An innovative SmartXide laser that repairs your cells.
Created by the Italian company, DEKA, the MonaLisa Touch helps patients who suffer from the genitourinary symptoms of menopause (GSM). The MonaLisa Touch is a laser beam that creates a small thermal (heat) injury, triggering cell repairs. The treatment improves vascularization and connective tissue health within the vaginal canal and the labia, which improves vaginal tone, lubrication, and sensitivity. In addition, many women report that they have an improvement in urinary incontinence. This technology has been in use in Europe for many more years than it has here in the US.
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MonaLisa Treatments
Treatments are scheduled about 30-40 days apart and the recommendation is 3 treatments, followed by annual re-treatments. The treatments are generally not painful, but can cause irritation for 24-36 hours and it is recommended that women wait 3-4 days before resuming intercourse.
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Safety
The devices are FDA-approved for gynecology, and research from Europe has shown that the treatment decreases vaginal dryness and burning, and also decreases pain with sex and minor urinary incontinence.
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Insurance
Insurance is not covering this treatment at this time, but a variety of financing options are available for those not able to pay our $500/treatment cost at the time of service.
Genitourinary Symptoms
After a certain age, many women feel invisible.
The sexual health of post-menopausal women is not a common topic of conversation. For most people it’s as awkward to acknowledge the sexuality of seniors as it is acknowledging the sexuality of our teenage children. Many women complain that their health care providers minimize their concerns about the uncomfortable side effects of decreasing estrogen, or more commonly, don’t discuss their sexuality at all during visits. But the generation of women who are now menopausal are used to maintaining a high quality of life, and expect that to continue into their menopausal years.
Most 50-60 year old women consider sexual health and relationship satisfaction integral to maintaining their quality of life. They want to continue to be sexually active, but sometimes the aging process undermines their efforts. Here are some common vaginal complaints that are the result of decreasing estrogen:
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Vaginal dryness and lack of lubrication
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Vaginal tissues become thin and pale and they lose elasticity
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Genital itching and burning
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Discomfort with intercourse
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Increase in urinary incontinence
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Vagina becomes shorter and narrower
Given that women live, on average, about 30 years after menopause, the genitourinary symptoms of menopause (GSM) affects a large number of women. These menopause-related genitourinary symptoms may occur early in the menopause transition, or not until after several years of reduced estrogen levels. Regardless of when genitourinary symptoms of menopause occur, they can be painful and have negative effects on relationships and quality of life.