Welcome to the Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation of Philadelphia website blog. This is the place where you can find excellent and compassionate care and answers to all your questions. Many patients come to our office and start by saying that they are too embarrassed to ask certain questions, or worse, that they have asked their Ob/Gyn questions and were treated very dismissively. Our philosophy at LVRI Philly is that cosmetic issues are part of the continuum of pelvic floor prolapse. Insurance companies may consider these issues to be cosmetic but, medically, they are not. Frequently, there are relaxation and pelvic floor muscle strength issues that do not fit the definition of “prolapse” yet they are bothersome to the patient. More importantly, medical studies are starting to consistently show that pelvic floor weakness and a gaping introitus are risk factors or possibly causative factors to pelvic organ prolapse in the patient’s future.
I decided to pursue additional training in cosmetic gynecology because of these reasons. What pushed me to commit to the training was an experience with a patient consult. The patient tearfully asked me if sex was supposed to feel so different after having children. Her previous gynecologist had laughingly dismissed her question. It is every woman’s right to have a healthy and happy sexual relationship. The joy of childbirth should not be at the cost of disabling pelvic floor problems.
A second patient scenario soon presented itself. A young patient that was avoiding swimming class because she was overly self-conscious of her larger that average labia being noticed in her bathing suit. She was petrified of being singled out and teased. There are multiple studies and validated questionnaires that address body self-image and specifically of the genital area. While we reassure patients of a wide range of “normal”, normal is also what a patient perceives of herself. The genital area is not different than the face, the breasts, or any other part of the body. We have a detailed discussion with every patient about self-perception, normal anatomy, and realistic outcomes. Most importantly, I am a Board-Certified specialist in Female Pelvic Health and Reconstructive Surgery with 30 years of experience. This differentiates me from non-Board-Certified providers and Cosmetic Surgeons that have little, if any, training in female anatomy and pelvic floor function.
In the future, we will be presenting blogs and information on different topics. So please check back regularly. If you have any specific topics that you are interested in, please send them in email and I will try to address them.