{"id":786644,"date":"2026-02-24T21:32:16","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T21:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/786644\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T21:32:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T21:32:16","slug":"the-intimate-problem-caused-by-weight-loss-jabs-middle-aged-women-are-too-scared-to-talk-about-they-cause-utis-dryness-and-sagging-says-dr-sima-but-theres-a-cure-too-few-know-about","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/786644\/","title":{"rendered":"The intimate problem caused by weight-loss jabs middle-aged women are too scared to talk about. They cause UTIs, dryness and sagging, says DR SIMA… but there’s a cure too few know about"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a doctor, I occupy two distinct worlds. My background is in obstetrics and gynaecology and I work part-time in the NHS<\/a>. But I also specialise in advanced aesthetics, specifically cosmetic gynaecology. This means I look after the functional and aesthetic health of the intimate area, covering everything from skin texture and volume to pelvic floor strengthening and rejuvenation.<\/p>\n

But recently I\u2019ve been seeing a new type of patient. While everyone seems to be talking about \u2018Ozempic face\u2019\u00a0\u2013 the gaunt, aged look that can accompany rapid weight loss from GLP-1 drugs \u2013 fewer are aware of a phenomenon I\u2019m seeing. It\u2019s a condition you could call \u2018Ozempic vagina\u2019.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s unlikely to be something people even consider but the truth is that any medication that makes you lose weight<\/a> quickly can also have an impact down there, and not in the way you might hope.<\/p>\n

That sagging and laxity that you see on the face when a patient starts taking these types of drugs is often reflected in the intimate area. But, unlike the face, it\u2019s not so easily visible. I am seeing a rising number of women\u00a0\u2013 particularly those who are perimenopausal or menopausal\u00a0\u2013 who are delighted with their weight loss but are suddenly dealing with an intimate area that looks older, feels uncomfortable and functions differently (yes, really).<\/p>\n

Here are the primary issues my patients are facing, and how we can treat them\u2026<\/p>\n

Lax labia<\/p>\n

Just as you lose volume in your cheeks, rapid weight loss strips volume from the intimate area.\u00a0Patients often tell me that their labia look saggy, particularly when they stand up.<\/p>\n

From an aesthetic perspective, the area no longer looks youthful and this can have a knock-on effect on their self-esteem and, subsequently, their relationships.<\/p>\n

Crucial cushioning<\/p>\n

Beyond aesthetics, the loss of fat has serious physical implications. We naturally have a layer of fat across the pubic bone (the mons pubis) and the outer lips (labia majora) and that cushion has a functional role to play.<\/p>\n

\"Dr <\/p>\n

Dr Sima, who specialises in gynaecology, says the sagging and laxity seen on a face when a patient starts taking weight loss drugs is often reflected in the intimate area too<\/p>\n

When patients lose that padding they can find that wearing underwear or tight clothes becomes painful because there is no support for the inner lips. The increased friction can also lead to pigmentation issues but, more worryingly, this anatomical change affects your health. Increased friction can result in higher susceptibility to thrush and bacterial vaginosis, and as the labia lose volume, the urethra becomes less protected, increasing the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs).<\/p>\n

If the women are already menopausal or perimenopausal, a time at which the tissues in this area already have a tendency towards atrophy, then weight loss just compounds the problem.<\/p>\n

Hormonal horrors<\/p>\n

Even if GLP-1 users aren\u2019t menopausal or perimenopausal they may still find that taking these types of drugs has an impact on their hormone levels. Adipose tissue (body fat) actually plays a role in producing oestrogen, meaning higher body fat usually correlates with higher oestrogen levels.<\/p>\n

When a patient takes a drug like Ozempic (Wegovy in the UK) or Mounjaro, they experience a rapid decline in body fat, which can lead to a rapid decline in oestrogen levels. This effectively mimics\u00a0\u2013 or exacerbates\u00a0\u2013 perimenopausal symptoms which can include vaginal dryness, decreased lubrication and a lower libido.<\/p>\n

Dehydrated down there<\/p>\n

Weight-loss drugs don\u2019t only reduce appetite, they can also reduce thirst, often leading to general dehydration. If you are dehydrated systemically, you will experience intimate dryness. This combination of low oestrogen and dehydration can make intercourse painful and diminish sensation.<\/p>\n

THE SOLUTION<\/p>\n

Before I treat any patient it\u2019s imperative that I understand what is causing the problem\u00a0\u2013 you can\u2019t just treat the symptom without understanding the root cause.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Although the use of GLP-1s has become more commonplace, it\u2019s still not something that a patient will automatically reveal, so we\u2019ll do a very in-depth consultation before discussing what their major concerns are.<\/p>\n

\"At <\/p>\n

At Dr Sima’s clinic, she uses a range of treatments to combat symptoms of ‘Ozempic vagina’, such as micro-needling to replace lost volume and hyaluronic acid injections to reduce dryness<\/p>\n

Sometimes, I\u2019ll use a treatment that will improve the quality of the skin and give a lifting effect. You may have heard of the Morpheus 8, which is a radio frequency micro-needling treatment that is used on the face. The Morpheus 8 V is similar but designed for the intimate area. For more significant changes, we might use non-surgical labiaplasty (from \u00a33000) which uses radiofrequency at higher temperatures to tighten the area and improve aesthetic appearance.<\/p>\n

Once we have improved the skin quality with treatments like micro-needling, we can look at replacing that lost volume. We can use fillers (around \u00a3300-\u00a3500) to restore the \u2018cushion\u2019 in the outer lips, which provides the necessary support and protection for the inner structures. We might also focus on pelvic floor strengthening to improve overall support.<\/p>\n

And to combat dryness and laxity, I often combine treatments. So maybe using hyaluronic acid injections to deeply hydrate the tissues alongside internal radiofrequency treatments to rejuvenate the area, improve blood flow, and help with dryness and sensation.<\/p>\n

There is no quick fix. My approach is holistic and customised to each patient\u2019s specific complaints. It usually takes three to six months to achieve the desired results and most of my patients will come back in for an annual maintenance treatment. Just like losing weight, it\u2019s not a one-and-done thing.<\/p>\n

drsima.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a doctor, I occupy two distinct worlds. My background is in obstetrics and gynaecology and I work…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":786645,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[11],"tags":[92,105,388,169252,370,16,15,734],"class_list":["post-786644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-dailymail","tag-health","tag-lifestyle","tag-lifestylefitnesswellbeing","tag-ozempic","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-weight-loss"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116127750171999744","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/786644","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=786644"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/786644\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/786645"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=786644"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=786644"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=786644"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}