As women, our bodies go through a series of remarkable changes throughout our life. These changes are of course a natural part of ageing and are not something to ever be ashamed of or fearful about. In fact, embracing these changes can help to lead us to a greater sense of self-acceptance and confidence; we may also choose to educate ourselves on treatments and routines that may help to minimise any pain, discomfort or side effects experienced during the ageing process.
So let’s take a closer look at what to expect with age, and the options that are available to us…
Physical Changes Of Ageing
As women age, we experience hormonal fluctuations as our hormone levels -estrogen and progesterone- begin to decline. This can lead to a number of physical changes, including hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood swings, weight gain, skin changes, bone loss and hair thinning, greying and falling out.
From a slower metabolism -making it far easier to gain weight as we become less active- to thinner and more drier skin, less elastic, wrinkles, age spots and sagging, there’s much to experience with time that we certainly take for granted in our youth. Osteoporosis is a condition characterised by weak and brittle bones, which also becomes more common as we age. It’s therefore important to be mindful of how best to adapt your diet and lifestyle to minimise risk, injury and side effects of these changes as our bodies age.
Emotional Changes Of Ageing
Hormonal changes also contribute to mood swings and emotional instability. Our body image may also shift at this time as we go from feeling body confident in our youth, to suddenly experiencing feelings of insecurity or dissatisfaction as changes to our appearance happen. This in turn can lead to a loss of self-esteem as we may feel a sense of helplessness towards losing our youthfulness which can impact our love love and relationships.
Embracing The Beauty Of Ageing
Whilst ageing can bring about challenging physical and emotional changes, it’s also important to remember that these changes are such a natural part of life which every woman experiences – you are not alone! Embracing the beauty of ageing can truly help us to feel more confident and content in our own skin. Here are some wonderful ways to help you to continue to love your body as time passes…
- Stay Active: Regular physical activity can help you to maintain a healthy weight, improve your mood and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases.
- Eat A Healthy Diet: A balanced diet can provide your body with the nutrients that it needs to stay healthy.
- Take Care Of Your Skin: Use a moisturiser daily and protect your skin from the sun and sun damage.
- Practice Self-Care: Make time for activities that you enjoy such as meditation, yoga, or spending time outdoors in nature.
- Embrace Your Uniqueness: Every woman’s ageing journey is different. Embrace your unique beauty and celebrate all that you’ve accomplished over a lifetime of living and learning.
By understanding and accepting the changes that occur with age, we can lead more healthy, fulfilling lives. Remember, your worth is not defined by your appearance. It’s about who you are and what you bring to this world. And whether you choose to grow old gracefully, or have a little helping hand with aesthetics, a fashionable wardrobe and skincare regime along the way, it is entirely up to you.
Vaginal Rejuvenation With Desirial By Vivacy At Vie Aesthetics
One of the most significant changes in a woman’s life is the decline in estrogen levels after menopause. This can lead to vaginal dryness, which can make sexual intercourse especially uncomfortable. Additionally, the thinning of the vaginal tissue can reduce sensitivity and may impact sexual pleasure due to decreasing muscle tone and reduced blood flow to the genitals. These changes can make it more difficult for a woman to achieve arousal and orgasm, but are often manageable with proper care and communication with a healthcare provider.
Whilst the menopause typically takes place between the ages of 45yrs to 55yrs, it’s possible that it may happen much sooner, and as I approach my 37th birthday, it is certainly something that I’m keeping on my radar now, as I’m keen to reduce and prevent any symptoms wherever possible, before they fully develop. This therefore involves taking preventative measures for my intimate health with vaginal rejuvenation.
It may be a taboo subject for many, much like experiencing your first menstrual cycle, having your first smear test, giving birth and learning about the menopause – our intimate health plays a huge part in our everyday life and wellbeing. I believe that discussing intimate matters should be at the forefront of our lives, and relationships, in order to remove the stigma and any shame and embarrassment associated with them from lowering our self-esteem and self-love. Ultimately, the happier and healthier we are within ourselves and our skin as individuals, the happier and healthier our relationships and love life become which is a wonderfully positive ripple effect on our lives.
In 2017, at the age of 30yrs, I had a labiaplasty surgery after spending a lifetime suffering from painful labia in silence. I didn’t know that my day suffering caused by excessive labia minora tissue was unnecessary, or that surgery was an option, because nobody ever spoke about intimate discomfort. From then on, I made a promise to myself that I would never feel embarrassed or hesitant to speak my mind when it comes to my body and any concerns that I have.
The more that we communicate openly and honestly, with a partner, friend, family or healthcare professional, the sooner we can solve any problems, reduce any symptoms and have a better quality of life. If I’d have known that labiaplasty surgery existed in my late teens and twenties, and that my discomfort was not normal or necessary, I’d have certainly shaved a few decades off of my suffering by making an informed decision to have the procedure at a far younger age, just as boys and young men are given the very same right over their own bodies when it comes to circumcision. I believe that the same understanding and options should apply to young women.
