Menopause used to stay out of the conversation, even on screen. Apple TV+’s drama Your Friends and Neighbors broke the silence this season, giving its lead character open, sometimes raw moments about hot flashes, mood shifts, and changes in her intimate life. For women watching in the Kansas City area, the storyline lands close to home. If your own body has changed during menopause, including dryness or discomfort during sex, you are far from the only one searching for answers.
Why Menopause Is Suddenly Part of the Conversation
Television rarely tackled menopause with honesty until recently. Your Friends and Neighbors gave its lead character storylines about hot flashes, low libido, and vaginal dryness without treating the topic as a punch line. The show did not invent these symptoms.
By some estimates, vulvovaginal atrophy and related menopause symptoms affect roughly 40 percent of women in this stage of life. What changed is the willingness to name these symptoms out loud, on television, and in doctors’ offices alike.
What Is MonaLisa Touch?
MonaLisa Touch is a fractional CO2 laser treatment designed to address vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, and other symptoms tied to vulvovaginal atrophy and genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). During a short, in-office session, a probe delivers laser energy to the vaginal wall to encourage new collagen and improved blood flow. No anesthesia is required, and most patients return to normal activities the same day.
Who Is a Good Candidate for MonaLisa Touch?
Women experiencing vaginal dryness, irritation, or discomfort during intercourse related to menopause or childbirth are common candidates. The treatment also fits women who want a non-hormonal treatment, including breast cancer survivors and patients with estrogen contraindications.
Postpartum patients dealing with similar tissue changes sometimes qualify as well. A consultation with one of our providers determines whether MonaLisa Touch matches your symptoms and health history.
What Does Treatment Feel Like?
Most women describe the sensation as mild vibration or warmth, not pain. Each session takes under five minutes, and no numbing cream or local anesthesia is typically used. Three sessions, spaced six weeks apart, make up the initial series, with many patients reporting symptom relief after the first visit. Mild redness or light discharge sometimes follows treatment and usually resolves within a day or two.
Is MonaLisa Touch FDA Cleared?
The CO2 laser platform used for MonaLisa Touch holds FDA clearance for gynecologic procedures, a category covering treatment of vaginal tissue. The agency has not issued a specific approval naming menopause symptoms, vaginal rejuvenation, or sexual function as standalone indications, and the FDA flagged broader marketing claims across the laser device industry in 2018.
At Urogynecology of Kansas City, providers use this clearance within its intended scope and base treatment recommendations on each patient’s exam, history, and goals rather than marketing claims alone. Bringing questions about FDA status directly to your consultation is a reasonable step before starting treatment.
Alternatives to MonaLisa Touch
MonaLisa Touch is one option among several for managing GSM symptoms. Vaginal estrogen cream, rings, or tablets remain the most studied treatment and work well for many women without contraindications. Pelvic floor physical therapy addresses muscle tension and coordination problems often linked to menopause symptoms. Over-the-counter lubricants and moisturizers offer a non-prescription starting point for mild dryness. Comparing these paths with a provider helps match treatment to your specific symptoms, health history, and comfort level.
Where to Get MonaLisa Touch in the Kansas City Area
Urogynecology of Kansas City was the first practice in the metro area to offer MonaLisa Touch, and Dr. Patrick Nosti continues to lead treatment for patients across Overland Park, Independence, and the surrounding region. A consultation includes a physical exam, a review of your medical history, and a treatment plan built around your symptoms and goals.
Schedule a Consultation
If you are dealing with menopause symptoms like vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, or recurring urinary issues, talking through your options is a clear next step. Contact Urogynecology of Kansas City to schedule a consultation with Dr. Nosti and the team at our Overland Park or Independence locations.
