Elena Fasola1, David Bosoni2. 1. Microsurgeon and General Secretary of the Italian Association of Functional and Esthetic Gynecology (AIGEF), Milan, Italy. 2. Collaborator, Research Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Gynaecological Endocrinology and Menopause, Section of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Paediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The well-being of the vulva and a woman's quality of life are strongly correlated. Dynamic quadripolar radiofrequency (DQRF), one of the newest nonsurgical light- and energy-based vulvar rejuvenation technologies, has been demonstrated to be an effective option in aesthetic gynecology. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to perform qualitative and semiquantitative evaluations of short-term changes in vulvar aesthetics to illustrate the efficacy of an accelerated DQRF vulvar rejuvenation program in women with mild to moderate vulvar atrophy. METHODS: Twenty women with mild to moderate vulvar atrophy were prospectively screened and evaluated. Serial photographs documented the aesthetic impact of DQRF on the vulvar area over the 2-month study period. The overall aesthetic improvement was rated on a Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale modified to create a 10-point semiquantitative rating tool. Complications and side effects were recorded. RESULTS: All women successfully underwent 3 planned DQRF procedures spaced 7-10 days apart. Signs and symptoms of vulvar atrophy and the range of aesthetic judgments of the vulvar area were improved in most women after the first DQRF session, and improvements in vulvar aesthetics were persistently highly significant 1 month after the end of the DQRF rejuvenation program. No complications or side effects occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in the signs and symptoms of vulvar atrophy by DQRF rejuvenation of the labia majora confirm the efficacy and safety of this technically simple outpatient procedure. In women with mild to moderate atrophy, a rapid rejuvenation program of closely spaced sessions achieved significant improvements.
BACKGROUND: The well-being of the vulva and a woman's quality of life are strongly correlated. Dynamic quadripolar radiofrequency (DQRF), one of the newest nonsurgical light- and energy-based vulvar rejuvenation technologies, has been demonstrated to be an effective option in aesthetic gynecology. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to perform qualitative and semiquantitative evaluations of short-term changes in vulvar aesthetics to illustrate the efficacy of an accelerated DQRF vulvar rejuvenation program in women with mild to moderate vulvar atrophy. METHODS: Twenty women with mild to moderate vulvar atrophy were prospectively screened and evaluated. Serial photographs documented the aesthetic impact of DQRF on the vulvar area over the 2-month study period. The overall aesthetic improvement was rated on a Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale modified to create a 10-point semiquantitative rating tool. Complications and side effects were recorded. RESULTS: All women successfully underwent 3 planned DQRF procedures spaced 7-10 days apart. Signs and symptoms of vulvar atrophy and the range of aesthetic judgments of the vulvar area were improved in most women after the first DQRF session, and improvements in vulvar aesthetics were persistently highly significant 1 month after the end of the DQRF rejuvenation program. No complications or side effects occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in the signs and symptoms of vulvar atrophy by DQRF rejuvenation of the labia majora confirm the efficacy and safety of this technically simple outpatient procedure. In women with mild to moderate atrophy, a rapid rejuvenation program of closely spaced sessions achieved significant improvements.