Dr Jessherin Sidhu Addresses Women’s Concerns on Vaginal Laxity and Tightening

Vaginal steaming was part of an ancient healing and self-care practice used by women to restore health and balance in the vagina, especially after childbirth. While this practice is still popular in some regions of the world, there are many women who may not have heard about the concept of vaginal laxity and vaginal tightening.

Did you know that the feeling of vaginal muscles becoming looser is more common in women than most like to admit? In fact, ​​58% of women lose vaginal tightness after childbirth. This is known as Vaginal Relaxation Syndrome (VRS) or vaginal laxity which is caused by vaginal trauma.

With more women maintaining their sexual activity even in later ages, many may be wondering what to do about their vagina muscles loosening and have concerns whether their partner has noticed these changes during intercourse. 

Dr Jessherin Sidhu who runs Insync Medical, a GP+ clinic that focuses on sexual wellness and women’s health, tells us more about vaginal laxity concerns and the promising, non-invasive vaginal tightening solutions being offered today.

There are preventative measures women can take before pregnancy and childbirth to minimise the loosening of the vagina. Dr Jessherin also advises women to come in early after delivery before having to face sexual dissatisfaction. In today’s safe clinic setting, doctors are able to use controlled measures to solve many of these issues.

Vanilla Luxury: What exactly causes vagina laxity in women?

Dr Jessherin Sidhu: Childbirth is the most common reason for vaginal laxity. Vaginal childbirth stretches the vaginal tissues beyond their elastic limits and the fact is that a vagina will never retain the same tightness or size after childbirth.

Vanilla Luxury: Can this happen even if I haven’t had a vaginal delivery?

Dr Jessherin Sidhu: Yes, even a caesarean delivery can cause vaginal laxity.

It can also happen to women who have injured their pelvic floor due to bad sitting habits or post a surgery. This is why pelvic floor exercises have become more popular now.

Hormonal changes, tissue ageing, and loss of hydration in the vaginal area are common symptoms of women going through menopause. Estrogen is biologically needed to maintain elasticity in the vaginal area, and when estrogen levels dip during menopause, this could also cause vaginal laxity.

Vanilla Luxury: How do I know if I suffer from vaginal laxity?

Dr Jessherin Sidhu: The first sign could be dissatisfaction during sex. During sexual intercourse, if you catch yourself tightening or squeezing your vaginal muscles to have a better grip on the penis, this could be an indication that your vagina has loosened. You could also feel less friction or sensation during intercourse.

Other indications of loose vaginal walls, for those who are not engaging in any sexual activity, could be stress and urge urinary incontinence. For example, when you cough or laugh and you end up leaking a little.

Vanilla Luxury: What are the vaginal tightening solutions offered in Singapore?

Dr Jessherin Sidhu: Early intervention with Vaginal Laser Therapy for the vaginal canal can help to maintain the structural integrity of the vagina. New advancements in medicine now offer fractional ablative CO2 lasers and Radiofrequency (RF) Vaginal Devices to address this problem.

Of course, these procedures should be performed by trained individuals to ensure there is no injury in the vaginal canal. Before going for a vaginal laser treatment, make sure that your doctor checks that your pap smear test is normal, pregnancy test is negative, and that a history of genital herpes is elucidated.

When it comes to solving the issues of vaginal laxity, the goal is to use a laser that has the ability to reach the deeper layers of the vaginal wall, where the collagen lives. Hence, CO2 lasers are recommended. They are minimally invasive and when performed by a trained doctor, can safely penetrate through the vaginal wall. The newer CO2 lasers use both ablation and heat (good thermal injury) to produce the changes in the collagen layer of the vagina to deliver more effective results and the ultimate outcome you desire.

Rest assured, this is a fairly painless procedure and has many other benefits too. It improves urinary continence, vaginal dryness, and helps those with recurrent vaginal infections because it zaps away the top most layer, reducing the risks down the road.

Remember to come in early. If you come in to do the procedure when the tissue integrity has been lost, it is less effective. Vaginal muscles do recover but not fully to pre-pregnancy status.