The procedure is virtually painless and requires no anesthesia. Many patients *feel and see improvement after the first treatment, although the procedure calls for three treatments each spaced four weeks apart for optimal results. You can return to normal activities right after the procedure, but should refrain from sexual activity for five days.

For decades our only option for managing urogenital symptoms of menopause including vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, and urinary symptoms was the 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. Femilift^® Vaginal Rejuvenation in Cincinnati is a revolutionary treatment for urogenital symptoms attributed to low estrogenic states or menopause without the use of hormones.

After childbirth, many women experience a change in their vagina which can lead to urinary incontinence and decreased sensation during sex. Similarly, with menopause there are changes that can occur to the vaginal tissue; vaginal dryness is a primary concern for many peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women. Also, lichen sclerosus is a chronic debilitating disease of the vulva.

The carbon dioxide laser was one of the earliest lasers to be developed in 1964. This laser uses pulsed light energy to remove thin layers of skin . Then during the healing process, new youthful skin / tissue is produced.

Patients report immediate changes; even after one treatment session. The full benefits of the Femilift^® treatments are enjoyed 30 days after the third treatment session. The results are best maintained with yearly or semi-annual maintenance treatments.

The internal vaginal Femilift^® treatment is pain-free. You will feel pressure from the probe similar to a pelvic exam. The external Co2 that is mainly used for lichen sclerosus is moderately uncomfortable. We have developed a protocol at Amy Brenner, MD & Associates with topical numbing cream and the ProNox^® (inhaled nitrous oxide) to help keep you as comfortable as possible.

The treatment takes approximately 15 minutes . The entire appointment is usually completed in a 30 minute time frame unless add on treatments such as the O-Shot^® are added.

We will ask you to abstain from intercourse, hot tubs, and pools for 72 hours following treatment.

We completely understand that when it comes to women's intimate wellness issues, you want to seek a highly qualified provider. Sexual Medicine is our area of expertise! Our board certified physicians, surgeons and women’s health nurse practitioners have extensive training as gynecologists, surgeons, integrative medicine experts, aesthetics and sexual medicine. And we have all the latest and greatest tools at our disposal - not just one! As an all female team, we know what you’re going through. We understand that talking about your sex life and intimate concerns can be a embarrassing or even intimidating. We’ve been there and have had several of these procedures performed on ourselves. We will review your concerns, goals and budget and determine which treatments would be best for you whether it’s Femilift^® alone or in combination with other treatments such as the O-Shot^®, Morpheus8 or whether one of our services such as Aviva Scarless labiaplasty, Votiva or MySecret^® surgical options. We are a full service sexual medicine provider in Cincinnati. And as always, your comfort and satisfaction are our top concern.

Lasers have the potential to hyper pigment dark skin. Therefore, lasers (such as the Femilift , Mona Lisa Touch, Diva Laser, Femitight Laser), must be used with caution on the external vulva for dark skin types. Women with any skin type/tone can undergo an internal/vaginal treatment of the Femilift^® for vaginal dryness/atrophy.

In general, Femilift^® offers a safe and effective non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation with a highly unlikely chance of having an adverse effect. Theoretically, since laser energy is used to heat the tissue, the following have been reported in the medical literature: skin burns, scarring, pain. Thus, it is important to go to a qualified physician or provider with experience in sexual medicine, lasers and aesthetics.

The Femilift^® is very effective in regenerating the mucosa or skin of the vagina and vulva. However, with the natural aging process and the progressive disease of lichen sclerosus , you can expect to experience changes in your vagina and vulva and we recommend periodic maintenance sessions to maintain the results.

Patients that combine treatments see better, faster results than doing one treatment alone. Many patients have significant concerns and/or want to optimize their results. We have used Femilift^® in combination with Morpheus8, O-Shot^®, bioidentical hormone therapy, WAVE therapy and Aviva Scarless labiaplasty. We will work with you to develop a customized plan for you, see the our above section about combined treatments for more information.

CO2 laser treatments such as the Femilift^® is best used for mucosal or skin changes of the vulva and vagina such as atrophy (dryness) and lichen sclerosus. This treatment can also give relief to urinary incontinence and offer some tissue tightening as well. However, at Amy Brenner, MD & Associates, we have other tools in our arsenal that are better options for urinary incontinence, orgasm issues and vaginal/vulvar tightening.

Although a lot of women refer to anything “down there” as the vagina, that’s actually not anatomically correct. All of the external parts are collectively known as the vulva. The vulva consists of the labia majora (big lips), labia minora (small lips), clitoris and surrounding tissue. The vagina is the muscular tube that is inside the body that connects to the cervix and uterus. Inside the vagina, there are three layers of tissue: mucosa (skin of vagina), smooth muscle and fibrous tissue (where collagen and elastin live).

Both of these modalities are nonsurgical energy devices that are used in the aesthetic and cosmetic gynecology field. There is some overlap for what they treat. For example, both modalities help with dryness, but when mucosal issues such as vaginal dryness or lichen sclerosus are the main concerns. , lasers (Femilift^®) are the best option as they work on the mucosa (skin) of the vagina and vulva. Similarly, we have seen some tissue tightening of the vulva and vagina with lasers. However, or vaginal and vulvar tightening, radio frequency devices such as Votive —is the best bet. RF is able to penetrate deeper than CO2 and work on the fibrous tissue (where the collagen and elastin live) , so it is thought that the supportive structures of the vagina may be targeted more easily with RF technologies.

Femilift^® is not for everyone. Anyone with an active infection should wait until the infection resolves. Patients with significant atrophy, scarring or narrowing of the vaginal canal due to atrophy or lichen sclerosus may not be able to insert the laser wand.

Other non-candidates include: Women with a significant pelvic floor 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 / “sling” or “tape” procedure. Women who have never had an orgasm who are hoping this is the “magic bullet.” Women who have dyspareunia or painful intercourse (not due to atrophy). These women would be better suited to have the O-shot^® alone or other gynecologic evaluation and treatment. Women with severe atrophy that would not be able to tolerate the laser probe insertion.

However, women with significant symptoms may want to combine Femilift^® with O-Shot^®, WAVE therapy and/or bioidentical hormones for enhanced results. Consulting with one of our providers is the first step to determining which procedures or surgeries are a right fit for you.

Unfortunately, this service is not covered by insurance.