In this guide15 sections
- Key Points
- What Is Vaginal Rejuvenation?
- What Can Vaginal Rejuvenation Treat?
- Types of Vaginal Rejuvenation: Surgical Procedures
- Types of Vaginal Rejuvenation: Non-Surgical Treatments
- How Does Vaginal Rejuvenation Work?
- Surgical vs Non-Surgical Vaginal Rejuvenation
- Does Vaginal Rejuvenation Work? What the Evidence Shows
- Is Vaginal Rejuvenation Safe? Risks and Warnings
- Why Women Choose Vaginal Rejuvenation
- Which Type of Vaginal Rejuvenation Is Right for You?
- Vaginal Rejuvenation at Centre for Surgery
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Vaginal Rejuvenation in London
- References
Key Points
- What is vaginal rejuvenation? It is an umbrella term, not a single operation. It covers any treatment that changes the look, feel or function of the vagina and vulva, from vaginoplasty and labiaplasty to vaginal laser.
- Types of vaginal rejuvenation: surgical procedures (vaginoplasty, perineoplasty, labiaplasty, clitoral hood reduction, labia majora and mons reduction) and non-surgical treatments (vaginal laser, radiofrequency, fillers and fat transfer, platelet-rich plasma, pelvic floor training and vaginal oestrogen).
- How does vaginal rejuvenation work? Surgery removes stretched tissue and repairs separated muscle. Laser and radiofrequency heat the vaginal lining with the aim of stimulating new collagen. Neither replaces pelvic floor exercises for weak muscles.
- What can vaginal rejuvenation treat? Vaginal laxity, a wide vaginal opening after birth tears, mild stress urinary incontinence, mild prolapse, vaginal dryness after menopause, and enlarged or uneven labia.
- Does vaginal rejuvenation work? Surgery makes a structural repair with longer-lasting results. Evidence for laser and radiofrequency is mixed: some sham-controlled trials show a benefit and others do not, and the US FDA warned about energy-based “vaginal rejuvenation” marketing in 2018.
- Surgical vs non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation: surgery needs an anaesthetic and around two weeks off work; a laser session takes 15 to 45 minutes with no anaesthetic, but results vary and any improvement may fade.
“Vaginal rejuvenation” is one of the most searched phrases in women’s intimate health, yet it does not describe a single procedure. The term is used for everything from a one-hour operation to tighten the vaginal canal to a fifteen-minute laser session, a filler injection into the outer labia, or a course of pelvic floor physiotherapy. Knowing what each treatment actually does is the first step to choosing the right one, and to avoiding treatments that cannot fix the problem you have.
This guide explains what vaginal rejuvenation means, the different types of vaginal rejuvenation procedure, how each one works, what it can and cannot treat, and what the evidence says. If you already know you want to talk to a surgeon, our page on vaginal rejuvenation in London sets out the treatments available at our Baker Street hospital, and our wider cosmetic gynaecology section covers each procedure in depth.
Two related guides go further on specific situations: non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation options for women who would rather avoid surgery, and vaginal rejuvenation after pregnancy for changes that follow childbirth.
What Is Vaginal Rejuvenation?
Vaginal rejuvenation, sometimes called feminine rejuvenation, female genital rejuvenation or intimate rejuvenation, is a collective name for treatments that aim to restore or change the vagina, the vulva (the outer genitals, including the labia and clitoral hood) and the perineum (the skin and muscle between the vaginal opening and the anus). Some treatments are reconstructive and address a functional problem, such as a vaginal opening that has healed wide after a tear. Others are cosmetic and change appearance. Many women seek treatment for a mix of both.
Puberty, pregnancy, vaginal birth, weight change and the fall in oestrogen at menopause all change these tissues. Those changes are normal, and many women are not bothered by them; when they cause symptoms or real distress, “vaginal rejuvenation” is the shorthand clinics use for the range of treatments available.
Is vaginal rejuvenation a medical term?
Not really. It is a marketing umbrella rather than a diagnosis, and that matters because it can blur the line between proven surgery and less proven devices. In July 2018 the US Food and Drug Administration warned against the use of energy-based devices, such as lasers and radiofrequency, to perform “vaginal rejuvenation” or cosmetic vaginal procedures, saying that safety and effectiveness for those uses had not been established[1]. In the UK, NICE has reviewed transvaginal laser for stress urinary incontinence ↗ and urogenital atrophy ↗ and concluded that evidence on long-term safety and efficacy is inadequate, so the procedures should only be used with special arrangements for research.
