'Take ownership of your own well being and be bold in seeking a treatment’
Dr Tracey Sims, Intimate You
Pictured: Dr Tracey Sims
It is a relatively new phenomenon sweeping the UK something that has been apparent in the USA and Europe for some time. The ability to express and speak out about women’s health issues, sometimes intimate that are affecting thousands of women daily.
Stopping incontinence, vaginal tightening, c-section scar removal are just a few of the treatments available to women and only now are we speaking about them more freely and addressing the growing demand for something to be done about these common conditions.
One clinic that is leading the way is Intimate You in Liverpool. Set up by Dr Tracey Sims with co-directors, gynaecologist George Botros and aesthetician, Anna Bojakowska.
Intimate You was born out of a shared and inherent interest in women’s health alongside a combined vision to bring together caring, medical specialists and the latest, state-of-the-art technology to support women across the UK with their health and well being.
The team at Intimate you kindly answered some of my most pressing questions about women’s health and the treatments available.
Thank you for speaking with me today.
What are the most common procedures you are requested to do or the most common medical issues you are asked about?
More and more women are now thankfully talking about their problems and taking ownership of their health and well being and, as such, our clinic has noticed a substantial increase in women coming forward to ask about treatments for urinary incontinence. As a result we are seeing more women come to us to ask about treatments like the Ultra Femme 360, a non-invasive, pain-free radio frequency treatment for incontinence and vaginal tightening which takes just eight minutes.
Another common problem is vaginal atrophy, which often occurs after menopause. A lack of oestrogen causes the vaginal wall to become thinner, so women can find themselves experiencing discomfort, dryness, painful intercourse and infection.
In order to help women suffering with this, we added the MonaLisa Touch, an intravaginal laser treatment, to our portfolio of treatments to make it possible to resolve these symptoms delicately and safely. This new technology is minimally invasive and pain-free and works to reshape and regenerate the atrophic vaginal tissue. This then helps to stimulate collagen production, keeping the vaginal tissue soft, plumped and moist and eliminates painful symptoms for the patient.
Intimate You is the first centre in the UK to offer Resonance Inductive Therapy (RIT) and the first female health clinic to provide the BTL Emsella device in the North West; a highly effective device with a powerful electro-magnetic base which stimulates and strengthens the pelvic floor muscles in a completely non-invasive and pain-free way to treat the symptoms of urinary incontinence. One in three women suffer from urinary incontinence – often as a result of childbirth or the menopause – and so being able to offer a very real and very effective treatment such as the Emsella is a very positive step forward for the industry.
Why should you choose a CQC (Care Quality Commission) registered clinic?
As a medical clinic regulated by the CQC, our clients can be assured that they consistently receive safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care, and that we are striving to be even better all the time.
What is the first stage I need to take? An appointment? What happens at the initial appointment?
It’s important for patients to firstly remember that millions of women suffer from vaginal irregularities and structural changes due to childbirth, age or a variety of other reasons, leading to a variety of symptoms including pain, itching and heaviness. This can lead to diminished vaginal health and vaginal conditions that may impact their lifestyle, relationships and self-esteem.
The very first action that any patient should take if something like this is bothering them should be to speak with a medical professional rather than trying to just continue with these symptoms.
We would suggest that patients interested in learning more about the various treatments available for them book in for a non-obligatory consultation at Intimate You where they can discuss what is bothering them in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere and find a real treatment to put their problems in the past.
Your website mentions ‘evidence-based treatments’ why is this important and what does it mean?
All of the high-quality treatments that are available at Intimate You have been rigorously tested and certified to ensure their safety and efficacy. By ensuring that our treatments are evidence based we can successfully manage expectations and ensure the best result possible for each patient.
In an industry amass with unscrupulous providers, our clinic prides itself on only offering treatments that can offer a real solution to our patient’s problems.
Does the treatment of female intimate issues need a certain set of skills? Or is this something I could call my GP about?
It is always good to speak with a GP about your health as a first port of call; lots of GPs, myself included, do have a particular interest in intimate health. However, it is important to remember that the concept of women’s intimate well being is a fundamentally new concept and so not all GPs may have a comprehensive awareness of the many treatments available.
It's also important to note that specialist clinics, like Intimate You, welcome women into their clinic every single day with a wide range problems relating to their intimate health. This means that not only are we proficient when it comes to offering the best treatment available, we are completely unable to be shocked and are able to offer a completely holistic treatment plan with an emphasis on a patient’s emotional well being.
We seem to have advanced and made great progress in relation to the female intimate health. It is also more talked about now. What do you think will be next for the industry?
The conversation has certainly made great progress when it comes to seeing women talk about their intimate health and significant developments in technology and relevant data have given us the ability to successfully offer real solutions to women suffering with their symptoms across the UK. However, it is important that we continue to talk about these issues and raise further awareness both within the industry and within the mainstream media.
Women can spend up to half of their life post-menopausal and childbirth should not be synonymous with ‘oops moments’ – so it is therefore imperative that we continue to talk, and we begin to expect more when it comes to our own health and well being.
Any words of advice for people considering the treatments?
Take ownership of your own well being and be bold in seeking a treatment. Remember that people are always willing to listen and that there are a wide range of treatment options available and accessible.
Twitter: @intimateyouliv
Instagram: @intimateyou_
Facebook: @intimateyou