Though most women enter menopause between the ages of 40 and 50, the symptoms can appear as early as 30 or not until after 60. In addition to irregular menstrual cycles, interrupted sleep and hot flashes, a common symptom of menopause is vaginal dryness and painful intercourse. But thanks to an innovative laser therapy being offered at Women for Women Medical Associates, LLC, in Marlton, women of any age can restore their vaginal health while improving their quality of life and intimate relationships.

A virtually painless and minimally invasive laser procedure, the MonaLisa Touch treats the symptoms of vaginal health by generating new blood flow, collagen and elastin due to the improved vascularization of the vaginal mucosa and vulva. Vaginal discomforts such as dryness, burning and urinary incontinence are often a result of atrophic vaginitis, which is the lack of nourishment and hydration of the cells of the vaginal mucosa. Often considered a natural consequence of menopause or even childbirth, the uncomfortable condition can now be prevented and resolved in a safe and painless way.

“It’s a treatment that has already helped several thousands of women across Europe, and now we’re offering the MonaLisa Touch to provide significant benefits for women who can’t rely on estrogen or other hormonal therapies to treat the symptoms of menopause,” explains Dr. Jewel Amui-Bellon, a licensed and board-certified gynecologist and founder of Women for Women Medical Associates, LLC. The therapy relies on a gentle fractional CO₂ laser with a vaginal probe and has been proven safe; it uses methods similar to those used to treat aging facial skin. Amui-Bellon notes that the treatment is very similar to what women expect to feel during their annual pelvic exam, and only takes about five minutes. “Most patients go right back to work and don’t require any form of anesthesia,” she adds.

With the onset of menopause or peri-menopause, MonaLisa Touch therapy allows a woman’s body to provide moisture to the vaginal wall tissue and prevents the typically declining effects of estrogen in the vaginal tissue by reactivating the production of new collagen and reestablishing the conditions that the vaginal mucosa once had. It’s considered the most effective non-surgical and non-pharmacological solution for preventing and treating vaginal atrophy and its side effects, which many women suffer from during menopause and after childbirth.

“In this day and age, there’s no reason a woman should suffer in silence if her sexual health is important to her. She has options,” she says.

A typical course of treatment is three procedures in a span of 18 weeks in a given year, and then once a year thereafter. Amui-Bellon notes that most women experience a significant improvement after the first treatment. The vaginal mucosa becomes better toned, hydrated and elasticized, and the therapy also helps reestablish the correct vaginal pH to maintain the vagina’s natural protective barrier and reduce the risk of infection. “Most patients report symptom relief after the first treatment, and by the second or third treatment, they’ve noticed a significant improvement in their overall vaginal health,” Amui-Bellon says.

The innovative laser technique is improving the quality of life and enhancing relationships for women throughout South Jersey, as one side effect of atrophic vaginitis is dyspareunia—pain during sexual intercourse. An atrophic vagina is thin, fragile and lacks elasticity, and is often dry and un-lubricated, which causes pain during intercourse and can lead to lack of sexual desire and other negative consequences when it comes to a couple’s intimate relationship.

 “It’s changing a lot of women’s lives,” Amui-Bellon adds. “We’ve treated patients ranging from women in their 40s who want to restore their sense of sexuality and femininity after childbirth to cancer survivors who are unable to take traditional hormonal therapies for menopause symptoms all the way up to women in their 70s who don’t want to give up their sexuality because of their age.”

There are some women that may not be candidates for this procedure, such as patients who have had previous radiation therapies of the vagina or cervix or who have been diagnosed with certain medical conditions, such as ulcerative colitis or eroding vaginal meshes from stress incontinence surgeries.

"After a thorough medical history, we address what is most important to the patient, because it’s really all about improving their quality of life,” Amui-Bellon concludes. “A lot of women don’t want to talk about vaginal issues or their sexuality, but they need to understand that their vaginal health and quality of life is important—and now we have a solution to address these issues.”

Women for Women Medical Associates, LLC, is located at 102 Centre Blvd., Ste. I, in Marlton. For more information, call 856-267-5019 or visit wfwma.org.