The concept of having a loose vagina is one that’s been around for centuries. But the truth is that vaginal elasticity is complex. It’s surprisingly resilient. However, it can change throughout your life due to hormonal fluctuations, major life events, and more.

Here’s the truth about some common myths about a loose vagina.

Vagina Looseness and Sex

Everyone’s heard this myth and all of its associated jokes before. Contrary to popular belief, the vagina doesn’t become loose after having “too much” penetrative sex. No matter how much a woman has sex, the vagina can bounce back. It’s an incredibly elastic organ that adjusts for sexual activity.

Sure, the tissue becomes more relaxed before, during, and after sex. However, this “looseness” is no different than your mouth opening wide to eat or yawn! No matter how many times you stretch your mouth, it always rebounds back to its original shape. The same applies to the vagina.

Another misconception is that the hymen causes the feeling of a tight vagina. Despite the myth of virgins and broken hymens, this thin tissue doesn’t totally cover the vaginal opening. It merely surrounds the opening. After penetrative sex, the hymen can stretch and make the vagina feel more open. However, it doesn’t always tear or impact sensation.

Women with vaginal looseness are likely experiencing other issues. It’s not a product of too much penetrative sex.

The good news is that there are several ways to address tightness concerns. Vaginal tightening encompasses surgical procedures, laser treatments, and more. Tightening can improve elasticity to increase sensation for both partners.

RELATED: Does Sex Cause Elongated Labia?

Childbirth Causing Loose Vagina

The female body goes through some extreme changes during pregnancy and after delivery. While many believe that childbirth can loosen a tight vagina, the reality is a little more complicated than that.

The vagina is a powerhouse of elasticity that can stretch to accommodate a baby during birth. The tissue does loosen as the muscles relax to make way for the baby. However, the tissue usually shrinks back down to its pre-pregnancy state with time.

So, why do many women report changes to vaginal elasticity and sensation after birth?

In many cases, it’s because of damage to skin, tissue, and muscles.

The pelvic floor muscles are particularly prone to damage after giving birth multiple times or a difficult vaginal delivery. In addition to changes in sensation, pelvic floor issues can lead to a host of health problems in the future. The same goes for damage to connective tissue. Vaginal changes are common after giving birth.

Fortunately, vaginal tightening is available to address them. A Vaginoplasty can repair the pelvic floor and walls for a tightening effect. Meanwhile, a Perineoplasty can repair the muscular and connective tissue that supports the opening of the vagina.

RELATED: Pelvic Floor Disorder Symptoms in Women

Aging and Hormonal Changes

The most common cause for a loose vagina is aging. As a woman nears the end of her reproductive life, hormone production starts to wane. During perimenopause, the transitional phase before menopause, estrogen levels drop significantly. The decline directly impacts an otherwise tight vagina.

The vaginal lining can become dry, resulting in less tightness. During intercourse, the vagina will produce less natural lubrication as well. Overall, the tissue becomes less elastic as it loses resiliency.

Many of those changes are manageable with treatment, but some changes are expected as women approach menopause.

RELATED: Are You Experiencing Perimenopause Symptoms?

Loose vagina myths have created a lot of confusion in the women’s health sphere. While most of the misconceptions about the vagina have no basis in fact, there are instances in which women can benefit from tightening procedures.

Dr. Michael Tahery is a urogynecologist that provides vaginal tightening services to women in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. If you’re looking to increase sensation or address elasticity issues, give us a call. Dr. Tahery can perform a consultation and see if you’re a good candidate for one of the many available procedures

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In most cases, incontinence isn’t a life-threatening ailment. However, it can negatively impact a woman’s quality of life. Women are twice as likely to suffer from this debilitating problem as men. There are many potential causes of urinary incontinence in women. Here are some of the most common.

Pregnancy & Childbirth

Healthcare professionals estimate that about 40 percent of all women experience urinary incontinence during pregnancy. During and after childbirth, women are at a high risk of experiencing stress incontinence. This form of incontinence refers to accidental leakage due to sudden pressure on the bladder, with laugh, cough, or exercise.

As babies develop during pregnancy, the uterus expands significantly. This process leads to excess pressure on the bladder and urethra. All it takes is one cough, laugh, or intense physical motion to lose control.

