Question 1

What is vaginal rejuvenation?

Accepted Answer

Vaginal rejuvenation is an umbrella term for surgical procedures or energy-based treatments that can tighten the vaginal canal and opening, increase lubrication, and improve the appearance of the labia. They’re usually done to reverse changes caused by pregnancy, aging, and even cancer treatment.

In addition to improving sexual satisfaction, vaginal rejuvenation can reduce or eliminate urinary stress incontinence, a very common concern for women.

Some doctors on RealSelf say true vaginal rejuvenation focuses on the vaginal canal and opening, while others also consider labiaplasty (which removes unwanted tissue from the inner vaginal lips) a kind of vaginal rejuvenation.

Nonsurgical, energy-based treatments use energy from lasers or radiofrequency to heat vaginal tissue and boost blood flow and collagen production. Over time, this makes the tissue thicker, smoother, and more elastic. “Think shrink-wrap,” says Dr. M. Shoma Datta-Thomas, an OB-GYN in Harrison, New York. Downtime is usually minimal with these procedures, which address vaginal laxity, dryness, and urinary continence. On the other hand, they usually require a series of treatments over several months.

Surgical vaginal rejuvenation produces more dramatic tightening of the vaginal canal, with recovery that requires up to six weeks of limited activity.

Ultimately, “it’s the patient’s symptoms and anatomic damage that determine whether one is a better candidate for surgery or a nonsurgical approach,” says Dr. Troy Robbin Hailparn, an OB-GYN in San Antonio, in a RealSelf Q&A.

Related: Why 3 Women Got Vaginal Rejuvenation After a Breakup

Question 2

How much does vaginal rejuvenation cost?

Accepted Answer

Your cost will depend largely on the details of your treatment plan, your provider’s credentials, and their practice location.

Most insurance plans won’t cover vaginal rejuvenation treatments that are done for cosmetic reasons, but they will cover medically necessary procedures (for example, to correct pelvic organ prolapse).

You can finance your treatment with CareCredit.

See our complete guide to vaginal rejuvenation costs

Question 3

Vaginal rejuvenation surgery

Accepted Answer

You may be a good candidate for surgical options if you have:

Vaginal looseness. A surgeon can tighten the entrance to the vagina with a perineoplasty and the vaginal canal with a vaginoplasty. These procedures can also improve the appearance of the vulva.
Urinary leakage. The bladder and urethra can be secured with an anterior repair, to prevent leaks.
Excess labia tissue. A labiaplasty removes redundant tissue from the vaginal lips, typically to make the inner lips (the labia minora) level with the outer lips (the labia majora). Some patients also opt for labia majora reduction.
Deflated labia majora. Patients who are concerned about volume loss can opt for labia puffing, to augment the labia majora.

Let’s compare the top surgical vaginal rejuvenation procedures.

Vaginoplasty

What it is: A one-time surgical procedure that results in vaginal tightening and repair.

Who’s a good candidate: People experiencing vaginal looseness and stress urinary incontinence.

Additional benefits: Improved sexual function and satisfaction.

“For most women with severe vaginal relaxation, surgical tightening is the only way to achieve their functional and aesthetic goals,” explains Dallas OB-GYN Dr. Wesley Anne Brady. “Most women want to regain the vaginal tightness they enjoyed prior to childbirth, for improved sexual gratification and stronger muscle tone.”

How it works: This vaginal tightening treatment can be performed under local or general anesthesia. Plastic surgeons and OB-GYNs have various techniques that they can customize to the patient’s unique situation. Often, the surgeon removes a portion of tissue from the vaginal wall, then uses sutures to tighten and repair the fascia. This narrows the vaginal canal and provides better support for the pelvic-floor (aka levator) muscles.

How long recovery takes: You can expect three to five days of downtime, with swelling and soreness for up to two weeks. You’ll also need to avoid vigorous exercise, tampons, and sexual intercourse for eight weeks.

How long results last: 10 years or more.