Being a customer at Vie Aesthetics for many years now, I found myself having the most delightful conversation with the team recently about the effects of ageing, reflecting whimsically upon how society puts such importance into having a youthful face and complexion, whilst almost completely ignoring the intimate region, which ages at just the same pace as our face. I was surprised to hear of the changes that await me in time, as it’s not something that most girlfriends would chat about over a glass of wine, yet it was a relief to know that preventative measures can be taken with treatments available to pause, if not turn back the clock entirely.
We often don’t notice the gradual signs of ageing creeping in, until one day we are confronted with an old photo of ourselves and can see a side by side comparison. I for one have not ever made eye contact with my intimate area to notice the changes from time and lifestyle, but when taking a moment to truly look and understand, I was shocked by how deflated and aged my skin was looking. How and when did this happen!?
As women age, the vaginal labia majora -which are the outermost lips surrounding the vagina- naturally lose their youthfulness and become lax, appearing deflated due to tissue volume loss. Much like a juicy plump grape slowly transitioning to a prune as it dehydrates, this change in appearance may also be affected by childbirth and the menopause, creating both cosmetic and functional concerns for many woman who are simply too shy to talk openly and honestly about it. Up to 80% of women entering menopause are affected by vaginal dryness, with around 50% of women continuing to experience vaginal dryness after the menopause and yet discussions aren’t happening – this seriously needs to change! I don’t want to bury my head in the sand and cross that bridge when I come to it, I want a sat nav giving me the best route to take well in advance so that I can have a fully informed plan in place to enjoy the very best journey possible with my body throughout life. For me, intimate wellbeing is certainly a priority that I wish to prolong and nurture well into my later years.
The team reassured me that they see many intimate area concerns, including vaginal dryness, vaginal atrophy, dyspareunia, urinary tract infections (UTIs) and changes in the appearance of the intimate area from women of all ages and walks of life, and so my wishes to minimise these changes are not unique, yet many women suffer in silence not wanting to ask for help or confide in others about the changes that they experience with age. It was such a comforting conversation to be able to have with the team, and I’m so thrilled to be better informed of what to expect in life and how best to navigate symptoms. I also recognise that it’s something that may be pretty awkward to address with customers and clients from the teams perspective, as you can’t just greet a person with “hey, how’s your intimate area looking and feeling today?”
I really appreciated seeing posters and leaflets about vaginal rejuvenation in the clinic waiting room, as I was able to discreetly look through them to gain more information and understanding of the benefits, which then led to me having a discussion with the doctor. If you find talking about such personal matters uncomfortable, you could send the clinic an email with any questions that you may have, speak on the phone, and ask to see before and after pictures or blogs where possible to gain a clearer picture of what to expect.
Vie Aesthetics therefore aim to change perceptions, stir conversations and raise awareness around intimate health and wellbeing in order to help women to feel empowered with clinically proven treatments to improve physical, mental and intimate health with non-surgical solutions offered by expert clinicians in both their Essex and London based clinics with male and female practitioners.
Focusing upon safety and achieving optimum results, their medically trained and highly experienced clinicians use an injectable hydrogel which can be used internally as well as externally. Specifically formulated to restore internal hydration, elasticity, tonicity, and sensitivity to the vulvo-vaginal area. This can also provide hydration, plumping and the external remodelling of the outer intimate area, making it an excellent dual-treatment for addressing vaginal dryness, discomfort, burning sensations, increasing sensitivity, reducing chronic irritation or itching and undesirable changes in the intimate area.
DESIRIAL® injections can be used to address changes in the intimate area and alleviate the symptoms of vaginal fragility and dryness, discomfort and pain during sexual intercourse (superficial dyspareunia), burning sensations, increased sensitivity and chronic irritation or itching. These symptoms may occur after childbirth, during menopause, or following hormonal treatment or chemotherapy and are especially common for women over 55yrs of age. Shockingly 1 in 2 women suffer from vaginal discomfort, which affects them in everyday life, with 72% of women noting their intimate health has a negative impact on their sexual life.
My Vaginal Rejuvenation Treatment At Vie Aesthetics
As my internal condition is not of concern at my present age, it’s the external aspect of this treatment that I wanted to address through volume loss, deflation and wrinkling on the labia majora which contribute to intimate ageing in this delicate area of the body, in the very same way that it occurs on the face.
With age, the vaginal mucosa -the redder intimate area which is protected by the labia majora- becomes more dry as the connective tissue has less blood flow to it, is less hydrated and therefore becomes thinner. This leads to the glandular cells getting less nutrition which makes them waste away and function poorly. As a result of this, skin dryness, loss of elasticity, flaccidity and fragility appear in the vaginal region which can make a once smooth, plump and pert part of our anatomy suddenly look aged, sunken and less symmetrical, allowing the inner labia to protrude outside of the outer labia which can make sports, daily activities and intercourse rather uncomfortable.
Vie Aesthetic’s Medical Director, Dr Ioannis Liakas performed my treatment, and is an international expert in Antiageing, Regenerative Medicine, and Aesthetics with over 30 years of experience as a General Physician and Geriatrics Consultant, and over 18 years in Aesthetics. Dr Liakas is a Royal College of Physicians accredited Medical Educator and an international speaker, who and has been featured in countless publications. Clients from all over the UK and from overseas seak his expertise in combination treatments including injectables, BodyTite, the VieLift, Endolift, Hair restoration with Regenera Activa, PlexR, intimate health injectables, and Soft Surgery. I believe that if you want the very best results, you must seek the best person in the field.
