Laxity, a feeling of looseness, often after childbirth, and the sexual function that goes with it, is a use many women ask about and one of the uses with the least controlled evidence. We offer FemiLift for it, and we give the evidence as it is. Every treatment is given by Dr Marie Duggan, GMC 7488383, at Femilift Clinic London, 130 Harley Street, London, W1G 7JU, after a free consultation and examination.
What the studies found
- Laxity: the laser studies have no sham group. A 2024 review of 38 studies reported that sexual function improved in observational studies but not in randomised trials. A 2026 retrospective series of 176 women found significant improvement in all its sexual function and symptom scores after the first course, and 33.5% needed more laser within two years.
- Pain during intercourse and sexual function, the sham-controlled trials: split. A 2021 trial of 58 women found a gain over sham on dryness and sexual function; trials of 30, 72 and 34 women found no gain over sham on their main measures.
- After childbirth: one uncontrolled series of 30 breastfeeding women, on another maker's laser, in whom the Vaginal Health Index rose from a median of 14 to 18 after the first session; no randomised trial.
- Recurrent infection: in 120 women, laser added to metronidazole against metronidazole alone, in an unblinded trial with no sham group, recurrence was 8.33% against 36.67%.
What the regulators say
In July 2018 the FDA said: "The safety and effectiveness of energy-based devices for treatment of these conditions has not been established." It added that it had not "cleared or approved for marketing any energy-based devices to treat these symptoms or conditions, or any symptoms related to menopause, urinary incontinence, or sexual function". The FemiLift laser is FDA-cleared in the US as a surgical laser, not for these conditions. NICE has no guidance on laser for laxity; its guidance on the laser for stress incontinence and for atrophy after the menopause says it "should only be used in the context of research".
How we plan it
Dr Marie Duggan examines you, with a smear test first, and in our practice refers you where a prolapse or another cause needs a diagnosis first. Pelvic floor training is the first-line treatment NICE names for stress incontinence, and in our practice it continues whatever you decide about the laser. The course is two or three sessions initially in Alma's words, typically three at four to six weeks apart in NICE's, with the plan set at the consultation. The tightening page answers the question most asked, the pain and sex page the recovery, and the full guide the rest. The price is in writing at a free consultation, with a price match on any comparable written quote.