The practical point is simple: ask what the specific treatment is, what problem it is meant to fix, and what the evidence for that particular use shows.
What Can Vaginal Rejuvenation Treat?
The conditions below are the most common reasons women ask about vaginal rejuvenation. Each one has a different cause, and that is why each one needs a different treatment.
- Vaginal laxity (a “loose vagina”). A feeling of looseness or reduced sensation during sex, usually after vaginal birth. In a study of 2,621 women attending a UK urogynaecology clinic, 38% reported vaginal laxity, and it was linked with having had children, prolapse symptoms and reduced sensation during intercourse[7]. Our guide to loose vagina facts and myths explains what is and is not true about the causes.
- A wide or scarred vaginal opening. Tears or an episiotomy during birth can heal with a gaping entrance, tight scar tissue or pain at the opening during sex.
- Stress urinary incontinence. Leaking when you cough, sneeze, laugh, run or lift. Our guide to what causes urinary incontinence in women explains the different types.
- Mild pelvic organ prolapse. A feeling of heaviness, dragging or a bulge, as the bladder, bowel or womb presses into the vaginal wall.
- Vaginal dryness and atrophy. Thin, dry tissue after menopause or while breastfeeding, causing soreness and painful sex, also called genitourinary syndrome of menopause.
- Enlarged or uneven labia. Labia minora that protrude, twist or rub, known as labial hypertrophy, or labia majora that have lost volume and look deflated.
- Excess clitoral hood or mons tissue. Extra folds of hood skin, or fullness over the pubic bone, which can affect comfort and appearance.
Variation in how the vulva looks is entirely normal, and there is no single “normal” shape. Our guide to the different types of labia shapes is a good place to start if your concern is mainly about appearance.
Types of Vaginal Rejuvenation: Surgical Procedures
Surgical vaginal rejuvenation physically removes, tightens or repairs tissue. It is the only approach that can reduce the labia, rejoin separated muscle or rebuild a torn perineum. At Centre for Surgery these operations are day cases, carried out under local anaesthetic with sedation or TIVA (total intravenous anaesthesia), depending on the procedure.
Vaginoplasty (vaginal tightening surgery)
Vaginoplasty tightens the vaginal canal. Through an incision along the back wall of the vagina, the surgeon brings together the stretched levator ani muscles and removes excess lining, narrowing the canal. It suits women with marked laxity, usually after vaginal birth, who have finished their family. It is usually performed under TIVA as a day case, takes around one to two hours, and the final result settles at three to six months.
In a 2024 study of 50 women in Aesthetic Surgery Journal, sexual function scores rose from 19.2 to 29.7 three months after vaginoplasty, although the study had no comparison group[5]. Our guide to vaginoplasty recovery sets out the timeline week by week.
Perineoplasty
Perineoplasty repairs the perineum and tightens the vaginal opening. Painful or tethered scar tissue from old tears is removed and the weakened muscle and skin are rebuilt. It treats the entrance rather than the canal, so it is often combined with vaginoplasty when both are lax.
Labiaplasty
Labiaplasty reduces or reshapes the labia minora, and sometimes the labia majora. Women choose it for rubbing, twisting or discomfort during exercise, sex or in tight clothing, and for appearance. Common techniques are the trim and the wedge, explained in our guide to trim vs wedge labiaplasty. It is usually done under local anaesthetic, and the minimum age at Centre for Surgery is 18. Centre for Surgery does not offer laser labiaplasty.
Clitoral hood reduction
Clitoral hood reduction, or hoodectomy, removes excess folds of skin over the clitoris. It is often combined with labiaplasty so that the hood and labia look balanced. The clitoris itself is not altered.
Labia majora reduction and mons reduction
Where the outer lips are large or loose, labia majora reduction removes excess skin. Fullness over the pubic bone, sometimes called a FUPA, is treated with mons pubis liposuction or a mons lift.
Types of Vaginal Rejuvenation: Non-Surgical Treatments
Non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation avoids incisions and anaesthetic. The trade-off is that these treatments cannot remove tissue or repair muscle, the evidence is more uncertain, and any benefit may fade.
Vaginal laser
Vaginal laser treatment, often called laser vaginal rejuvenation, delivers controlled heat to the vaginal wall. Two kinds of laser are used: the fractional CO2 laser, which makes tiny ablative wounds in the lining, and the erbium (Er:YAG) laser, which can be used in a non-ablative mode that heats without breaking the surface. At Centre for Surgery, vaginal laser treatment uses the Fotona SMOOTH Er:YAG laser, with four separate protocols:
- IntimaLase for mild vaginal laxity.