Learn more about vaginoplasty

Perineoplasty

What it is: A surgical procedure that tightens the vaginal opening and the perineum, the area between the vagina and the anus. This 30-minute procedure is usually performed in combination with vaginoplasty.

Who’s a good candidate: Patients who have a loosened, overstretched perineum after childbirth. “A vaginal/perineal tear from childbirth can create an unusually open vaginal orifice that can lead to irritation from tight clothing, self-consciousness, and diminished sexual enjoyment,” says Dr. Michael Goodman, an OB-GYN in Davis, California.

Additional benefits: Reduced urinary or bowel incontinence.

How it works: The surgeon removes a V-shaped portion of tissue from the vaginal entryway (introitus) to the perineum, just above the anal opening. Sutures tighten the levator muscles and cover them with fascia. Excess tissue is removed, and the incisions are sutured closed.

How long results last: Results are permanent, as long as you don’t experience another vaginal delivery.

Learn more about perineoplasty

Labiaplasty

What it is: A labiaplasty minimizes the size and appearance of the inner vaginal lips, the labia minora, to improve their appearance and resolve discomfort.

Related: Botched Labiaplasty Is Common. Doctors Explain Why—and How to Avoid a Bad Outcome

Who’s a good candidate: For some women, excess labia minora tissue causes friction and even pain during exercise, sex, and other activities. Removing it can reduce discomfort and boost self-confidence.

Additional benefits: Increased sexual pleasure and improved health.

How it works: The procedure can be performed in a variety of ways, including evenly trimming excess tissue from along the labia minora’s edge or removing a wedge of tissue from each side of the labia minora. The result is smaller, significantly less pronounced inner labia and a more “tucked in” appearance.

How long results last: Results are permanent, as long as you don’t experience vaginal childbirth post-surgery.

Learn more about labiaplasty

RealSelf Tip: Monsplasty (aka a pubic lift) isn’t technically a vaginal rejuvenation procedure, but you may want to also consider this surgical procedure if you have an enlarged or sagging mons pubis, the area just above the genitals. Hormonal changes, aging, or changes in weight can lead to sagging skin and excess tissue, which can be surgically removed via monsplasty.

Question 4

Nonsurgical vaginal rejuvenation treatments

Accepted Answer

Nonsurgical energy-based treatment options include laser vaginal rejuvenation and radiofrequency energy treatments like ThermiVa, MonaLisa Touch, Ultra Femme, FemTouch, diVa vaginal therapy, and Votiva.

Their methods and Worth It Ratings differ, but all of these devices have demonstrated benefits in treating vaginal dryness, reducing leakage from urinary incontinence, and improving sensation.

Good candidates for nonsurgical treatment options typically have mild to moderate symptoms. For instance, nonsurgical vaginal treatments can only moderately tighten labial and vaginal tissues—they can’t dramatically tighten a stretched vagina.

Effects are temporary, so maintaining them requires ongoing follow-up treatments.

Along with not being a substitute for surgery, these treatments aren’t risk-free—burns, scarring, and pain during intercourse have been reported. If you’re considering one of these treatments, choose a highly experienced provider with a strong track record of positive patient reviews.

ThermiVa

What it is: A radiofrequency treatment that rejuvenates vaginal tissue.

Who’s a good candidate: People experiencing vaginal dryness, occasional leakage, painful intercourse, and recurrent vaginitis.

Additional benefits: Improved sexual function and satisfaction.

How it works: The ThermiVa wand delivers targeted RF energy that gently heats tissues both inside and outside the vagina, to provoke a regenerative healing response. Over time, the skin becomes tighter, more hydrated, and responsive to sensation.

How many treatments you need: A series of three 30-minute sessions, spaced four to six weeks apart are required. Full results will be most noticeable after a few months.

How long results last: About a year. Annual follow-up treatments can maintain the benefits.

