Is ThermiVa the same as vaginal rejuvenation?

ThermiVa is the non-surgical form of vaginal rejuvenation: radiofrequency vaginal rejuvenation, in which a temperature-controlled handpiece warms the vaginal and labial tissue to build collagen and tone, with no incisions and no downtime. Vaginal rejuvenation is the broader term, and at Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery it also covers the surgical options, a perineoplasty for laxity that needs repair and a labiaplasty for the labia minora.

How many ThermiVa sessions do I need?

Three ThermiVa sessions, spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart, are the plan Dr. Cat recommends for a full result. Most patients notice a change after the first session, but the complete tightening, and the relief of stress incontinence symptoms, comes with the full course, because collagen builds over weeks. After that, a maintenance session every three to six months keeps the result.

No. ThermiVa does not hurt: the handpiece is held at a set, comfortable temperature, and patients feel warmth and gentle pressure, often compared to a hot stone massage, for the 30 to 45 minutes of the session. No anesthesia or numbing is used, and you drive yourself home. The skin may look pink and feel warm for several hours afterwards.

Is there any downtime after ThermiVa?

No. There is no downtime after ThermiVa: you leave the office and go back to work, exercise and sexual activity the same day. The only rules are to skip hot baths and saunas for a day or two and to use a cool compress if the area feels warm. There are no incisions, no sutures and no scars.

When can I have sex after ThermiVa?

You can have sex the same day as a ThermiVa session: Dr. Cat's page on the treatment lists sexual activity, with work and exercise, among the things you return to immediately. The tissue may feel warm for a few hours. After a labiaplasty the rules are the surgery's: intercourse waits six weeks, and ThermiVa follows once you have healed.

Does ThermiVa help with urinary incontinence?

ThermiVa can relieve the symptoms of mild stress urinary incontinence, the small leaks that come with a cough, a laugh or a jump, by building collagen and tone in the tissue of the vaginal canal and opening. The relief builds over the series of three sessions and is kept up with a maintenance session. It does not treat vaginal prolapse, and results vary.

Is ThermiVa worth it?

ThermiVa is worth it for the woman whose tissue is intact but looser, drier or less responsive than it was, who wants a change with no downtime and accepts three sessions and a maintenance visit or two a year. It is not worth it for labia minora that hang or chafe, a torn perineum or a gaping opening: those need surgery, which Dr. Cat performs.

Who should not have ThermiVa?

ThermiVa waits for women who are pregnant, could be pregnant or are breastfeeding. It is not for patients with an abnormal pap smear (a normal one within two years is required), a history of cancer in the area, a current sexually transmitted infection, recent vaginal surgery or any degree of vaginal prolapse. A moderate to heavy period on the day means rescheduling.

What is the difference between ThermiVa and a labiaplasty?

ThermiVa is heat and a labiaplasty is an operation. ThermiVa warms the vaginal and labial tissue to build collagen, so it tightens and conditions tissue that is there, with no incisions and no downtime. A labiaplasty removes and reshapes the labia minora, so it is the answer for inner lips that hang, chafe or show in clothing; no heat device makes the labia minora smaller.

ThermiVa in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles

Q: How much does ThermiVa cost in Beverly Hills?

ThermiVa costs $3,000 per treatment in Beverly Hills at Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery, and $8,500 for the series of three, the prices on the practice's published non-surgical price list. Three sessions 4 to 6 weeks apart are the plan for a full result, and a maintenance session is booked as a single treatment. ThermiVa is cosmetic and not covered by insurance; financing is available.

Q: How long do ThermiVa results last?

ThermiVa results last several months to a year after the initial series of three sessions. The collagen the treatment builds is your own, and it fades gradually as the tissue keeps aging, so a maintenance session every three to six months keeps the result. The tightening from each session keeps developing for a month or two afterwards.

ThermiVa in Beverly Hills

ThermiVa (temperature-controlled radiofrequency treatment of the vaginal and labial tissue, with no surgery, no anesthesia and no downtime) at Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery, the Beverly Hills practice of Dr. Cat Begovic, MD, FACS, board-certified plastic surgeon with two surgical residencies, head and neck surgery and plastic and reconstructive surgery, Harvard-educated and UCLA trained

ThermiVa (temperature-controlled radiofrequency vaginal rejuvenation, with no incisions, no anesthesia and no downtime) gently warms the tissue of the vaginal canal and the labia so that it builds new collagen and regains its tone. It is used for laxity after childbirth or with age, dryness, the symptoms of mild stress urinary incontinence, reduced sensation, and labia majora that have become baggy or crepey. At Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery, at 421 N. Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, every session is performed by Dr. Cat Begovic herself, a board-certified plastic surgeon who also performs labiaplasty and perineoplasty, so you are told plainly when heat is enough and when the answer is surgery.