- IncontiLase for mild to moderate stress urinary incontinence.
- ProlapLase for mild to moderate prolapse.
- RenovaLase for vaginal dryness and atrophy.
Each session takes about 15 to 30 minutes (30 to 45 minutes for ProlapLase), needs no anaesthetic, and you can go back to normal activities the same day, avoiding sex for 72 hours. Our article on Fotona SMOOTH explains how the non-ablative mode works, and our guide to whether vaginal laser is safe sets out the side effects and trial results in detail.
Radiofrequency
Radiofrequency devices heat the vaginal and vulval tissue using electrical energy rather than light, with the same aim of stimulating collagen. When the sham-controlled trials are pooled, radiofrequency did not improve vaginal laxity questionnaire scores compared with sham treatment[2]. Centre for Surgery does not offer radiofrequency vaginal treatment.
Fillers, fat transfer and platelet-rich plasma
Injectables change volume rather than tightness. Labia puffing uses hyaluronic acid filler to restore volume in deflated labia majora, and labia fat transfer uses your own fat for a longer-lasting result. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, made from your own blood, are promoted for sensation and arousal, but the evidence is limited to small studies and Centre for Surgery does not offer them.
Pelvic floor training and vaginal oestrogen
These are not usually sold as “rejuvenation”, but they are first-line treatment for two of the commonest problems. Supervised pelvic floor muscle training is the standard first treatment for stress incontinence and helps many women with mild laxity, and our guide to ways to tighten your vagina explains how to do it properly. For dryness and atrophy after menopause, vaginal moisturisers and low-dose vaginal oestrogen are well established, as our guide to treatment options for vaginal atrophy explains.
How Does Vaginal Rejuvenation Work?
The answer depends on which layer of tissue the treatment acts on.
- Muscle. Vaginal tightness depends mainly on the pelvic floor muscles that surround the canal. Exercises strengthen muscle that is weak but intact. Vaginoplasty is needed when the muscle has been stretched apart or torn, because exercise cannot rejoin separated muscle.
- Skin and lining. Labiaplasty, hood reduction and perineoplasty remove or reshape skin and mucosa directly. The change is immediate once swelling settles.
- Connective tissue. Laser and radiofrequency heat the vaginal wall to a controlled temperature. The theory is that this causes collagen fibres to contract and triggers the body to lay down new collagen and blood vessels over the following weeks, firming the wall and improving moisture. Whether that translates into a change women can feel is exactly what the trials are testing.
- Volume. Filler and fat add volume to the labia majora; they do not tighten the vagina.
This is why a procedure that works for one woman can be the wrong choice for another: a wide opening from an old tear will not respond to laser, and dryness after menopause does not need surgery.
Surgical vs Non-Surgical Vaginal Rejuvenation
The table below compares the two approaches in general terms. Your surgeon will advise on the specific procedure for you.
| Surgical vaginal rejuvenation | Non-surgical (laser) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Removes stretched tissue, repairs muscle, reshapes the labia | Heats the vaginal wall with the aim of stimulating collagen |
| Best suited to | Moderate to marked laxity, a wide or scarred opening, enlarged labia | Mild laxity, mild stress incontinence, dryness, women who want to avoid surgery |
| Anaesthetic | Local anaesthetic with sedation, or TIVA | None |
| Time off | Usually around two weeks; sex and strenuous exercise after about six weeks | None; avoid sex for 72 hours after each session |
| Sessions | One operation | A course of two to five sessions, sometimes with yearly maintenance |
| How long it lasts | Long-lasting, although a later vaginal birth can undo a vaginoplasty | Not permanent; longer-term results are not yet known |
| Evidence | Uncontrolled studies show improved function and satisfaction | Mixed: some sham-controlled trials positive, others negative |
For more on the surgical side, our guide to labiaplasty vs vaginoplasty explains which concerns each operation addresses.
Does Vaginal Rejuvenation Work? What the Evidence Shows
Surgery and energy-based devices have very different evidence behind them, so they are best considered separately.
Surgery
Surgery makes a visible, structural change, and studies of labiaplasty and vaginoplasty consistently report improvement. A 2025 systematic review of genital cosmetic surgery, mostly labiaplasty with or without clitoral hood reduction, found moderate short-term improvements in sexual function and genital self-image, with complications that were uncommon and mostly minor. The authors noted the certainty is low, as most studies had no control group[6].
Laser and radiofrequency
For devices the picture is genuinely mixed. A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis of 38 studies of treatments for vaginal laxity ↗ found that sexual function improved after laser or radiofrequency in observational studies, but the improvement was not confirmed when only randomised controlled trials were analysed[2].
