When you feel trapped with a problem you can't talk to anyone about, or one with which you think there are no resources or solutions, the mental anguish can be virtually debilitating. If you are a woman whose self-esteem has been impacted because of the look of your vagina, a loose vagina or large labia, the solution you have been hoping for is Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation™.

"Virtually all of the women who come see me with a list of vaginal problems instantly feel a huge weight has lifted off their shoulders," says Dr Bruce Allan, the founder of the Allan Centre for Women. "Wondering whether there are vaginal tightening methods that can improve sexual love life, or wondering about aesthetic vaginal enhancements, or feeling plagued by a large labia that swells simply from wearing pants or having sex, isn't exactly a topic of conversation you have with friends or loved ones," adds Dr Allan. "When I tell women that through a simple procedure I can solve these problems, I've literally had women break down and cry in my office from the sense of relief they feel."

Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation™ or LVR™ is a one-hour outpatient surgical procedure. Dr Allan's laser techniques involve gentle precision procedures, which result in relatively bloodless surgery. LVR™ is the aesthetic surgical enhancement of the vagina using laser and plastic surgery techniques. LVR™ improves the overall appearance of the vagina and enhances muscle tone, strength and control, which can give a woman a more satisfying sex life. The medical names for the structures which can be adjusted are the labia minora, labia majora, mons pubis, perineum, introitus, hymen and clitoral hood (see http://www.drmatlock.com/lvr.htm for illustrations of these various vaginal areas).

The female vulva consists of the labia majora (larger outer lips) and the labia minora (smaller inner lips). Many women feel that their labia minora are too large and protrude past the labia majora. This may be a concern in terms of the appearance of the labia, or women may feel that the labia are so large that it makes it difficult to wear tight pants, gym or dance outfits. It is important to note that there is no "normal" length of the labia minora; what is important is how individual women feel about the appearance.

Dr Allan's experience and techniques provide the ability for almost any vulvar or vaginal enhancement. He will discuss each individual situation and together you will decide on the cosmetic outcome desired. The most common LVR™ procedures are:

• Laser Vaginoplasty rejuvenates the vagina and vulva by enhancing vaginal muscle tone, strength and control. It effectively decreases the internal and external vaginal diameters as well as building up and strengthening the perineal body. This procedure is often combined with Laser Reduction Labioplasty.
• Laser Reduction Labioplasty can sculpture elongated or unequal labia minora (small inner lips of the vulva) according to a woman's desires. Most women requesting this procedure tell us they do not want the small inner lips to project beyond the large outer lips. Our labioplasty techniques can also reconstruct conditions that are due to the aging process, childbirth or injury.
• Laser Perineoplasty can rejuvenate the relaxed or aging perineum. The procedure can provide a youthful and aesthetically appealing vulva.
• Hymenoplasty (reconstruction of the hymen) can repair or augment the hymen to restore it to its "virginal" state. Dr Allan is sensitive to the needs of women from all cultures that embrace these particular issues because of cultural, social or religious reasons.
• Clitoral Hood Reduction is requested by women who find that there is excess skin covering the clitoris, which interferes with stimulation of the clitoris during sexual intimacy. Removing some of this excess vulvar skin exposes the clitoris to stimulation during arousal and heightens pleasurable sensations.

Women who see Dr Allan usually have a healthy love life and are not depressed about the state of their vagina. They are simply looking to improve their situation. While women come in to the Allan Centre for Women for many reasons, women who have Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation™ typically have it for two primary reasons:

• vagina cosmetic - As with any other part of the body, some women may not be happy with the appearance of their vagina. These women may feel embarrassed by their vagina or a very large labia minora gets in the way of every day activity.
• things you can do for a loose vagina - Many women notice changes or damages to their vagina due to childbirth, trauma, aging or were born with a loose vagina.

• improve sexual love life - With a loose vagina, women find that their enjoyment of sex is reduced and their self esteem affected. Laxity of the vagina reduces the pleasurable sensation of intercourse due to reduced friction forces. According to Master and Johnson, sexual gratification is directly related to the amount of frictional forces generated. In vaginal relaxation, the muscles and supporting tissues are relaxed and have poor tone, strength and control. The internal and external diameters are increased and the muscles of the perineum (the area between the vagina and anus) are weak and poorly supported. Under these circumstances a woman may be looking for solutions on how to improve sexual orgasm as the sensual side of sexual gratification is diminished, which this laser surgery can reverse.
• Improve an active life - women with very large labia minora can find that it gets in the way of every day activity, whether that be wearing tighter fitting pants or jeans, riding a bike, sitting, horseback riding or wearing a climbing harness.
• having sex and self esteem - In Dr Allan's experience, it is not a woman's sexual partner who is looking for tightness or labia reduction, but the women who want to know how to improve sexual orgasm through tightness or reduce a very large labia which makes them feel self-conscious and even avoid sexual encounters.
• cure for loose vagina after childbirth, trauma, aging - Women may wish to have their vaginal structures returned to the way they were before they had children, when they were younger or before trauma. They may find that since having children the vagina and introitus (the opening to the vagina) have become stretched and lax and their enjoyment of sex is reduced because of the laxity of the vagina reduces the pleasurable sensation of intercourse due to reduced frictional forces.
• before/after vagina cosmetic surgery - Many women bring us Playboy type photos and say that they want to look like this.

Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation™ was developed by Dr David Matlock of Los Angeles, California, who, like Dr Allan, is a gynecologic surgeon. LVR™ combines several conventional gynecologic surgical procedures (anterior colporrhaphy, posterior colporrhaphy, perineorrhaphy), which Dr Allan and Dr Matlock have performed hundreds of times. LVR™ refines these procedures by adding the elegance of the surgical laser combined with cosmetic surgical principles and techniques. Dr Allan trained at the Beverly Hills Ambulatory Surgery Center in Los Angeles, California to learn Dr Matlock's unique techniques in order to be able to offer this cosmetic procedure to women in Canada.

Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation™ is a one hour outpatient surgical procedure. Our laser techniques use gentle precision procedures, which result in relatively bloodless surgery. There is rapid healing and resumption of daily activities in a short period of time.

Women from over 20 countries around the world have chosen LVR™. Dr Allan is now able to give Canadian women the same choice. Dr Allan is a strong believer in women being in control of their health and wellness. A careful and thorough consultation is first done to ensure that a woman fully understands the procedure of LVR™ and that the procedure is right for her. Discussion with her family physician and other health care providers is encouraged before making a decision. Dr Allan is a highly trained and respected gynecologic surgeon and Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Calgary. He is very involved in education and research and it is paramount to him that his patients are offered only the highest quality of surgical care and the latest techniques in cosmetic and aesthetic surgery.

Women choosing to undergo any kind of cosmetic procedure are encouraged to confirm the qualifications and experience of their surgeon before making their decision.