Learn more about ThermiVa

MonaLisa Touch

What it is: A fractional CO2 laser treatment designed to treat atrophic vaginitis—the thinning, drying, and inflammation of the vaginal walls that often accompanies a drop in estrogen levels after menopause or other health changes.

Who’s a good candidate: Menopausal women who are experiencing vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, stress urinary incontinence, or mild tissue laxity.

How it works: This wand-shaped vaginal rejuvenation laser delivers energy pulses that make controlled micro-injuries along the vaginal wall. This boosts blood flow and stimulates new collagen and elastin production, to thicken the tissue while increasing moisture and sensation.

How many treatments you’ll need: An initial series of three to four treatments, six weeks apart.

How long results last: 12 to 18 months. Annual follow-up treatments can maintain results.

Learn more about MonaLisa Touch

FemiLift

What it is: A fractional CO2 laser that rejuvenates vaginal tissue and eradicates symptoms like dryness, pain during sex, and irritation.

Who’s a good candidate: The best candidates are postmenopausal women with vaginal atrophy.

How it works: The laser delivers bursts of heat to the vaginal tissues. This creates microinjuries that trigger the body’s natural healing response, thicken vaginal tissue, improve muscle tone, increase lubrication, and restore elasticity. Because the laser strengthens the vaginal walls, the treatment can also help reduce stress urinary incontinence.

How many treatments you’ll need: An initial series of three treatments, spaced about three weeks apart.

How long results last: One year. Annual follow-up treatments can maintain results.

Learn more about FemiLift

The O-Shot

What it is: PRP injections (platelet-rich plasma, derived from your own blood) increase vaginal sensation, lubrication, and clitoral stimulation, which has been shown to improve the sex life of patients.

Additional benefits: An improvement in mild stress urinary incontinence.

Who’s a good candidate: Women with difficulty achieving orgasm through vaginal or clitoral stimulation.

How it works: Blood is drawn and spun through a centrifuge, to isolate the PRP. The PRP is injected into numbed areas of the frontal vaginal wall, clitoris, and labia. Growth factors in the PRP encourage tissue regeneration and boost blood flow, to increase lubrication and sexual arousal.

How many treatments you need: These can be a one-time treatment, though additional shots can build on the benefits of the first treatment.

How long results last: Results peak at about three months, then last up to a year or more, at which point the treatment can be repeated. ent.

Learn more about the O-Shot

Question 5

Are vaginal rejuvenation results permanent?

Accepted Answer

Are vaginal rejuvenation results permanent?

Results from surgical vaginal rejuvenation procedures are permanent, with some caveats. Your age and experience will affect how your vagina functions, and your body will change over time. Some women are happy with their results for decades, while others have new issues down the road.

Nonsurgical vaginal rejuvenation treatments are typically done in a series, with an annual touch-up treatment to keep up results.

Question 6

Vaginal rejuvenation before and after pictures

Accepted Answer

The vaginal rejuvenation photos in our gallery have been shared by the provider who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.

VAGINAL REJUVENATION

BEFORE & AFTER PHOTOS

Wesley Anne Brady, MD

Karyn Repinski

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	Vaginoplasty surgical	Perineoplasty surgical	Labiaplasty surgical
Worth It Rating	95%	95%	95%
Average Cost	$7586	$4717	$5406
Downtime	3–5 days of downtime	1–2 weeks of downtime	3–7 days of downtime
Anesthesia	Local or general anesthesia	Local or general anesthesia	Sedation, local or general anesthesia

	ThermiVa nonsurgical	MonaLisa Touch nonsurgical	FemiLift nonsurgical	O-Shot nonsurgical
Worth It Rating	100%	100%	91%	86%
Average Cost	$2079	$1950	$2813	$1492
Downtime	No downtime	Minimal downtime	No downtime	No downtime
Anesthesia	Topical or no anesthesia	No anesthesia (possibly numbing cream)	No anesthesia	Topical and local anesthesia

BEFORE & AFTER PHOTOS

Wesley Anne Brady, MD

Karyn Repinski

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