children or not. Although it is common and quite normal to experience changes in sensation and tightness after having children, this can also occur in women that have not experienced childbirth.

Vaginoplasty is an elective surgical procedure that offers to regain the normal vaginal caliber and “tightness” that was lost. However surgery has greater risks, expense and inconvenience and requires recovery time and for many women may not be necessary. The Intima laser treatment is painless, fast, more affordable and without risks associated with surgery and anaesthesia.

Can’t take hormones? We have a solution for menopausal urogenital symptoms.

For decades our only option for managing urogenital symptoms of menopause including vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, and urinary symptoms was use of vaginal estrogen therapy. For many women (20%), hormone therapy fails to relieve urogenital symptoms.   Additionally, there are some women who prefer to avoid the risks associated with hormone use or cannot use hormones because of breast cancer history. The Intima laser is a revolutionary treatment for urogenital symptoms attributed to low estrogenic states or menopause without the use of hormones.

Leaky Bladder Treatment

One in three women suffer from urinary incontinence – leaking urine. There are several traditional treatment options for incontinence such as medications, pelvic floor exercises and mesh tape. Medications are often associated with unpleasant side effects; surgery with post-operative pain, other complications and the need for recovery time. Pelvic floor exercises are just not always effective.

The Intima laser is a non-invasive, effective treatment with minimal to no risks and without any downtime or side effects.

Vaginal Laxity

Vaginal laxity is a common problem in women whether they have had children or not. Vaginoplasty is an elective surgical procedure that offers to regain the normal vaginal caliber and “tightness” that was lost. However surgery has greater risks, expense and inconvenience and requires recovery time and for many women may not be necessary. The Intima laser treatment is painless, fast, and more affordable and without risks associated with surgery and anaesthesia.

ABOUT OUR TREATMENT

Some questions about CORE Intima you may have

What is CO2RE Intima?
CO2RE Intima is a powerful CO2 fractional CE approved laser that uses the latest and most reliable laser technology developed by Syneron-Candela, a global leader in the aesthetic medical device marketplace.
CO2RE Intima offers highly successful non surgical treatment of all three female intimate areas (external, internal and vestibule). It is designed for women who want to relieve the signs of childbearing and aging in their vaginal area. This includes post child bearing, peri and postmenopausal women, women who desire enhancement in sexual functioning and a better sexual experience, women who seek vaginal cosmetic improvement and women who want to feel more confident about their feminine health.

The treatment results in a noticeable tightening of the entire vaginal canal, increased vaginal lubrication and sensation and a gradual reversing of the atrophic (degenerative) changes caused by ageing of the vaginal area.

The treatment of the vestibule (opening to the vagina) also helps to correct episiotomy scars and tears caused by childbirth. For the more external areas such as the labia a topical anaesthetic is applied before the treatment. The external treatment is very successful for tightening, remodelling, treating discolouration and increasing firmness of the treated tissue.

How does Intima work?
The Intima laser uses fractional CO2 pulsed light wave technology as a cutting, tightening and resurfacing tool.

The laser produces safe pulses of laser energy delivered via a single use tube shaped vaginal probe. These pulses generate laser beams which create microscopic channels of 0.7mm (700 microns) into the vaginal mucosa at closely spaced intervals. The process causes a mini–defect in the collagen making it shrink while stimulating new collagen and elastin to grow thus bulking and rejuvenating this layer. Rotation of the probe at 360° allows treatment of the entire vaginal canal. This leads to an overall tightening of the lax vaginal walls including the upper part of the vagina producing added support for the base of the bladder and urethra. This is a very effective primary treatment for Urinary Stress Incontinence; an excellent alternative for women who do not respond to pelvic floor exercises or want to avoid the risks of surgery.

This technology has been widely used in America, Europe and Asia for more than 5 years and a wealth of data has accumulated verifying its effects and success.

