Dr.Vitasna Ketglang was interviewed by Health Magazine
Column “ Talk to the Cosmetic Gynecologist 10 Doubtful Questions “
“ Vaginal Repair is not the solution to a marital problem. Before making a decision,
you have to know the real cause of the problem, if not, it will not meet your expectations.”
Vaginal Repair may have been recently heard about. Some desire it while others view it as a need. They tend to be hesitant, doubtful, or/and embarrassed, that they do not dare to express their desire frankly. So we show you some FAQs to help you get to know the “Vaginal Repair” better.
1. What is the Vaginal Repair?
- Vaginal Repair is the surgery used to tighten a loosened vagina caused by long-term sexual intercourse, aging, or birth delivery. This method is cosmetically pleasing surgery as it meets the patients’ cosmetic needs.
- In some cases; it is a treatment for conditions caused by a loosened vagina, such as stress urinary incontinence and uterine prolapse found mostly in the elderly and multiparous mothers.
2. Which Type Fits You?
- Vaginal repair is designed for two purposes. Firstly, it is designed to treat a prolapsed uterus which, if left untreated, may cause a range of health problems. The treatment is done by stitching up weak areas of the anterior and posterior vaginal wall (Anterior-Posterior Vaginal Repair). Secondly, Vaginal Repair is done to enhance sexual confidence. This is accomplished by stitching up only the areas of the posterior wall of the vagina (Posterior Vaginal Repair).
- Recently, Laser has been utilized in Vaginal Repair. Benefits of Laser Vaginal Repair include: More precision and accuracy as a result of the surgical wound control, less blood loss, less risk of vessel and tissue damage and quicker recovery time, thus bringing about better results in comparison to using the old conventional scalpel procedure. However, it is a bit more expensive (normal price of approximately 30 thousand THB) compared to the old procedure.
- The decision is made by the patient in this regard. If the symptoms affect your health and sexual confidence so much, you may consider the procedure a solution to the problem. Nevertheless, you must consider first whether or not such problems can be solved by the treatment, especially for those who need more confidence in their sexual life.
3. Vaginoplasty vs. Vaginal Repair
- Only in our center is Vaginoplasty or VG considered another procedure that excises a lesser amount of vaginal tissues compared to the normal Posterior Vaginal Repair. This is the vaginal surgery for patients who have never had child delivery. Vaginoplasty is done to tighten the vagina and make it feel very much like their first sexual intercourse experience.
- Vaginoplasty may be divided into sub-categories such as; Vaginoplasty with Hymenoplasty, which is usually performed in patients from countries or societies which are conservative and concerned of bleeding during their first experience of sexual intercourse.
4. How to Prepare and Recover from Posterior Vaginal Repair?
- Before the treatment, the physician normally performs a pelvic internal examination for cervical cancer. The patients are instructed not to eat or drink anything 6 hours before the operation and have to undergo general check-up.
- After the operation, the patients have to refrain from doing heavy exercise for 1 month and resume sexual intercourse after 2 months to make sure the wound is completely healed. Also, the patient should try to lessen movement and walking as much as possible for the first 2-3 days after the surgery. Afterwards, in spite of being able to do normal activities, the patient should follow proper wound care instructions to avoid inflammation and hasten wound recovery.
5. Potential Side Effect Post Posterior Vaginal Repair
- After the Vaginoplasty or Posterior Vaginal Repair, inflammation or infection of the wound may occur because the surgical wound is in the vaginal opening area constantly being prone to contamination with fluid from the vaginal tract, urinary tract and alimentary (fecal) tract. The wound needs diligent care to reduce the risk of inflammation and infection.
6. What Age Group Prefers the Posterior Vaginal Repair?
- Interested patients are mostly in the age range of 30-50, during the period of married life and having children. They have come in for cosmetic purposes and to increase their confidence similar to those aged in their 20s.
- On the other hand, women in the age range of 60 or older prefer the treatment for relieving symptoms of uterine prolapse.
7. How Popular Is It Among Foreigners?
- The Posterior Vaginal Repair, especially for cosmetic purposes, is becoming more and more acceptable and popular. Also, heavy women with the sizes of their vagina and labia conforming to their body size, particularly Australians, prefer to come in to decrease the size of their vagina and labia.
- In Asia, this has been popular in Korea and Japan. Thailand is expected to have the most number of Vaginal Repair cases.
8. Do Men Recognize It While Having Sex?
- After the operation and complete recovery, the Vaginal Repair leaves no suspicious traces or scars at all. The area has a rich supply of blood which enables flawless healing. With no surgical evidence, even during sexual intercourse, men do not notice whether or not you had the Vaginoplasty or Posterior Vaginal Repair
9. Do Slim or Overweight Women Need the Repair?
- Generally, slim women are more likely to have a looser and wider vagina compared to overweight women. The difference is due to the fact that slim women contain lesser amounts of fat on their vaginal walls. Also, a loose and wide vagina causes some noise during sexual intercourse as a result of the movement of trapped air inside the vagina. This noise may cause a certain amount of discomfort to some women.
- On the other hand, overweight women have more fat on their vaginal walls, but at the same time, they may experience more pressure from the surrounding organs and fat. This condition will eventually result in Vaginal Prolapse or Pelvic Organ Prolapse.
- Typically, most women who are thin may need Repair for the purpose of fixing a wide vagina, while most overweight women may need treatment for vaginal prolapse.
10. Who Is Not A Good Candidate for Surgery?
- This firstly includes diabetic patients. Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin; a hormone made by the pancreas that is needed to convert sugar, starches, and other food into energy. At high levels of blood glucose, body cells become starved of energy and this greatly compromises wound healing. The longer it takes the wound to heal, the more it is prone to infection and inflammation which leads to a host of problems.
- The second group of patients includes those whose work involves traveling from one country to another. The patient’s condition is not completely ready for traveling and if she does, the risk of wound disruption and abnormal bleeding is high. Different countries have different laws concerning Posterior Vaginal Repair. If complications such as wound disruption and bleeding occur while in a country where Vaginal Repair is illegal the complication may be left untreated.
“As mentioned earlier, this issue is dependent on the partner’s pleasure and decision. Thus, any woman who wants the Vaginal Repair should carefully think about it before making a decision. Most importantly, a specialist is specifically needed because the Vaginal Repair is a meticulous surgery in terms of both operation and post-operation treatment, for the purpose of safety and necessary result. Also, the partner should be involved in the decision-making process. They should gather as much information as possible and weigh things carefully before making the decision, especially in choosing the right specialist physician.”
Our Expert’s Health Tips
A specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology | Cosmetic Gynecology Center of Yanhee International Hospital, Dr. Vitasna says,“Vaginal Repair is not the solution to a marital problem. Before making a decision, you have to know the real cause of the problem, if not, it will not meet your expectations.”
TIP : Kegel exercise helps defer the vaginal prolapse. It is another method of pelvic muscle handling to postpone the vaginal prolapse. However this has to be done appropriately by a skilled, experienced physician, who would recommend the right method to the patient to regularly perform the exercise for at least 6 months consecutively.