‘FemiLift’ lasers are no better than a placebo for treating post-menopausal vaginal problems, a study has claimed.
The trendy treatment can cost up to £1,500 per session and has been used by the Kardashians and is endorsed by other celebrities including model and former Miss England Danielle Lloyd.
It is marketed as being able to help reduce incontinence, vaginal laxity and dryness — three common side effects of going through ‘the change’.
But Australian researchers have now found the therapy, which uses carbon dioxide lasers to heat up vaginal tissue, has little benefit.
The paper looked at 85 women with postmenopausal vaginal symptoms over a year living in Sydney.
‘FemiLift’ lasers are no better than a placebo for treating post-menopausal vaginal problems, a study has claimed
The trendy treatment can cost up to £1,500 per session and has been used by the Kardashians and other celebrities including model Danielle Lloyd. Pictured: Khloe Kardashian and Kris Jenner
WHAT IS FEMILIFT?
FemiLift is a treatment made by Alma Lasers which claims to improve vaginal tightening after childbirth and reduce the effects of menopause including dryness and pain during sex.
It uses a fractional carbon dioxide laser to create microdots of damaged tissue inside the vagina.
This is supposed to stimulate the undamaged tissue around the dots to begin healing, strengthening the vaginal lining.
The treatment costs between £1,000 and £1,500 per session and patients are recommended three sessions spread a month apart in most cases.
Celebrities including the Kardashians are thought to swear by the treatment.
Speaking in 2016, Khloe Kardashian said: ‘My sisters, they’ve had kids, and there’s a vagina lasering thing to tighten.
‘So in my household, all they do is talk about this vagina laser. It’s like their discussion back and forth.’
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Respondents had to be suffering at least one of vaginal burning, itching or dryness, or find intercourse painful — known as dyspareunia.
Half were given the fractional carbon dioxide laser treatment for the study, published in JAMA Network Open.
The others were treated with a placebo laser running at a minimal energy setting to prevent any effect on their tissue.
All of the women were given three courses of the treatment spread one month apart, as per the recommended practice.
And their symptoms were assessed on a scale of zero to 100 before treatment and a year afterwards.
Doctors assessed their vaginal elasticity, fluid amount, pH, and hydration on every visit.
Patients were also surveyed to see how they felt the treatment was helping with their symptoms, emotions, life, and sexual lives. Scores were given on a 0-20 scale.
Statistical analysis revealed there was no significant difference in the results of the real laser group or the placebo.
The authors wrote: ‘In this randomized clinical trial involving women with postmenopausal vaginal symptoms, treatment with fractional carbon dioxide laser vs sham treatment did not result in improvement in symptom severity, quality of life, or vaginal histology.’
They did not specify what brand of fractional carbon dioxide laser was used. Alma Lasers, which manufactures FemiLift, has been approached for comment.
Manufacturers claim that it works by gently heating the vaginal tissue to stimulate the formation of new collagen — depleting levels can lead to dryness.
Celebrities including the Kardashians are thought to have used similar treatments.
Speaking in 2016, Khloe Kardashian said: ‘My sisters, they’ve had kids, and there’s a vagina lasering thing to tighten.
‘So in my household, all they do is talk about this vagina laser. It’s like their discussion back and forth.’
Former Miss Great Britain Danielle Lloyd endorsed FemiLift on social media, claiming the treatment cured her incontinence after childbirth.
She said: ‘This is life changing for me and am sure like other moms especially out there will totally get why I did it.
‘After giving birth to four babies even sneezing becomes a problem or when your kids ask you to come on the trampoline and you have to make your excuses.
‘Not only does it tighten and help stress urinary incontinence it’s perfect for women who are going through menopause and struggling with vaginal dryness.’
MENOPAUSE EXPLAINED
The menopause occurs when a woman stops having periods and can no longer fall pregnant naturally.
It is a natural part of ageing, which occurs in women between 45 and 55 years old.
However 1 in 100 women can experience menopause before the age of 40, which is known as premature menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency.
Symptoms often include hot flushes, night sweats, low mood, reduced sex drive, vaginal dryness, an increase in facial hair and difficulty sleeping.
According to NHS advice, symptoms can begin months or even years before your periods stop and last around four years after your last period.
Premature or early menopause can occur at any age, and in many cases, there’s no clear cause.
Source: NHS
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