Incontinence in women during pregnancy can also stem from hormonal changes. Fluctuations and the general increase in progesterone levels weaken the pelvic floor. One job of progesterone during pregnancy is to loosen ligaments and joints, making room for the womb. But, the hormone is also capable of weakening the pelvic muscles that impact urine control.

Giving birth can result in urinary incontinence in women that lasts for several weeks. Vaginal delivery, in particular, is known to stretch and weaken the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles act as a sling to support the pelvic organs, including the bladder. When damaged during childbirth, some women might experience pelvic organ prolapse and continued incontinence issues. 

Childbirth may also damage the nerves that communicate with the bladder. Generally, incontinence troubles resolve themselves six weeks or so after delivery. But in some women, they can be the start of lifelong bladder control battles.

• 30% of women will continue to suffer from urinary incontinence as a result of a pregnancy.

RELATED: Urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse after vaginal delivery

Aging

Urinary incontinence is more common in older women. Roughly 30 percent of all women between the ages of 45 and 64 experience it. For women 65 and older, that figure jumps up to about 50 percent.

Contrary to popular belief, urinary incontinence in women is not a normal part of getting older. It’s a medical condition that’s likely a byproduct of another underlying health concern. For older women, the potential causes of incontinence widen.

In many instances, the culprit is pelvic floor atrophy. The effects of previous pregnancy and childbirth can also come into play. Several neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and Parkinson’s disease, might be to blame for urinary incontinence in women as well.

Menopause

In addition to hot flashes, night sweats, and mood changes, urinary incontinence is a common complaint during menopause. During this life stage, the body stops producing estrogen and progesterone. Researchers believe that these lower estrogen and progesterone levels weaken the urethra and the pelvic floor muscles.

Less estrogen also makes vaginal tissue less elastic while thinning the lining of the urethra. All of these seemingly minor changes add up. Plus, additional biological changes like weight gain and pelvic organ prolapse can occur after menopause. These events make urinary incontinence in women much more likely during and after menopause.

RELATED: How to Prevent Genital and Urinary Problems During and After Menopause?

Many women will start to experience incontinence during perimenopause when hormonal changes first begin. But, the brunt of bladder control issues happens during menopause and continues long after. Women can experience all forms of urinary incontinence, including frequent stress accidents, sudden urges to urinate, and overactive bladder.

Urinary incontinence in women is far more common than most think. That said, it doesn’t have to affect your life. Problems with bladder control are usually very treatable with the right care.

Dr. Tahery is a urogynecologist in Los Angeles. His gynecology and urology knowledge provides a deeper understanding of urinary incontinence in women and other pelvic floor issues.

Contact Dr. Tahery’s offices in Los Angeles and Glendale today to schedule a consultation and learn more about potential treatment options.

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Contrary to popular belief, pelvic floor dysfunction is not a rare occurrence. Issues can arise at any point during a woman’s life. While these issues usually aren’t life-threatening, they can have a debilitating effect on a woman’s quality of life. There are a few types of disorders. Here are the most common that affect women and their accompanying symptoms.

Urinary Incontinence Symptoms

Urinary incontinence is the most widespread pelvic floor disorder. It results in complete or partial loss of bladder control. When this occurs, the muscles that control the bladder valve weaken. Usually, the issue is that the pelvic floor muscles are unable to relax. Women may experience a loss of muscle coordination, preventing at-will urination and frequent accidents.

At first, symptoms can be as innocent as slight urine loss during a sneeze or cough. However, pelvic floor dysfunction can worsen and cause regular involuntary loss.

Symptoms of urinary incontinence can vary widely from one person to the next. However, they often include:

• A feeling of pressure on the bladder
• Frequent urination
• Difficulty urinating at will
• Accidents when laughing, coughing, or sneezing
• Urine loss or leakage
• Inability to empty bladder completely

RELATED: Urinary Incontinence Specialist in Los Angeles

Pelvic Organ Prolapse Symptoms

Pelvic organ prolapse is one of the more alarming forms of pelvic floor dysfunction. It occurs when the pelvic floor muscles and tissue weaken. The otherwise supportive sling can become thin or tear completely, resulting in the organs “falling” out of place.

Prolapse can cause significant discomfort for women. Not only that, but the standard function of the fallen organs become compromised. The organs can herniate into the vaginal wall, resulting in a visible bulge. It is a cystocele when the bladder herniates and a rectocele when the rectum herniates.

