Are Vaginal Tightening Creams Technically Vaginal Rejuvenation?

Vaginal laxity is an incredibly common – if not inevitable – condition that impacts women for a variety of reasons, such as childbirth, aging, and genetics. While vaginal looseness might be easy to write off as a benign issue, it has bigger repercussions on an individual’s sex life and self-esteem than we realize. Patients experiencing vaginal laxity don’t just notice a change in how their vagina appears, they also notice a change in how their vagina feels. Some women describe it as feeling like air is moving through or from the vagina. Other women find that this looseness diminishes vaginal sensitivity, impacting your ability to climax during intercourse. 

If you’re experiencing vaginal looseness, you might be wondering about treatment options. A quick Google search and you’ll likely see plenty of vaginal tightening creams, gels, and lotions listed as “vaginal rejuvenation” that promise overnight results. This sounds nice and all, but is it really vaginal rejuvenation? 

Before we get into the differences between the various treatments out there, you should know that addressing vaginal laxity will vary from patient to patient – what works for one person won’t necessarily work for another. And while any treatment that addresses vaginal tightness falls under the umbrella term “vaginal rejuvenation,” some options are more beneficial than others. Here at Austin Labiaplasty and Vaginal Rejuvenation, we forgo gels and creams and offer non-invasive as well as surgical vaginal rejuvenation options. 

Regardless of which direction you go, it’s important to realize that there’s no “quick fix” solution when it comes to vaginal rejuvenation. Those vaginal tightening creams and gels that promise an overnight fix are usually short-lived and temporary. This is because most vaginal tightening creams have “astringent” ingredients that stiffen loose vaginal tissue. If you have minimal vaginal laxity, this might work for you – especially if you use it in tandem with other pelvic-floor exercises that support tightness and abdominal organs. If you’re looking for more permanent and noticeable results, then you should consider more aggressive vaginal rejuvenation treatments.

Patients that come to ALVR with more mild vaginal laxity who haven’t experienced pelvic organ prolapse are typically good candidates for ThermiVa, which uses radiofrequency technology to revive vaginal tissue. It can also benefit women experiencing mild urinary incontinence. Because ThermiVa is a more conservative approach for vaginal laxity, it requires more consistent use to maintain results. 

When patients are dealing with more severe vaginal laxity or simply want a lasting, permanent solution, we recommend surgical vaginal rejuvenation (aka vaginoplasty). You might be leery of surgery, but the results are worth it. During vaginoplasty, your surgeon – in this case, Dr. Shashoua – will make what’s called a “wedge” incision in order to narrow the vagina. Once the skin is tightened, we use dissolvable sutures to secure the area and hold everything in place. The surgery takes about two hours, and requires patients to spend an overnight at the hospital. From here, most patients take between 6 weeks to fully heal.

So, are vaginal tightening creams technically vaginal rejuvenation? Yes, but the results are nowhere near as noticeable or long-lasting as what you might expect from either vaginoplasty or ThermiVa. If you’re interested in learning more about your options or have any questions whatsoever about vaginal rejuvenation, you can always contact us and schedule a consultation: (512) 973-8276.