Correction: In an earlier version, Mashable stated that vaginal contouring was approved by the FDA. The FDA has approved devices that were not initially intended for vaginal contouring, but which doctors may be using for the procedure nonetheless. The FDA does not regulate the practice of medicine.
You have probably heard of contouring, or visual reshaping, in regards to bronzer and Kardashian-inspired YouTube tutorials. Let’s travel a little down south.
Vontouring (no, that’s not a typo) is the nickname for Protégé Intima, or the non-invasive, non-surgical remodeling of the inside of the vagina using radio frequencies. And we should mention, it’s not makeup either. The treatment is the latest and purportedly safe way to visually enhance one’s lady lips.
With vontouring, a thermal pen-like device stimulates collagen production in the vagina’s opening (“Imagine putting in a tampon,” said cosmetic surgeon Dr. Sharon Giese), which results in a tighter vagina. Lips of the vagina look firmer and plumper.
The sensation is supposedly warm, and one treatment takes about 12 minutes to complete with no recovery time.
It is not always clear which companies use devices that have been cleared by the FDA. Even if a device has been cleared by the FDA, doctors may be using it for off-label purposes, which could include vaginal contouring.
Now it’s common knowledge — or should be — that vaginas come in all shapes, sizes and colors. But vaginal cosmetic surgery — also known as vaginoplasty and labiaplasty, depending what you’re restructuring — has been picking up speed; the number of procedures has increased 44% from 2013 to 2014, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Childbirth and age can also affect the vagina’s plumpness and features, which may prompt women to seek such rejuvenation, said Dr. Giese. Or if a woman finds wearing tight jeans uncomfortable, she might want to restructure her vagina, she adds.
But skin grafting is often bloody, painful and expensive.
IMAGE: MASHABLE/VICKY LETA
Vontouring also comes with a bonus of possibly better sexual pleasure. In a 2013 study of 10 females who completed four treatments, 40% reported better sexual satisfaction due to increased sensitivity from the tightening.
IMAGE: INTIMA
Side effects are less of a concern compared to actual surgery, but some things a woman might experience are burning due to misapplication or simply not reaching her desired tightness. In that case, she can receive surgery or go in for multiple treatments.
One session costs a little over $300, according to the Daily Mail. That’s a small price compared to labiaplasty’s estimated $5,000 price tag.
Dr. Giese is “excited” for the procedure to be making its way to the United States, since it’s the least invasive of a lady’s options when it comes to taking control of her vagina — even if it is another drop in the bucket of body image.