What can CO2RE Intima be used for?
Generally for relieving the signs of childbirth and ageing:

  • Treating vaginal laxity by restoring vaginal flexibility, tone and shape
  • Treating mild to moderate stress and mixed urinary incontinence
  • Treating mild to moderate vaginal prolapse
  • Tightening of introitus (opening to the vagina)
  • Treating discomfort due to thick post childbirth scars
  • Softening and remodelling of post radiation scars
  • Treating dryness, itching and pain associated with menopause and lack of oestrogen
  • Reversing vaginal atrophy in women due to premature menopause including Breast Cancer Survivors with Vaginal Atrophy) this is the safest treatment for Cancer survivors
  • Treating labial laxity by improving tone and shape of labia
  • Treating hyper-pigmentation (darkening of the skin) and vulval discolouration
  • Enhancing /restoring age related loss of sexual sensation
What other conditions can be treated with CO2RE laser?
  • Lichen sclerosus (vulvo-vaginal dystrophy) causing intense persistent itching
  • Recurrent boils affecting groin and vulval area
  • Skin tags, condylomata, benign moles in the vulva or groin areas
What is vaginal laxity and how is it treated?
Vaginal laxity is an overstretched vaginal canal which has lost its shape and elasticity, a common complaint in sexually active women. Although the change in sexual pleasure may be subtle in some cases it may be drastic in others to the point of significantly affecting personal relationships and/or marriages.

Some women may also experience Urinary Stress Incontinence which is an involuntary leakage of urine which can occur during exercise, laughing, coughing, and even during sex. Until recently the main treatment options have been pelvic floor (Kegel exercises) or surgery. Although pelvic floor exercises are important to strengthen the pelvic floor they often do not fully correct the problem.

Surgery in the form of a Vaginoplasty to tighten the vagina or a mid-urethral mesh to support the urethra are good options but they are associated with risks, long term complications and need time for recovery.

CO2RE Intima offers a quick and effective non-surgical alternative for treating vaginal laxity and mild Urinary Stress Incontinence which is safe and requires no recovery time.

How does Intima improve vaginal laxity?
CO2RE Intima works via pulses of laser energy delivered into the collagen layer of the vaginal mucosa, where concentrated thermal heating leads to collagen and elastin “shrinkage”. In addition to the heating effect the laser beam creates multiple deep micro channels stimulating immediate tissue repair and collagen regeneration.

This combined effect achieves greater and longer lasting thickening and tightening of the vaginal tissue compared to radio frequency treatment.

The initial shrinkage and secondary regeneration also causes stretching of the internal bulbs and crura (structures) of the internal portion of the clitoris resulting in the enhancement of sexual sensation within the vagina.

What does Intima achieve for vaginal atrophic changes?
By altering and rearranging collagen fibres and enabling the formation of elastin and better collagen formation, CO2RE Intima can provide long-term reversal of the vaginal atrophic (degenerative) changes such as thinning of the mucosa associated with discomfort, dryness, painful intercourse, sensation of burning and urinary incontinence.

The treatment aims specifically to tighten and firm the anterior vaginal wall, thus restoring support to the base of the overlying bladder and urethra thereby improving the symptoms of urinary incontinence. There is also evidence showing that restoring bladder support reduces frequency of recurrent urinary tract infections.

The outcome of this procedure is the complete remodelling of the vaginal mucosa and the underlying collagen structure as well as the re-establishment of robust “younger-feeling” vaginal tissue enriched in thick and long collagen fibres.

Who is a good candidate for treatment with Intima?
  • Women with minimal to moderate vaginal looseness or laxity not severe enough to need a complete surgical repair (Vaginoplasty) but troublesome enough (less “grip,” too much “droop”) to experience diminished sexual pleasure and occasional modest urinary incontinence.
  • Women who have not yet had a child but either feel themselves “wide” internally or have a partner with a smaller-sized penis.
  • Women with laxity after childbirth who plan on another child/children and need “temporary” tightening until their final childbirth.
  • Women who will undergo a Vaginoplasty (surgical tightening procedure) of the lower half of the vagina, but also have noticeable widening in the far upper vagina where a surgical pelvic floor tightening procedure traditionally cannot reach.
  • Women with mild urinary incontinence (mainly stress incontinence)
  • Women with modest vaginal laxity who wish to avoid a surgical procedure.
  • Women with mild to moderate vaginal prolapse who wish to avoid surgery/wearing vaginal ring pessary.
  • Post-menopausal women with symptoms related to dry, atrophic vagina

Laser Vaginal Tightening is safe for most women including those with other pelvic or vaginal conditions such as vaginal prolapse, endometriosis and pelvic pain. It is ideal for women who have recently given birth and are breastfeeding especially if they want to have more children with the recommendation to wait 3 months after childbirth to have the procedure. It is also suitable for women who use all forms of contraception including coils and for those who have had previous pelvic surgery such as a vaginal repair or hysterectomy.It is possible to combine laser hair removal with CO2RE Intima treatment.