A session takes 30 to 45 minutes, feels like a warm massage, and you go back to your day at once, exercise and intercourse included. ThermiVa is $3,000 per treatment and $8,500 for the series of three on the practice's published price list. Most patients notice a change after the first session, the full result comes with the series, and it lasts several months to a year with a maintenance session every three to six months.

15-minute Patient Concierge call, no obligation.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Cat Begovic, MD, FACS

Board-certified plastic surgeon, trained in both head and neck surgery and plastic and reconstructive surgery. Harvard-educated, UCLA trained. Updated October 3, 2026

What makes ThermiVa at Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery different

Four things a device cannot supply on its own.

Performed by a surgeon who also operatesEvery session is performed by Dr. Cat herself, a board-certified plastic surgeon who also performs labiaplasty and perineoplasty, so you are told when heat is enough and when surgery is the right answer.

A private treatment room on Rodeo DriveThe practice's own office in Beverly Hills, not a shared spa floor: one room, one patient, 30 to 45 minutes, and you drive yourself home.

A plan across a series, with maintenanceThree sessions 4 to 6 weeks apart, a check on the change at each, and a maintenance visit timed to when your result begins to fade.

Discretion, from a practice built around the labiaDr. Cat has performed more than 500 labiaplasties; this area is her specialty, and the appointment, the treatment room and the conversation are private.

What is ThermiVa?

ThermiVa is a non-surgical treatment that uses temperature-controlled radiofrequency energy to warm the tissue of the vaginal canal and the labia from the surface, without cutting it. The warmth prompts the tissue to build new collagen and improves its elasticity and tone over the weeks that follow, inside the canal and outside on the labia minora and labia majora: a handpiece held at a set, comfortable temperature, a series of sessions, and a change that arrives gradually rather than on the day.

At Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery, ThermiVa is the practice's non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation treatment: done in the office, with no anesthesia and no downtime. Laxity that needs surgical correction is treated with a perineoplasty, and because both are performed by the same surgeon, the advice at your appointment is not shaped by which one is on offer.

What ThermiVa treats

Childbearing, hormone changes and aging change the labia and the vaginal tissues, and Dr. Cat describes the changes ThermiVa treatment is used for:

Vaginal laxity: a canal and an opening that feel looser after childbirth or with age
Stress urinary incontinence: the small leaks that come with a cough, a laugh, a jump or a run
Dryness: loss of natural lubrication
Sensation: a decrease in erotic sensation; the treatment increases blood flow to the tissue
The labia majora: loss of tone, and outer skin that has become baggy or crepey
Appearance: the skin of the labia sits tighter, though the amount of tissue does not change; labia minora that hang need a labiaplasty, not heat

It is mainly for women who have noticed these changes after natural childbirth or with age, and Dr. Cat notes that many younger women have the treatment as well.

Non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation: what ThermiVa can and cannot do

Non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation means improving the tone, moisture and appearance of the vaginal tissue without an operation, and ThermiVa is the vaginal tightening treatment the practice uses for it. Its limit is simple: heat tightens and conditions tissue that is there. It does not remove tissue, and it does not repair structures that were torn or cut.

Labia minora that hang past the outer lips, chafe or show in clothing are a matter of how much tissue is present, and no heat device shrinks them; that is a labiaplasty, which Dr. Cat performs with her own technique, and ThermiVa can follow it once the labia have healed.
A perineum that healed short or scarred after a tear or an episiotomy, an opening that gapes at rest, or a gap between separated muscles is a structural change, and the repair is a perineoplasty, surgery Dr. Cat performs on its own or together with a labiaplasty.
Vaginal prolapse is not treated with ThermiVa, and a patient with any degree of prolapse is not a candidate for it.

What ThermiVa does well is the middle ground: tissue that is intact but less toned, drier or less responsive than it was, and outer labia whose skin has loosened. The examination at your appointment sorts one from the other.

