Beauty enthusiasts are probably already familiar with LED devices and their promise of brighter, firmer and younger-looking skin. But the benefits of the technology can extend beyond the confines of your face to an area of the body that is sadly underserved by modern medicine: the vagina. When it comes to taking care of your vagina—whether it’s dryness, pain, postpartum repair, or something else—innovation has been somewhat lacking. LED therapy, however, appears to have the potential to treat and promote overall vaginal health, both in the office and at home.
Given the interest in LED skin care devices—the global market share for LED face masks was estimated at $238.1 million in 2021—it’s no surprise that brands have stepped in to explore the tech’s potential for vaginal care. Keep reading to learn how LED therapy could be the key to a healthier, happier trick.
How does LED therapy work?
LEDs means light emitting diodeswhich for beauty purposes are “non-ablative and non-thermal devices that help produce ATP, regulate oxidative sites, alter collagen synthesis, and stimulate angiogenesis [a process that promotes wound healing]says the certified dermatologist Naana Boakye. In other words: Using light that doesn’t scratch or heat the skin, LEDs can reduce inflammation and stimulate the production of collagen, a critical protein that keeps your skin smooth, elastic, firm and wrinkle-free.
Boakye adds that red and blue light are most often used for dermatological LED treatments: “Red light can reach the dermis and activate the expression of fibroblast growth factor”—cells involved in collagen production]—“while blue light it has less penetration and is useful for skin conditions’ such as acne.
What is the current status of LED sinus therapy?
ONE 2019 study on photobiomodification therapy or low-level laser therapy, found that it was effective in treating the symptoms of menopausal genitourinary syndrome and stress urinary incontinence – what we might categorize under the general term vaginal resuscitation. In fact, these types of treatments have been used for various types of vaginal resuscitation procedures for more than 50 years, despite it’s not approved for this use by the US Food and Drug Administration, which reported poor outcome and lack of clinical data. (Medical research on people with sinuses is seriously undervalued in America.)
However, Dr. Makrini Alexiadis, a double board-certified dermatologist and founder of Macrene Actives, points out that researchers have been testing LED applications for vaginal rejuvenation since 1979, and publications on the topic have grown significantly over the past decade. This is good news for anyone who has a vagina at any point in their life cycle, but especially for anyone who has just given birth or is going through menopause.
How does LED therapy benefit your vagina?
As for how LEDs specifically can improve your vaginal health, there are numerous solutions available, both for in-office and at-home use. As for the latter, there is the vFit Gold devicethe first LED intravaginal instrument, developed by Joylux, a femtech company that addresses menopause-related health issues. Joylux’s third-party clinical studies have concluded that because an LED can penetrate the vaginal and urethral ducts to rebuild collagen and elastin, users may experience better bladder function, improved vaginal tightness, decreased pain during intercourse, improved circulation (which improves sensation). and better natural lubrication.
It also recently acquired Joylux Mom matters, whose products face postpartum issues. The NeoHeat device is a red and infrared LED and heating pad designed to relieve perineal pain and accelerate wound healing. Although originally intended for women with vaginal atrophy for whom insertion of the device would be too painful, NeoHeat is now being marketed as a tool for postpartum and fourth-trimester recovery after vaginal birth, in which a new mother she may have had a tear or had an episiotomy. LED’s wound healing capabilities make it a safe and powerful addition to anyone’s recovery program.
Are home LED vaginal devices effective?
Dr. Somi Javaidboard-certified maternity hospital and its founder and chief medical officer HerMD, notes that various types of phototherapy sources—such as lasers, LEDs, and broadband light—can help with vaginal rejuvenation, but advises that the treatments should be administered in an office setting by a licensed health care professional, rather than used at home. “The use of over-the-counter products containing LED therapy may not be as potent as products and devices used in a professional, medical setting, and therefore the expected benefits may be minimized or diminished,” he says.
Of course, going back to the doctor’s office or hospital to speed up the recovery process isn’t always feasible for new moms, which is why having a device at home can be nice. “We have seen [from] clinical studies that women were cured within two weeks [after using NeoHeat]compared to six weeks of doing nothing—which, after you give birth, [often includes] I just go home and you’re sitting on an ice pack,” Joylux founder Colette Courtion says of typical American maternal care.
Even for people who don’t struggle with fourth-trimester care, LED therapy can prove invaluable to vaginal health, whether that means reducing pain during sex, treating bladder incontinence, or improving pelvic tone ground. Courtion equates LED treatments for vaginal tissue with Kegel exercises for your muscles—the latter improve muscle tone and strength, while the former promote collagen and elastin production throughout your life. “As you age, collagen and elastin [levels drop] and [your tissues] stretch,” he says. “By using LED light therapy for prevention, you help keep your collagen and elastin in your tissue, both internally and externally, firm and flexible. Your labia, your vulva – all of that will benefit.”
And compared to more invasive laser options, LEDs don’t damage your cells to cause them to repair themselves. “The LEDs actually activate the mitochondria in your cells to release ATP and nitric oxide and stimulate stem cell growth,” says Courtion. “So your cells naturally do what they’re supposed to do, but in an accelerated way.”
How is LED treatment for your vagina different from your skin care tools?
Let’s say you have an LED mask lying around your apartment meant for your face, but you’re also struggling with some pain after your recent vaginal delivery. Is LED therapy as simple as maneuvering the product next to your vagina and turning it on for 10 to 20 minutes?
Not exactly, unfortunately.
While seeing your gynecologist or a dermatologist who specializes in vaginal rejuvenation is ideal for speeding up your postpartum recovery or treating some other specific vaginal conditions, investing in an LED designed for this very purpose may also be worth it. . According to Courtion, Joylux’s vFit Gold device (which retails for $395) is 14 to 28 times more powerful than most facial LED products on the market. “We’ve spent millions of dollars on research and independent third-party testing and have 22 patents,” he says.
Essentially, with a tool designed for the specific purpose of treating your vagina, vulva, and labia, you’ll see faster results, with clinical trials to back up the claims. (Courtion cautions to watch out for cheaper versions of her company’s patented technology.) And if you’d rather leave LED treatment to the professionals, Javaid says a few 20-minute treatments can also leave your vaginal tissue healthier and renewed.
Are there any risks to LED treatment for your vagina?
As with any therapeutic procedure, there are some risks you should be aware of before either using a device at home or visiting a professional. “Short-term risks associated with the administration of LED therapy are minimal and may include: skin inflammation, rash, redness, itching and dryness. The risk of eye damage is also there and you should wear eye protection during all treatment sessions,” says Javaid. He adds that if you take certain medications—such as isotretinoin, lithium, or select antibiotics, which can increase the skin’s sensitivity to light—you should avoid LED treatment.
But compared to some of the other treatments available for vaginal rejuvenation—as slim as the options currently are—LED therapy might be worth asking your health care provider about. In addition, simply discussing these options openly and without shame will hopefully encourage more research in the field of vaginal rejuvenation and health.
“The only way we’re going to change it is if more people write about it, talk about it, it’s not taboo to talk about vaginal health like we’ve been talking about men’s health for decades,” Courtion says. “So many of these issues could be resolved and then everyone’s quality of life would improve.”
Hannah Baxter is a beauty and wellness writer, consultant, and former associate beauty editor at The Zoe Report, where she oversaw the site’s beauty division. Previously, she was senior beauty editor at Coveteur and is now a regular contributor to outlets such as Allurebirdie, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamor, Bustle and more. She is also the founder of Anxiety Beer, a bi-monthly newsletter that destigmatizes conversations around mental health.
