MAY-JUN 2018 SUPPLEMENT ISSUE

Putting the O in Intimacy: Ultra Femme

Putting the O in Intimacy Ultra Femme
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Lots of devices have come on the market promising dramatic results, but BTL's Ultra Femme 360 has “changed lives,” says Kimberly Evans, MD, an OB/GYN in Sugar Land, TX. “I'm getting hugs from patients because it's changed their life. It has changed what they feel. They've had better orgasms. It has changed relationships in such a positive way.”

The radiofrequency device is used to address a range of patient concerns, by increasing blood flow, reducing pain, with a potentially positive influence on sexual intimacy. Treatment is quick—sessions last 8 minutes for internal treatment, plus another 12 minutes for external treatments—and painless. Most patients need just three treatments offered at two-week intervals. Some patients will feel nearly immediate improvement in symptoms, including vaginal laxity. And results will continue to improve over time. Maximum results will be noticeable up to three months after the last treatment, and last for several months post treatment.

A Note on Female Pelvic Health

Dr. Evans thinks it makes perfect sense for core aesthetic physicians to offer vaginal rejuvenation procedures for patients seeking a non-invasive aesthetic result and tightening. However, it is important to look for signs of potential underlying medical concerns. Symptoms that require referral by a gynecologist include abnormal discharge, abnormal bleeding, pain during intercourse, or an exam that seems in any way abnormal. Additionally, any patient that that has not had a recent GYN visit should be cleared by their OB/GYN doctor first, she says.

Two for One

“As an OB/GYN doctor, we look more for functionality than we do certainly for aesthetics, and the Ultra Femme has been able to positively impact the functionality along we the aesthetics,” Dr. Evans says.

Annie Chiu, MD says that there is clearly increased awareness of device-based vaginal treatments, “And the awareness comes from both the internal aspect of vaginal rejuvenation, which is tightening of the vaginal wall, and also from an external cosmetic aspect of how things look externally.” In light of demand. Dr. Chiu says it was “very important” to find a, “two-in-one device where I could treat the internal vaginal canal and the vulva for cosmetic appearance in one device.” Ultra Femme is one of only a few RF devices on the market with both applications, she says.

In addition to its efficacy and utility, Ultra Femme stands out for its practical benefits. “It's a very, very quick treatment that is incredibly comfortable. Patients have no complaints and no restrictions on their activities afterwards. You can have intercourse later that evening, you can exercise afterwards,” Dr. Chiu says. “Obviously, from the practice standpoint, that is very easy to manage. From a patient standpoint, it really causes a lot less anxiety.”

Patient Need: Focus on Education and Dialogue

Issues of vaginal health and sexual intimacy can be embarrassing for patients, even in the context of gynecologic exams. And, in fact, Dr. Evans says there may be a lack of knowledge of vaginal health treatments in the field. At a recent conference of the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health, many doctors were not aware of the benefits of energy-based device treatments for vaginal health, she notes. A lot of the doctors still emphasize the standard estrogen cream alone. “The problem is that estrogen can't treat everything,” she says. It's primary benefit is limited to increasing moisture and some sensitivity.

Key to success is having a practice where patients feel safe and comfortable bringing up vaginal and sexual health. “If you build a practice where people feel comfortable to talk to you about anything that bothers them, especially if there's a large body contouring aspect of your practice, it definitely is something that gets brought up,” Dr. Chui says, “I think we talk about it among a lot of patients, and it's not something that everyone's always ready to pull the trigger on right away. But, I think once that awareness is there, they tell their friends, and when they're ready, or when their friends are ready, they come in.”

For Dr. Evans, it is important to ask patients about possible vaginal symptoms and concerns about intimacy via questionnaires and during conversations with patients. “In a roundabout way as I start to pull information out of them, that's when they say, ‘I didn't know I can do something that's non-invasive, as well as something that doesn't hurt. I didn't know that I'm a candidate for this even when I'm 28 and I have no kids, in terms of increasing sexual pleasure.'”

“I would tell all the doctors when they do this procedure that they really need to focus and listen to the patient on exactly what her needs are,” Dr. Evans stresses

Of course, because of demand, treatments like Ultra Femme can actually draw new patients to the practice. “We've also gotten a fair influx of people who just read about it online, so obviously there is a market out there. And, because not every office offers it, when you do offer it it's a little bit of a practice differentiator,” Dr. Chui says.

For patients who may be unaware of treatment options or uncomfortable discussing them, Dr. Chiu's office, “keeps it discreet, we do have screens in every room, and one of the screens says, ‘Ask us about our secret of feminine rejuvenation.' There are no pictures, just text, so people know that it's offered, and they can ask if they feel comfortable.”

Who Needs It?

Many patients are interested in vaginal treatments alone. However, it is worth noting that some patients may not realize they are candidates. For a recent study (soon to be published), Dr. Evans provided Ultra Femme treatment to female patients who had minimal if any concerns about sexual satisfaction at baseline. After treatment, however, Dr. Evans says, “There was more than an 80 percent increase in women who reported an increase in their sexual satisfaction, which was huge.”

Dr. Evans offers a procedure called the “Ultimate O,” that combines the Ultra Femme with the O Shot. “The patients that have experienced it, these are people with difficulty with having an orgasm, they've been able to experience a wonderful increase in sensitivity and the ability to have longer, stronger orgasms,” she says. “When you combine that with the radiofrequency…what happens is that you get a situation where you're able to build that collagen, rejuvenate that vaginal tissue, and you have patients going from very few orgasms to having multiple orgasms.”

For some patients, a conversation about vaginal rejuvenation may begin with body contouring. Dr. Chui treats many female patients with fat-reducing and body contouring devices post baby—the so-called Mommy Makeover. “I actually bring it up,” Dr. Chui says. “I tell patients if there are any other areas that they are uncomfortable about, we even offer vaginal rejuvenation. I know if you've recently had a child, that that can be something that people feel self-conscious about.”

High Satisfaction

“The reason why I love BTL Ultra Femme is because rarely in the GYN world is there technology that truly changes people's lives. We have technology that comes and goes, but this is something that's nice for patients, it's easy to do. It can definitely be delegated to an assistant in the office, according to state laws. It's something where it doesn't hurt people, there's a very low chance of getting any infections or having any device problems, and the results are amazing,” Dr. Evans remarks. “I have more than a 90 percent overall satisfaction of people who get the procedure alone.”

“It's still a little bit of a practice differentiator,” Dr. Chui adds. “It's nice because it shows that your practice is offering a complete suite of procedures…you're able to offer a complete head-to-toe sort of care rejuvenation.”

Body by BTL Patient Perspectives

“I know that it made a difference in my life as a woman…I was able to climax a lot faster than I was before. It definitely made a huge impact, a huge change in my personal and intimate life.”

—Paola, Mom and BTL Patient btlaesthetics.com

“I decided to try the Ultra Femme 360, and it was the best thing ever…This is a game changer. BTL and Ultra Femme 360 is a game changer for all women. There is no need for labiaplasties anymore."

—Alda, Mom and BTL Patient btlaesthetics.com

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