NICE's guideline on urinary incontinence says to offer a trial of supervised pelvic floor muscle training of at least three months' duration as first-line treatment to women with stress or mixed urinary incontinence. Its guidance on vaginal laser for stress incontinence says the procedure "should only be used in the context of research" and that "continuation of pelvic floor exercises is important". Every FemiLift 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 trials say
- A 2026 trial of 94 women: the CO2 laser was non-inferior to pelvic floor muscle training at twelve months.
- The sham-controlled laser trials for stress incontinence: three found no difference from sham after a first course, in 101, 59 and 37 women. One found a gain, in 114 women, with 45.2% against 14.0% continent on objective tests over twelve months and continence declining over four years.
- The 2025 Cochrane review, nine trials and 689 women: vaginal lasers "may have little to no effect" on stress incontinence in the short term, with very low certainty. Over the medium term it found "there may be more continent women among those who received vaginal laser compared to those who received sham", again on very uncertain evidence.
How we plan it
In our practice pelvic floor training continues whatever you decide about the laser, and Dr Marie Duggan examines you before any laser is booked, with a smear test first. In our practice, anyone with a prolapse or a symptom that needs a diagnosis first is referred for it. Where you choose the laser with the evidence above understood, 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 incontinence page sets out the use in full, and the full guide the rest. The price is in writing at a free consultation, with a price match on any comparable written quote.