How a ThermiVa session goes

You lie back in the position of a gynecological exam, in a private treatment room on Rodeo Drive. A slim handpiece, the wand that delivers the radiofrequency energy, is moved slowly over the tissue in a gentle massaging motion, first inside the vaginal canal and then over the labia. The device reads the temperature of the tissue continuously and holds it in a set, comfortable range: warm enough to prompt collagen, never hot enough to injure the skin. You feel warmth and gentle pressure, which patients compare to a hot stone massage, and no pain.

A ThermiVa session lasts 30 to 45 minutes. There is no anesthesia of any kind, no numbing and no injection, so you drive yourself home or back to work. The skin may look slightly pink and feel warm to the touch for several hours.

ThermiVa at Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery

Before your ThermiVa treatment: the week before and the day of

ThermiVa asks little of you; the few rules keep the treatment safe and get the most from the energy.

Screening first

Before the first session you answer a set of screening questions, sign the consent forms and receive the practice's pre- and post-treatment instructions. The screening matters because ThermiVa is not right for everyone. You must have had a normal pap smear within the last two years: an abnormal result can point to conditions that radiofrequency energy could aggravate, so tell the team if you have had one. Recent vaginal surgery, any degree of vaginal prolapse, a history of cancer in the area or a current sexually transmitted infection means waiting until the issue is resolved; pregnancy, the possibility of pregnancy and breastfeeding mean waiting until after the birth and after weaning.

Hydration, hair removal and your cycle

Water: radiofrequency works best on well-hydrated tissue, so drink an extra four to six glasses of water the day before, and empty your bladder just before the session.
Hair removal: the treatment area should be free of hair. Shave completely the day before; waxing or laser hair removal is done five to seven days before, so the skin is not irritated on the day.
Your period: a light flow does not stop the session; a moderate to heavy flow does, so reschedule for when it has ended.

ThermiVa results: when they show and how long they last

Most patients notice a change after the first session, and the complete result comes with two to three sessions, because collagen is built over weeks rather than on the day. Dr. Cat's plan is three initial sessions spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart, which gives the tissue time to produce collagen and begin to tighten between visits; the tightening from each session keeps developing for a month or two afterwards.

The result lasts several months to a year. The collagen is your own and it fades gradually as the tissue keeps aging, so a maintenance session every three to six months keeps it. Results vary from patient to patient.

ThermiVa before and after: what changes over the series

ThermiVa before and after photographs show the outside: the labia majora smoother and less baggy, the skin firmer, the opening sitting tighter, after two or three sessions. The cases in our vaginal rejuvenation before and after gallery are ThermiVa patients. Where a patient also had a labiaplasty, the change in the labia minora in those photographs is the surgery, and the tightening of the skin around it is the heat; read the note under each case.

What a photograph cannot show is most of what patients come for: lubrication restored, more sensation, fewer leaks when they run or laugh. Those are reported rather than photographed, and results vary. At your appointment you are shown photographs matched to your anatomy, and patient reviews of the practice are on Google, collected on our reviews page.

Your ThermiVa timeline, from the first visit to maintenance

There is no recovery to plan around; what the calendar holds is the series.

The consultation and examYour concerns, your history and the screening questions, then the examination that tells you whether ThermiVa, a labiaplasty, a perineoplasty or a combination fits. You leave with the plan and the price.
Session oneWell hydrated, hair-free and with an empty bladder: 30 to 45 minutes of warmth, then you drive yourself home or back to work. Most patients notice a change after this first session.
The same day and the days afterNo downtime: work, exercise and intercourse the same day; no hot baths or saunas for a day or two.
Session two, 4 to 6 weeks laterThe tissue has had time to build collagen and begin to tighten; the second session adds to it.
Session three, 4 to 6 weeks after thatThe last session of the initial series; most patients reach their full result with it.
The following weeksThe tightening keeps developing for a month or two as the new collagen matures.
Maintenance, every three to six monthsA single session when you notice the change fading, every three to six months.

Who is a good candidate for ThermiVa?

The right candidate has tissue that is intact but has loosened, dried or lost sensation, and wants it improved without an operation.