For stress incontinence, a 2025 Cochrane review of nine randomised trials involving 689 women ↗ concluded that vaginal laser may have little to no effect in the short term compared with sham, that any improvement in symptom scores may be too small for women to notice, and that the evidence is very uncertain. No major adverse events were reported[3]. For dryness and other symptoms of menopause, a 2025 systematic review found that CO2 laser made little or no difference compared with sham, and that the effects of Er:YAG laser were very uncertain[4].
That does not mean laser never helps. Some individual sham-controlled trials of the Er:YAG laser for stress incontinence have been positive, and others negative, which our guide to vaginal laser safety and evidence sets out trial by trial. It does mean that laser should be offered with realistic expectations, as one option alongside exercises, oestrogen and surgery, not as a guaranteed fix.
Is Vaginal Rejuvenation Safe? Risks and Warnings
Every option carries some risk, and the type of risk differs between surgery and devices.
Surgical risks include bleeding or a haematoma, infection, wound breakdown, scarring, painful sex (temporary or occasionally lasting), altered sensation, over- or under-correction needing revision, and, rarely after vaginoplasty or perineoplasty, a fistula between the vagina and bowel. Anaesthetic risks are reduced with TIVA. Smoking significantly increases the risk of wound problems.
Laser risks in trials have mostly been mild and short-lived: warmth or discomfort during treatment, mild swelling or discharge for a day or two, and urinary symptoms. The FDA’s 2018 warning concerned devices being marketed for uses that had not been shown to be safe or effective[1], and it cited reports of harms such as vaginal burns, scarring and chronic pain. That is a strong argument for treatment by a medically qualified team, after an examination, with a current normal smear result and no active infection.
Some women should not have treatment, or should wait: anyone who is pregnant, has an active infection, an abnormal smear that has not been investigated, unexplained bleeding, or a concern about appearance that is causing severe distress without a physical cause. In those cases your clinician may recommend other support first.
Why Women Choose Vaginal Rejuvenation
The benefits of vaginal rejuvenation are best judged against the reason for treatment. The commonest reasons women give are reduced sensation or looseness during sex after birth, bladder leaks, pain or dryness after menopause or while breastfeeding, physical discomfort from the labia during exercise, sex or in tight clothing, and persistent self-consciousness about appearance. A good consultation separates these, as a woman with leaks and a woman with a wide opening may both say “I feel loose” while describing quite different problems.
Which Type of Vaginal Rejuvenation Is Right for You?
A few principles help narrow the choice:
- If the concern is the labia, the options are labiaplasty to reduce, or filler or fat to add volume. No laser can make the labia minora smaller.
- If the concern is looseness inside the vagina, start with pelvic floor training. Mild laxity may respond to IntimaLase; marked laxity, particularly with separated muscle, usually needs vaginoplasty.
- If the concern is the opening, scar tissue or pain at the entrance after a tear, perineoplasty is the treatment.
- If the concern is leaking, see a specialist first, as the type of incontinence changes the treatment.
- If the concern is dryness, simple measures and vaginal oestrogen come first, with RenovaLase an option where those are unsuitable or not enough.
- If you are planning more children, surgery to the canal or perineum is usually best postponed, as a later vaginal birth can undo it. Our guide to waiting until your family is complete explains why.
Procedures can be combined, for example vaginoplasty with perineoplasty, or labiaplasty with clitoral hood reduction, so that there is one anaesthetic and one recovery. For an idea of what is involved financially, our vaginal rejuvenation cost guide sets out how prices are built.
Vaginal Rejuvenation at Centre for Surgery
Centre for Surgery is a CQC-regulated private hospital at 95–97 Baker Street in Marylebone. Every treatment begins with a face-to-face consultation and examination with a GMC-registered clinician, so that the cause of your symptoms is identified before any treatment is suggested. The surgeon who assesses you performs your surgery.
Surgical procedures are day cases, performed under local anaesthetic with sedation for straightforward labiaplasty and clitoral hood reduction, and under TIVA for vaginoplasty, perineoplasty and combined procedures. Our labiaplasty nursing team is all-female. Laser treatment uses the Fotona SMOOTH Er:YAG laser, with no anaesthetic or downtime, and goes ahead only once a normal smear result is confirmed and any infection has cleared. We recommend a two-week cooling-off period before any surgery, and finance is available. The consultation fee is £100, redeemable against treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does vaginal rejuvenation work?