This external treatment helps to rehydrate the labia majora by placing two injections, one on each side of the intimate area, to refill the lost volume which indirectly creates a mechanical pressure on the cells in the vaginal tissue, in turn stimulating their activity. Through the stimulation of these cells, the synthesis of collagen and elastic fibres is naturally boosted.
My treatment took just twenty minutes to perform, fitting seamlessly into my lunch break with instantly incredible results that has turned back the clock and left me with such a spring in my step. I had 4ml of filler injected into my labia majora -2ml on each side- which was administered via a cannula, or guide hole, to allow for minimal injections sites in order to reduce the risk of infection from bacteria in the intimate area. My intimate area was numbed with a local anaesthetic injection which felt like a short sharp pinch, no different to having facial filler.
Much like having a smear test, I removed my underwear and laid on my back with a towel across my lap and closed my eyes to not see the needle. I had a squishy ball to squeeze if I needed comfort during the two injections, but it was surprisingly quick and comfortable. As strange as it sounds, it wasn’t as weird of a scenario as I was expecting it to be, as my male doctor made me instantly feel at ease, and we chatted about life as he performed the procedure which he’d done many times before. Like having your hair or nails done, it is simply a routine beauty treatment for which the only embarrassment or awkwardness comes from the customer themselves apologising for leaving it too long between hair colouring sessions, or attempting to paint your own nails to deliberately delay having infills.
Naturally, we spoke about the condition of my intimate area and the stages involved in having the treatment – to be numbed, a cannula used and the filler administered – but then quickly moved on from this, so that it felt no different to having botox or facial fillers, just in a different part of the body that I hadn’t experienced before. We always think that something will be worse than it is, from the fear of the unknown or inner shame and insecurities; when professionals who are highly skill deliver a baby, perform a smear test, remove excess skin or administer aesthetic treatments, it’s so everyday and normal for them, I don’t think that anything you could say or do, nor how your individual body looks, could ever cause them to be shocked or raise an eyebrow. Bodies are bodies, and each and every one is beautiful in its own way.
I found myself smiling from ear to ear as the doctor showed me the results of my treatment which he performed on one side of my labia first, for a direct before and after comparison. It was like looking back in time, to how my body once was before disappearing with age. And now I felt like me again, the me that I never realised I’d actually lost. A few minutes later and the other side was complete and I could pop my underwear back on to receive my aftercare instructions before departing.
Whilst the area would remain numb for a few hours after my treatment, I instantly felt the sensation of the cushioning and contact of my fuller intimate area on my labia minora, and I have to say that it was rather delightful simply walking and sitting down – like bowling with the bumpers up, you can never miss a shot! My drive home was equally as astounding and truly made me realise how normal it became for me to lose the comfort and protection of my most inner and intimate area which in turn reduced sensation. I can fully appreiciate how the female libido slips away with time, in the blink of an eye one day without ever noticing, as the intimate area is desensitised, yet now it’s been enveloped into a plump and youthful surround which has reinvigorated and rejuvenated my zest for pleasure.
My results may last for 6-12 months now and have given me my sparkle back in an instant. My day to day life is far more comfortable, training at the gym, walking, sports and horse riding are are all a far more pleasant and comfortable experience. And my partner… well… he’s grinning from ear to ear too! It’s recommended that you wait 5 days after having your treatment before returning to intercourse, and a minimum of 2-3 days before returning to the gym.
As with any injection site, there is a risk of infection and so it’s incredibly important that you seek specialised medical experts to perform intimate rejuvenation. At Vie Aesthetics, their clinics in Essex, Holborn and Harley Street London are all regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and accredited by Save Face with safety and well-being their top priorities. This allowed me to trust that this treatment was conducted by knowledgeable experts in a hospital-grade hygiene setting which I have had other treatments at for years.
Vie Aesthetics clinics have such a high reputation for excellence with over 3000 5-star reviews from real clients, testament to their dedication to improving the quality and wellbeing of their clients lives. I love how friendly and approachable their staff are, taking the time to listen, assess and create customised treatment plans for my specific requirements, whilst making me feel that no question or concern is ever too small or silly to ask about or address. To speak freely about my body without judgement or prejudice is so refreshing and has allowed me to appreciate and enjoy such peace and happiness in my own skin.
Having lip fillers has become a normal part of society, a beauty standard for youth and vitality, and yet in 2024 I’d somehow managed to ignore my intimate area entirely whilst taking such great care of my face and body. From now on, that’s going to change, because I’m over the moon with my vaginal rejuvenation results and feel like a twenty-something again! I cannot recommend it more highly. Whether you wish to rejuvenate your labia majora, conceal your labia minora, provide plumpness and hydration for a more naturally symmetrical and proportional appearance, or tackle vaginal dryness and the uncomfortable symptoms that it creates, vaginal rejuvenation is a game changer for every woman at any age and stage of life!
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