You may be a good candidate if

Your vagina feels looser since childbirth or with age, and intercourse gives less sensation than it did
You leak small amounts of urine when you cough, laugh, jump or run
Dryness or less natural lubrication bothers you
The skin of your labia majora has become loose, baggy or crepey
You have had a labiaplasty, are fully healed, and want the remaining tissue tightened

Not yet, or a different plan, if

You are pregnant, could be pregnant, or are breastfeeding: the treatment waits until after the birth and after weaning
Your last pap smear was abnormal, or you have a history of cancer in the area
You have had vaginal surgery recently, including a labiaplasty within the last month
You have any degree of vaginal prolapse, a skin condition in the area that heat could irritate, or a current sexually transmitted infection
Your complaint is labia minora that hang or chafe, or a perineum torn in childbirth: those are surgery, not heat

Risks and safety

ThermiVa is a low-risk treatment: no incisions, no sutures, no scars and no anesthesia. In patients without vaginal abnormalities, which is what the screening is for, the things that can happen are mild and short-lived.

What can happen

Pinkness, warmth or mild swelling of the treated skin for several hours
Mild discomfort during or after the session, usually settled with a cool compress
A temporary change in discharge in the days after a session
Irritation in patients with prolapse or an underlying skin condition, which is why they are screened out
A burn: a risk with any device that heats tissue, and rare with a temperature-controlled one

How the practice keeps it safe

Screening before the first session: pap smear history, recent surgery, prolapse, infection, pregnancy and breastfeeding
A device that reads the tissue temperature continuously and holds it in a set range, so the tissue is warmed, not overheated
The handpiece kept moving in a slow massaging motion rather than held on one spot
Sessions 4 to 6 weeks apart, written pre- and post-treatment instructions, and a team you can call

How much does ThermiVa cost in Beverly Hills?

ThermiVa costs $3,000 per treatment and $8,500 for a series of three at Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery, the prices on the practice's published non-surgical price list. A treatment is one 30 to 45 minute session, inside and out. The series of three is the plan Dr. Cat recommends for a full result; a maintenance session later is booked as a single treatment.

ThermiVa is cosmetic and not covered by insurance; Dr. Cat's office does not bill insurance. To pay over time, the practice partners with Cherry, its primary financing partner, and also accepts CareCredit and Alphaeon Credit; see financing and payment plans. If a labiaplasty or a perineoplasty turns out to be the answer, those carry surgeon's fees quoted separately at your consultation.

Labiaplasty and ThermiVa together

Many women have both: a labiaplasty for labia minora that hang or chafe, and ThermiVa afterwards for the tone of the tissue around them. The order is fixed by healing. A labiaplasty removes and reshapes the labia minora; about one month later, once you have healed completely, ThermiVa tightens the remaining tissue and the skin of the labia majora, which the surgery does not address. One labiaplasty case in our gallery had a single ThermiVa session one month after surgery for bagginess of the labia majora. Our post on labiaplasty and ThermiVa together sets the two side by side.

Your ThermiVa appointment

It starts with a free 15-minute discovery call with our Patient Concierge, who answers your first questions and books your appointment in the office at 421 N. Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, a short drive from anywhere in Los Angeles. At the visit you go through your concerns and your history, answer the screening questions and are examined, so that you are told whether ThermiVa, a labiaplasty, a perineoplasty or a combination is the answer, and the first session is scheduled from there. Out-of-town patients can have the consultation by private video through OnPatient, the HIPAA-secure patient portal; the sessions themselves are in person on Rodeo Drive.

A woman surgeon, on the changes women rarely talk about

I specialize in vaginal rejuvenation and have spent years refining the techniques that help women feel like the best version of themselves. Childbearing, hormone changes and aging change the labia and the vaginal tissues, and as a woman and a mom I understand these changes firsthand: I have the treatment myself every four to six months to maintain tone. I do everything in my power to make sure every patient feels safe and at ease during her ThermiVa treatment, and I work with each patient on a plan to reach a good result and to maintain it as time goes on.

Dr. Cat Begovic, MD, FACSBoard-certified plastic surgeon, Beverly Hills

Book a free discovery call

Ready for a change you can feel, with nothing to recover from?

ThermiVa at Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery: a 30 to 45 minute session in a private treatment room on Rodeo Drive, no anesthesia and no downtime, $3,000 per treatment or $8,500 for the series of three, at the practice of a surgeon who will tell you when surgery is the better answer. It starts with a free 15-minute discovery call.

15-minute Patient Concierge call, no obligation.

A Beverly Hills penthouse office with its own accredited surgery center

Non-surgical treatments are performed in the practice's own penthouse office at 421 N. Rodeo Drive, the same suite that houses Dr. Cat's QUAD A accredited surgery center.

421 N. Rodeo Drive, Penthouse 4
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, by appointment

ThermiVa in Beverly Hills

What makes ThermiVa at Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery different