Current treatment options for vulvovaginal atrophy: Hormonal methods and laser therapy

Vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) is a common but underreported condition in real clinical practice caused by decreased estrogenization of the vaginal tissues. The prevalence of VVA in the postmenopausal phase is at least 50%, and according to some data, 80%. Not only patients, but also some physicians consider VVA as an inevitable part of the aging process, which delays the diagnosis and treatment of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). Treatment options for GSM are limited by contraindications to local hormone therapy, poor patient compliance, and hormonophobia. In this regard, the search for alternative non-invasive treatment methods is relevant. The search for literature for 2012-2022 was performed in PubMed, CochraneLibrary, Science Direct, and ELibrary databases using the following keywords: Vulvovaginal atrophy, genitourinary syndrome of menopause, treatment, CO2-laser, postmeno-pausal age. Conclusion. Microablative fractional CO2-laser therapy for VVA can relieve symptoms and improve the condition of the vaginal mucosa by enhancing regeneration processes, but high-quality research is needed to study the efficacy and safety of this treatment method. © 2023, Dynasty Publishing House. All rights reserved.