ThermiVa FAQ’s

Is ThermiVa Better for Vaginal Tightening than a surgical procedure or laser?

Most of the time, yes. ThermiVa is non-invasive, so no anesthesia is required, and most patients comment on how comfortable the treatment is. The tip of the ThermiVa device is curved, providing a comfortable, pain-free experience for the patient. ThermiVa's advantage is that it uses heat energy, an effective modality in reconstruction of collagen, which improves the skin’s strength and elasticity. There is no down-time with the procedure, so you can return to your life’s duties immediately after the procedure is performed. We encourage patients to have intercourse the same night, a so-called "Test-Drive."

Is this procedure permitted if a patient is breastfeeding?

Yes, we can treat all breastfeeding patients.

Can Radio Frequency energy affect breast milk?

No, it has no effect.

How soon can someone have ThermiVa treatments after giving birth?

6 weeks for an no-complication, normal vaginal delivery. By then, any vaginal injury has healed and tissue response to ThermiVa is outstanding.

Can we treat women who complain of painful intercourse?

Those with painful intercourse may benefit dramatically from ThermiVa. It all depends on what the pain is stemming from. The patient will need a workup for painful intercourse before treatment. If the cause of painful intercourse is from atrophic vaginitis, then ThermiVa will be an excellent therapy. If painful intercourse is from a pelvic surgery, such as a mesh repair, then that should have a surgical work up. Patients with mesh are considered safe, unless they have had complications. Again, we are early in this knowledge; those with mesh, should be evaluated by an experienced pelvic surgeon. Providers who do not perform pelvic surgery, should not do ThermiVa on mesh repair patients without medical clearance.

What is the recommended age range that can be treated?

The average age treated is 18 + to infinity, depending on complaint and issue. This is a procedure for both pre and postmenopausal women.

Can patients with a verified proper IUD placement have ThermiVa treatments?

That is perfectly fine. Patients with IUDs are safe to treat because IUDs are in the uterine cavity away from the vaginal cavity with the thick and firm cervix acting as a bank vault door. The only time it may even be an issue is if the uterus with an IUD is prolapsing into the vagina. In that case, it is advised not treating uterine prolapse patients earlier in this FAQ. Even if you did treat a patient with an IUD inside a prolapsing uterus, the uterine wall is of sufficient thickness to be a barrier to RF energy, therefore not affecting the IUD. Mirena IUD has no metal parts and is com-pletely safe to treat. Progestasert and other metal containing IUDs are protected by the cervix and uterine wall that RF energy will not affect.

Should patients have a recent pap smear?

It is suggested to have a recent physical and or pap smear (when applicable) within the last 2 years (since people without a cervix do not have a pap smear). We believe that ThermiVa treatments are best for those with normal paps. However, we believe it is also acceptable to treat women with low risk HPV sub-types. Those with high risk HPV should be managed and treated before proceeding with ThermiVa treatments. Once you have a normal pap, Thermiva treatments are acceptable.

Who suffers from vaginal laxity?

Vaginal Laxity is very common after vaginal delivery. This condition can also be the result of aging, obesity, hormones, chronic constipation, straining, lifting, or any activity that would cause the vagina to stretch beyond its normal capacity.

Who are candidates for ThermiVa?

• Women who are experiencing vaginal laxity.
• Women who are displeased with the appearance of their labia majora, especially while wearing bathing suits, athletic attire, leggings, jeans, etc.
• Women who are experiencing any sexual dysfunction or orgasmic issues.
• Women who are having difficulty retaining tampons or may have pelvic prolapse, such as fallen bladder or fallen rectum.
• Women who may suffer from urinary incontinence or stress incontinence.
• Women who may suffer from dryness of their vagina or labia (atrophic vaginitis) due to the effects of menopause

Do women on hormone replacement therapy need to stop at any time?

No need to stop, change, or alter the way you are taking your hormone replacement therapy. If using vaginal estrogens, apply AFTER treatment.

Research has shown there is a correlation between vaginal dryness and orgasmic dysfunction in women who have been on birth control for extended periods of time, due to a medical issue such as PCOS. Can ThermiVa help with this issue without having the patient stop the birth control?

Yes, definitely, if the patient had orgasmic dysfunction. ThermiVa can improve sensitivity in all patients, whether they are on hormones or birth control pills. In patients who suffer from orgasmic dysfunction (anorgasmia or taking too long to achieve orgasm), it can reduce the time to reach orgasm by one third to one half. However, if you have no such problem, it will not make you hyper-orgasmic. It only helps those who have orgasmic issues. Those who have normal orgasms when treated with ThermiVa continue to have normal orgasms, but can experience stronger and more coordinated muscular contractions.

Can patients experience a change in their menstrual cycle after a ThermiVa treatment?

Most patients will have no change in their menses. There has been reported cases of patients experiencing mild to moderate spotting lasting between 24hrs-72hrs. This is probably secondary to touching the cervix during treatment. Patients with regular cycles may have an onset of an early cycle, but this can be due to many reasons such as stress and emotional issues. If this should occur, they are encouraged to seek professional medical advice from their OB/GYN or Primary Care physician.