“A lot of women focus on keeping it (their vagina) healthy for sex or for a man, but you gotta do it for your health too… When I tell you that my yoni (vagina) is like a 16-year-old's, I’m not kidding.”
Those were the words of Jada Pinkett-Smith recently on her web television talk show, 'Red Table Talk' - as she introduced her mom to vaginal rejuvenation.
Cynthia Bailey (Real Housewives of Atlanta) and Sonja Morgan (Real Housewives of New York) are other celebs who’ve publicized their procedures, but Jada took it to another, honest, more informed level.
We approached Dr Manoj Bagwandeen at the Cape Medical Aesthetics Centre (CapeMAC) in Cape Town to find out more about the procedure.
Bagwandeen is a registered medical doctor with a special interest in “Medical Aesthetics”, and in particular the latest procedures to enhance feminine sexual health – Vaginal Rejuvenation. Among a long list of accomplishments, he is also a senior member of the European Society of Aesthetic Gynaecology.
He explained that Vaginal Rejuvenation refers to specific medical and surgical procedures that seek to enhance vaginal health and function which may be negatively affected by the normal aging process and normal childbirth or previous trauma to the vaginal area.
These conditions include: vaginal laxity; stress urinary incontinence; dyspareunia (pain experienced during intercourse) and even to enhance sexual pleasure for both partners.
Bagwandeen warned: "In South Africa only registered and trained medical doctors are allowed to perform such procedures, and then only in proper procedure rooms that accommodate the use of medical laser devices. Patients must always be cautious about who administers any medical procedures and where the procedure is done."
WHAT HAPPENS DURING VAGINAL REJUVENATION:
*The patient rests on an examination bed as during a gynaecological examination and the trained and qualified doctor does the appropriate examination of the area.
*The laser probe is gently inserted into the vagina and the treatment can commence. Most laser, Radio-Frequency and Ultrasound devices are fully automated and the attending doctor sets the parameters on the device and then guides the probe which delivers the energy into the vaginal canal in a pre-set and automated manner.
*The procedure is very gentle and relatively painless. The patient may feel some tingling and warm sensations during the procedure.
*After the procedure, the patient is gently examined again and then able to dress and leave the procedure room. There is no downtime, except that with more intense treatments, the patient has to abstain from intercourse and other vaginal procedures for seven days post treatment.
*Patients usually do not need any pain medication post procedure.
*Some Doctors combine the different treatment modalities to achieve even better results as the different energy devices work at different levels of the vaginal skin depths.
*This is usually a post-menopausal procedure. Studies have shown that the laser resurfacing of the vaginal inner skin lining significantly enhances the functioning of the vaginal lining.
*Patients experience improved tightness; improved sensation during intercourse and greater lubrication of the vagina. There is also a decrease in the frequency of vaginal infections and dryness post-menopause after vaginal rejuvenation.
WATCH: Jada Pinkett-Smith introduces her mother - Adrienne Banfield Jones - to Vaginal Rejuvenation on web television talk show, 'Red Table Talk'