It depends on the treatment and the problem. Surgery such as vaginoplasty, perineoplasty and labiaplasty makes a structural change and tends to give a more noticeable, longer-lasting result. Evidence for laser and radiofrequency is mixed: some sham-controlled trials show a benefit for mild stress incontinence, while reviews find little or no difference for laxity and menopausal symptoms overall.
What surgery makes you tighter?
Vaginoplasty tightens the vaginal canal by rejoining the stretched muscle along the back wall and removing excess lining. Perineoplasty tightens the opening by rebuilding the perineum. The two are often combined. Both are usually advised once your family is complete, as a later vaginal birth can stretch the repair.
How do I make myself tight again?
Start with pelvic floor exercises, ideally taught by a specialist physiotherapist, and give them at least three months. They strengthen intact muscle and help bladder control. If the muscle has separated or the opening has healed wide after a tear, exercises cannot fix that, and vaginoplasty or perineoplasty may be appropriate. Mild laxity may respond to laser, although results vary.
How do you get rid of a saggy vagina?
“Saggy” can mean different things. A bulge or heaviness may be prolapse, which needs assessment. Loose or long labia minora are reduced with labiaplasty, and loose outer lips with labia majora reduction. Deflated outer lips can be restored with filler or fat. Creams and tightening products do not change the tissue.
What is the Mona Lisa touch?
MonaLisa Touch is a brand of fractional CO2 vaginal laser, mainly used for dryness after menopause. A 2021 double-blind trial of fractional CO2 laser against sham in 85 postmenopausal women found no significant difference in symptoms at 12 months[8]. Centre for Surgery uses a different laser, the non-ablative Fotona SMOOTH Er:YAG.
Is it normal to have extra skin hanging down there?
Yes. Labia minora that extend beyond the outer lips are very common, and one side is often longer than the other. Treatment is only needed if the tissue causes discomfort, rubbing or distress. Labiaplasty is the only treatment that reduces the labia minora.
Is vaginal rejuvenation the same as vaginoplasty?
No. Vaginal rejuvenation is the umbrella term, and vaginoplasty is one operation within it that tightens the vaginal canal. Labiaplasty, perineoplasty, clitoral hood reduction and vaginal laser all fall under the same heading.
Is vaginal rejuvenation safe?
Surgery carries the usual risks of bleeding, infection, scarring and altered sensation, which are reduced in experienced hands. Laser side effects in trials have mostly been mild and temporary. In 2018 the FDA warned about energy-based devices marketed for “vaginal rejuvenation”, so choose a medically led clinic that examines you first.
Vaginal Rejuvenation in London
If you are considering treatment, a consultation will establish what is causing your symptoms and which procedure, if any, will help. Find out more about vaginal rejuvenation in London and laser vaginal rejuvenation at Centre for Surgery.
Phone: 020 7993 4849 | Address: 95–97 Baker Street, Marylebone, London W1U 6RN
Contact us to schedule a consultation
References
- Phillips C, Hillard T, Salvatore S, Toozs-Hobson P, Cardozo L. Lasers in gynaecology. European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology 2020;251:146–155. doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2020.03.034
- Pereira GMV, Cartwright R, Juliato CRT, Domoney C, Iglesia CB, Brito LGO. Treatment of women with vaginal laxity: systematic review with meta-analysis. The Journal of Sexual Medicine 2024;21(5):430–442. doi:10.1093/jsxmed/qdae028
- Ippolito GM, Crescenze IM, Sitto H, et al. Vaginal lasers for treating stress urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2025;7(7):CD013643. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD013643.pub2
- Zerzan NL, Greer N, Ullman KE, et al. Energy-based interventions for genitourinary syndrome of menopause: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and prospective observational studies. Menopause 2025;32(2):176–183. doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000002465
- Aglamis SO, Asfuroglu A, Koudonas A. The impact of vaginoplasty on female and male sexual function and satisfaction. Aesthetic Surgery Journal 2024;44(12):NP892–NP897. doi:10.1093/asj/sjae144
- Zulfikaroglu E, Kurban D. Sexual function after female genital cosmetic surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology 2025;318:114894. doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2025.114894
- Campbell P, Krychman M, Gray T, et al. Self-reported vaginal laxity: prevalence, impact, and associated symptoms in women attending a urogynecology clinic. The Journal of Sexual Medicine 2018;15(11):1515–1517. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.08.015
- Li FG, Maheux-Lacroix S, Deans R, et al. Effect of fractional carbon dioxide laser vs sham treatment on symptom severity in women with postmenopausal vaginal symptoms: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA 2021;326(14):1381–1389. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.14892
