The very first intravaginal laser treatment has been approved by the FDA, and, at first glance, those three words — "intravaginal laser treatment" — sound a lot like what might happen during an alien abduction. But, this is, in fact, beyond promising news for women suffering from vaginal atrophy.
Usually brought on following the onset of menopause, vaginal atrophy is a condition in which a woman's vaginal walls become thinner and lose some of their natural moisture. So, while this condition that comes naturally with age for anywhere between 20% and 45% of menopausal women, it can make intercourse less enjoyable and even painful. Enter the treatment known as MonaLisa Touch.
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Using lasers to stimulate collagen production inside the vagina, the MonaLisa Touch works to rehydrate vaginal walls and increase blood flow, painlessly. The outcome of its initial clinical studies are positive, and the main side effects are temporary and relatively minor (some redness and swelling).
Up until now, the most frequently-sought solution to vaginal atrophy has been hormone therapy. While many consider this option to be less invasive, advocates of vaginal laser treatments argue that a regimen of hormones only function to counteract the general symptoms of menopause, and do not take enough of a targeted approach to treat vaginal atrophy as a specific condition.
As of right now, the MonaLisa Touch procedure costs $1,500 in total. Though it's yet to be seen how American health insurers will integrate this kind of treatment into their plans, a comparison of this price tag to the potential cash savings in lube might be in order.