YORK, Pa. — Even in a time when we seem to say whatever we feel, many people still shy away from talking about intimacy, especially if there’s a problem.
“Sexual health is such a piece of our overall wellness,” said Danielle Godfrey, who spent the past 16 years as a women’s health nurse. “It is incredibly common for women to experience a decline in sexual interest and a decline in libido as they age. Menopause plays a huge role in that,” she said.
Luckily, she's now providing women hope with Awake. The new procedure, being offered at Lebo Skin Care Center in York County uses platelet rich plasma, or PRP to help those intimacy issues, plus other more serious health issues like female incontinence.
"PRP itself is not new and has been used in other forms of medical procedures for a very long time with very good results," said Godfrey.
How does it work?
The plasma is made from the blood in your own body. Once drawn, it goes into a machine that separates the growth factors from the blood. The PRP is then injected into the female genitalia. Think of it like the fertilizer you put on your lawn. The PRP regenerates new tissue, which means new collagen, new blood vessels and new nerves. And despite how it may sound, she said the procedure isn't painful and requires no downtime afterward.
Karen Neiderer is one of Godfrey's patients and said after having a hysterectomy and not being able to take hormones because of a medical condition, she started noticing big changes in her body. “I was just so upset, I just wanted the old me back and I didn’t know how to get there,” Neiderer said. After hearing about Awake, she knew she had to try it. If not just for herself, for her husband as well, acknowledging that intimacy is of course an important part of marriage.
But wait- it's not just for women!
Experts say at least half of men over 50 have some degree of difficulty with intermittent erectile dysfunction. Dr. William Carter says embarrassment keeps many men from seeing their doctor about the common health problem, but it shouldn't. “It does affect men’s quality of life and their self esteem and they don’t have to go through the last 20, 30, 40 years of their life feeling badly about themselves,” Dr. Carter said.
According to him, all they need is Elevate, a similar PRP procedure that can both strengthen and enlarge male genitals. So far, his clients are pleased, even the ones being dragged there by their partners like Mike Pacitti. “To be honest, I was a little nervous at first but Dr. Carter made me feel super comfortable. And it went by no time at all and no pain at all,” Pacitti said.
Full results take up to 12 weeks, but Neiderer says after one month she definitely noticed a change. (and so has her husband, who has joked around already asking if she need another!)
Elevate and Awake PRP therapies cost around $1200 per treatment. Results can last anywhere from 1 to 3 years. For more information on either procedure, contact Lebo Skin Care Center.