Treatment Guide
IncontiLase® – Stress Urinary Incontinence Laser Treatment
What Is IncontiLase®?
IncontiLase® is an innovative, patented Er:YAG laser therapy for mild-to-moderate stress and mixed urinary incontinence — the involuntary leakage of urine during activities like coughing, sneezing, laughing or exercise. It’s based on Fotona’s SMOOTH® technology, the same non-invasive laser platform behind several of our other treatments, applied here specifically to genitourinary tissue.
How It Works
The 2940nm Er:YAG laser used for IncontiLase features Fotona SMOOTH® technology, which delivers precisely controlled laser-induced thermal effects to the mucosal tissue around the vestibule and urethral orifice, and along the anterior vaginal wall. This stimulates collagen neogenesis and remodelling — new collagen production and tissue renewal — resulting in non-ablative photothermal tightening of the urethral and anterior bladder wall region, and the return of normal continence function.
What to Expect: Sessions, Comfort & Recovery
For many patients, two sessions of IncontiLase, spaced around one month apart, are sufficient to alleviate mild or even moderate stress urinary incontinence. Fotona’s current published guidance for the SMOOTH® treatment family more broadly suggests two to three sessions with 4–6 week intervals to achieve optimal results, with some patients needing additional treatments beyond that. The procedure is incisionless and virtually painless, with no ablation, cutting, bleeding or sutures, and no anaesthesia is needed. Patients can return to their normal everyday activities immediately afterwards — genuinely a walk-in, walk-out procedure.
Before starting treatment, a standard gynaecological examination, including a cervical smear test, is recommended to confirm you’re a suitable candidate and to rule out any other underlying causes for your symptoms.
Who Is It Suitable For?
IncontiLase is designed specifically for mild-to-moderate stress and mixed urinary incontinence, and is recommended for adult women of all ages. Worth being honest here: effectiveness may be somewhat reduced in more advanced age, since the treatment relies on the body’s own natural collagen-regeneration capacity, which can decline over time. Treatment at Eva Clinic is delivered by Anna Parfitt, our Advanced Nurse Practitioner and Independent Prescriber, whose expertise includes laser treatments in women’s health and gynaecology — a proper clinical assessment with her, including a standard gynaecological examination, is essential beforehand to confirm your diagnosis and suitability, since incontinence has multiple possible causes and severities, and treatment should always be matched to a confirmed diagnosis rather than assumed from symptoms alone.
Backed by Clinical Research
Since Fotona SMOOTH minimally invasive laser gynaecology was introduced in 2012, more than 35 studies indexed in the high Science Citation Index have been published in respected, peer-reviewed international journals. In one of these studies, 81% of women who had previously suffered from severe urinary incontinence were free of symptoms or had only very mild symptoms remaining after IncontiLase treatment.
IncontiLase® Treatment FAQs
No – IncontiLase is incisionless and non-surgical, with no cutting, ablation or sutures involved.
This is usually two to three sessions, spaced 4–6 weeks apart, though some patients need additional treatments – we’ll agree the right plan for you at your assessment.
Yes – a standard gynaecological examination, including a cervical smear test, is recommended beforehand to confirm suitability and rule out other causes for your symptoms.
No – IncontiLase is suitable for adult women of all ages, though effectiveness may be somewhat reduced in more advanced age, since the treatment relies on your body’s own natural collagen-regeneration response.
No special precautions are needed afterwards, and patients typically return to their normal daily activities immediately.
The procedure is described as virtually painless and no anaesthesia is required.
IncontiLase is a genuine non-surgical alternative for mild-to-moderate cases, delivered as an outpatient procedure – for more severe incontinence, or where laser treatment isn’t suitable, surgical options may be more appropriate, which would be discussed objectively as part of a proper clinical assessment.
IncontiLase is supported by genuine, independent, peer-reviewed clinical research – not just manufacturer claims. A study measuring leakage using the 1-hour pad test found IncontiLase treatment significantly reduced leakage quantity, with continued improvement from 3 to 6 months post-treatment. Separate research tracking patients over a full year found the treatment meaningfully improved the grade of urinary incontinence, with the great majority of patients moving from moderate or mild incontinence to no incontinence at all by the 1-year follow-up mark. One published account reported significant improvement in 77% of patients diagnosed with SUI at the one-year mark specifically.
Sources: – Ogrinc UB, Senčar S, Lenasi H. (2015), Novel minimally invasive laser treatment of urinary incontinence in women, Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 47(9): 689-697. – Tien, Yi-Wen, et al. (2017), Effects of laser procedure for female urodynamic stress incontinence on pad weight, urodynamics, and sexual function, International Urogynecology Journal, 28(3): 469-476. – Fotona IncontiLase® clinical brochure (manufacturer): https://www.fotona.com – Fotona SMOOTH® For Ladies – official patient information site, including the 81% statistic, age/effectiveness FAQ, pre-treatment gynaecological exam guidance, and current session protocol: https://www.fotona-smooth.com/
Professional consultation
Treatment compatibility is uppermost and I always undertake a professional consultation before undertaking any treatments.
Please contact me on 07507 420244 to discuss any of my treatments and arrange an initial consultation.