Who is not suitable for the procedure?
  • Women with a significant pelvic floor and vaginal laxity involving significant widening and muscular separation; these women need a surgical repair and will be disappointed with a laser procedure.
  • Women with significant urinary incontinence and/or prolapse; these women need a surgical repair/mesh procedure.
  • Women with very tightened, atrophic vaginas; these women will first need to undergo re-estrogenization and mild mechanical dilation in order to physically accommodate the treatment probe.
Why is CO2RE Intima better or different compared with other vaginal treatments?
CO2RE Intima uses a powerful, versatile CO2 laser which is capable of treating a depth of 700 microns which is much deeper than most of traditional ablative lasers ( 150-300 microns). In addition the use of disposable single-use hand pieces assures women of the highest possible hygiene standard.

Treatment with CORE Intima results in cell rejuvenation, tissue coagulation and regrowth as well as vaginal mucosal tightening. Other vaginal rejuvenation treatments carried out with the use of radio frequency devices result only in bulk heating for collagen remodeling and tightening.

The results from CO2RE Intima are also longer lasting in comparison to radio frequency.

Due to the deeper penetration of it’s ablative treatment when compared with other laser devices Intima is an excellent non surgical option for treatment of genital prolapse.

Patients more often report quicker results with Intima and most report an improvement in vaginal laxity and stress urinary incontinence after the first treatment, with an even more noticeable improvement after the second treatment. A clinical study showed that, at the three-month follow-up after the third treatment, 100% of women reported satisfaction with the treatment and 94% would recommend it to others. Additionally, 82% of women showed a statistically significant improvement in the vaginal health index (p<0.05).

Disclaimer
CO2RE Intima opens new exciting possibilities of non-surgical treatment for the many troublesome conditions that affect women.

While it appears from a limited number of studies that laser tightening and treatment of vaginal atrophy offers little risk of harm there really are no well-controlled long-term (over 2-3 years) studies as can be found for surgical procedures. Surgery remains the “gold standard” for significant vaginal laxity, however laser treatment may offer benefits in certain situations (see above). Vaginal oestrogen therapy remains the “gold standard” for vaginal atrophic changes but there are situations where oestrogen cannot be used making laser treatment the best option, although individual results cannot be guaranteed and my vary.

THE PROCESS

What to expect from your experience?

From the moment you contact us you can expect a first class confidential and professional service. Durig the course of your initial enquiry we will ask you a few personal questions, such as your age, physical condition, your current and past health and if your cervical smear is up to date.

If you need a cervical smear than we can provide this test in our clinic.

We will then book you in for a consultation during which you will fill in a detailed personal and medical consent form. We will discuss your specific concerns giving you information you need to decide if this is the right treatment for you. You will also receive an examination at this point to make sure you are able to have the treatment. The procedure will not be carried out if you are expecting a period as no tampons should be used. 

On the day of your planned first treatment you will be back in the same familiar room; the examination will be repeated if the treatment is more than one month from date of the linitial consultation.

The internal vaginal treatment taking only 10 to 15 minutes is virtually painless with only a few women feeling mild discomfort. Women after childbirth and up to 40 will probably require only one treatment.

However peri-menopausal and postmenopausal women are recommended to have a course of three treatments one month apart to maximise the effects. A maintenance treatment is recommended every 12-18 months for post menopausal women.

Following the treatment some women may experience some mild brief cramps in the vagina during the first 24 hours. We would advise that for seven days you abstain from penetrative sexual intercourse to allow the vaginal canal to heal.

Usually within a week you will be feeling the positive effects of the treatment and this will continue for some time.

If a treatment is required for labia tightening, correction of discolouration or scars an anaesthetic cream will be applied for 40 minutes to ensure your comfort during the procedure.

You will be able to leave the clinic as soon as you are dressed and carry on as normal with day to day activities. You will also be given a “Post Care” leaflet with a contact number to call should you have any concerns about side affects in the first few days post treatment; at this time any subsequent procedure will be booked.

Discover our Laser Vaginoplasty services…

Urinary Stress Incontinence Irritable Bladder Vaginal Dryness & Discomfort

Vaginal Laxity & Vaginal Prolapse Vaginal Dryness & Painful Intercourse

Aged Labia, Large Labia & Large Clitoral hood correction

Surgical Labiaplasty

Painful vulva & vaginal opening (Introitus)

Medical Consultations

Vaginal Fillers

Isn’t it time you looked as young as you feel?

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR CO2RE TREATMENTS

Contact Us

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GLASGOW
The Women's Clinic
2nd Floor,
Central Chambers
11 Bothwell St,
Glasgow, G2 6LY

Telephone
0141 222 2503

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