BBC News
Medical researchers say the potentially dangerous laser treatment offered to menopausal women is nothing more than a "fake therapy". The purpose of this treatment is to 'rejuvenate' the vagina of these women.
Researchers have reviewed the treatment to determine if it can reduce the risk of vaginal dryness and painful sex in menopausal women.
The National Institutes of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), an advisory council to the NHS, says the therapy should be used for research purposes only.
However, some clinics in different countries are offering this therapy to women as a solution to these problems.
Sexual gratification
In laser rejuvenation, a probe is inserted into the vagina and heated to change the shape of the tissues around it.
The clinicians who offer this treatment say that the purpose of this method is to intentionally damage the tissues so that the body can begin the process of self-healing faster. They claim that it naturally increases the moisture in the vagina and improves sexual satisfaction.
The US health watchdog has already said it is concerned that the treatment could harm women.
Vaginal burns and scarring have been reported in some people undergoing this treatment.
The latest research is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. This is the largest research on this therapy.
Nice has long called for research into the therapy to determine if it can be considered safe for wider use in the NHS.
The study was carried out by Australian researchers and was not funded by the industry. In this study, some of the 85 women were offered laser therapy and some were offered a placebo procedure in which the probe was inserted into the vagina but the required energy of the laser was not delivered.
No side effects of this treatment were recorded, and follow-up was performed up to one year after treatment, with no difference between the original treatment and placebo treatment.
An editorial published with the study states that the laser beam reminded them of a treatment for 'vaginal mesh', which was a very harmful treatment for some women, and was later cited for safety concerns. Was stopped.
The study's authors, Dr. Marissa Edelman and Ingrid Nigard of the University of Utah, said: It's been a long time coming.
Vaginal dryness
Tim Hillard, former president and spokesman for the British Menopause Society, is a consultant gynecologist in Dorst. "It's a long-awaited study," he says.
"This is one of the biggest investigations into random trials."
"This research confirms that this treatment should only be provided in clinical trials," he says.
"There is a great need for new treatments for the effects of menopause," he said. Vaginal dryness, itching, pain during sex, these are all very common and very annoying for women. It can be very difficult to talk about them. "
What is menopause?
Menopause is when women reach the age at which menstruation stops and they cannot conceive naturally.
Menopause in old age is a natural process that occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, but can be performed prematurely by surgically removing the ovaries or uterus.
The general opinion of doctors is that if menstruation does not come for a year then it is menopause.
Gynecologist Dr Rabia Nisa told the BBC: "This process can happen at any time in 40 to 55 years. In some women, menstruation lasts until the age of 60. It may even close prematurely at age 30.
"Nature has placed a certain number of eggs inside every girl. Those specific eggs continue to menstruate as long as they are being produced in the ovary. When they stop laying eggs, her Then the menstrual cycle stops.
