Vaginal Laxity

Vaginal Laxity

Vaginal laxity or vaginal “looseness” is a common yet overlooked health concern in women. Childbirth, menopause, and certain health conditions affect collagen and elasticity creating a feeling of vaginal looseness. Women who experience this condition and inhibits their quality of life also experience the following symptoms:

• decreased libido
• loss of sexual arousal
• reduced sexual satisfaction

What are the causes?

All women who have given birth vaginally undergo stretching of the tissues of the vaginal opening to accommodate the fetal head. Often the effects are permanent and many women have long-term physical and psychological consequences of sexual dissatisfaction. One significant issue is the loosening of the introitus ─ the vaginal opening. This happens with the first vaginal delivery and is usually made worse with subsequent vaginal deliveries. Research indicates that about 76 percent of women will experience this problem at some point in their lifetime.

Studies show that over 400 women who had vaginal deliveries has found that over 50 percent reported vaginal laxity or “looseness.” However, most patients rarely talk about this issue with their gynaecologist or physician. Only 22 percent of women are almost never asked their sexual health by their obstetrics and gynecologists. Some are too embarrassed to bring it up, while others believe it’s a normal process.

What are some other causes?

• Sexual trauma or abuse
• Excessive sexual activity
• Genetic disorders
• Menopause
• Multiple vaginal births

Treatment Options

This condition can be treated with surgery or less invasive methods, such as pelvic floor therapy, LED, laser or RF vaginal therapy and surgery. The most widely used surgical procedures for vaginal laxity include labiaplasty, vaginoplasty, hymenoplasty, and perineoplasty. About 95 percent of patients experience significant improvements following laser or RF vaginal tightening.