Some of the most common symptoms for this type of pelvic floor disorder include:

• Weighty feeling in the pubic area
• Dragging discomfort in the vagina
• Visible bulges in the vagina
• Pain or discomfort during sex
• Difficulty with urination or bowel movement

RELATED: Organ Prolapse Treatment in Los Angeles

Fecal Incontinence

Fecal incontinence is similar to urinary incontinence. The difference, however, is that this pelvic floor disorder involves a loss of bowel control. The pelvic floor muscles controlling the bowels and rectum do not perform efficiently, resulting in numerous problems.

Women can suffer from passive incontinence, which refers to the sudden passing of stool without any control. Or, they can suffer from urge-related incontinence. This form of pelvic floor dysfunction pertains to constant muscle contraction that prevents the passage of stool.

Fecal incontinence can affect women at any age. However, it’s most common in seniors and women recovering after childbirth. Some common symptoms include:

• Sudden accidents
• Periodic stool or mucus leakage
• Difficulty passing stool
• Chronic constipation
• Frequent bouts of diarrhea

Pelvic floor disorders can negatively impact your day-to-day life. But, they are highly treatable. Dr. Tahery is a practicing urogynecologist in Los Angeles. He can create a custom treatment plan to mitigate these disorders’ effects. Contact us today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Tahery, learn more about pelvic floor dysfunction, and address your symptoms once and for all.

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Significant damage to the musculature and connective tissues supporting the vaginal organs causes disruption in urination and bowel movement control. Women with urinary incontinence issues report urinary urgency and frequency, loss of urine on the way to the bathroom, difficulty emptying the bladder, urine loss with exercise or any type of straining, multiple trips for urination to the bathroom, constipation, and difficulty emptying the bowel or difficulty controlling gas or stool.

RELATED: Urinary Incontinence Treatment in Los Angeles

Damage to the supportive structures creates bulging of the bladder, uterus, and the rectum into the vagina and sometimes beyond the opening of the vagina. This bulging is mostly palpable when standing or straining. It is reduced when lying down. Sometimes women complain of lower back pain. In severe cases, women find that they have to manually push the prolapsed organ back inside the vagina in order to start or complete the evacuation.

The most common complaint besides the loss of control of urine (urinary incontinence) or stool is palpation of the bulge and the associated discomfort. Most patients restrict their activities in order to avoid leakage and odor and wetness associated with it. Also, some avoid intercourse due to the pain and discomfort as well as reduced sexual confidence due to the vaginal prolapse.

Atrophy of the vaginal tissue after menopause when ovaries no longer produce estrogen also causes further weakness. Dryness associated with lack of hormones and weakness in the supportive connective tissue contributes to further vaginal prolapse and irritability of the bladder and the vagina.

RELATED: Prolapse Treatment in Los Angeles

Dr. Tahery has been involved in many of the clinical studies instrumental in designing new and minimally invasive treatments for urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse. The majority of the current procedures aims at restoring the vaginal structure and return function using the woman’s own tissues. In most cases, no visible incision is created and all the surgery is performed through the vaginal opening. If needed laparoscopic procedures can be performed to help those that are not good candidates for vaginal surgery. These procedures in most cases are outpatient with little downtime.

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Many are surprised to hear what we do to help women control their urinary incontinence problems. For the past 15 years, a therapy developed by the Medtronic has helped women control the symptoms of urge and frequency and incomplete bladder emptying. Now, it can also be used for stool incontinence.

Urge incontinence is a condition where a woman has to run to the bathroom frequently and can lose urine on the way. Other symptoms may include multiple episodes of urination at nights, feeling of pressure in the lower abdomen and spontaneous urine loss, even though most times urine loss is associated with desire to urinate. There are many therapies for urge incontinence which involve diet, fluid restriction, medication and pelvic muscle therapy. However, once these fail, the pacemaker becomes one of the viable options that should be considered.

So, yes! After most therapies fail, we do place pacemakers for bladders with great success. Approximately, 60-70% of women that fail the conventional therapy for urge incontinence improve with pacemaker therapy. In order to identify women that are eligible, special testing is performed that help with correct diagnosis and increase the success from the therapy. The procedure is safe and outpatient and for many, including this patient, a “life saver”.

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