How One Columbus, Ohio Provider is Helping Women Reclaim Their Sexual Wellness
Women’s sexual health has spent decades on the margins of medicine, treated as “too niche” for the traditional exam room and “too sensitive” for mainstream research.
That’s beginning to change, according to Courtney Gilbert, PA-C, a credentialed sexual wellness expert in Columbus, Ohio. Gilbert has built a significant part of her current work around two treatments in particular: DiVa laser therapy and the O-Shot, both aimed at helping women address vaginal laxity, dryness, mild incontinence and diminished sensation.
Her technique blends medical rigor with a essential belief: ladies deserve real solutions, not just reassurance.
What Is DiVa Laser Therapy?
DiVa is a hybrid fractional laser — a well-researched technology similar to the Halo laser used on facial skin, adapted for vaginal tissue. It combines ablative and non-ablative wavelengths to create a pattern of microscopic injuries that prompt the body’s own collagen and elastin production.
“It basically creates those tiny little micro-accidents that could help enhance collagen and elastin, Gilbert says. “This can help reduce vaginal laxity, improve sensation, reduce mild stress urinary incontinence and reduce pain symptoms.”
The science lines up with what patients report anecdotally.
A 2018 review published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology found that energy-based devices (including hybrid fractional lasers like DiVa) can stimulate new collagen and elastin fiber formation, with documented benefit for vaginal laxity and stress incontinence.
Who Is DiVa Laser For?
The range of patients this solution serves is part of what makes DiVa so distinct in the field. Gilbert has found that women come to the treatment from strikingly different starting points.
“I even have humans coming from form of all walks of life for this, she says. Some people are coming for extra sexual desires. Some people are coming because vaginal dryness is a huge problem for them. And other human beings come because they leak urine whenever they run or soar, and it is turning into truely irritating.”
The Most Common Reasons Patients Seek DiVa, According to Courtney:
- Vaginal dryness affecting comfort or intimacy
- Mild stress urinary incontinence triggered by exercise, laughing or sneezing
- Diminished sensation during intimacy
- A preference for a specialized, rejuvenative option before considering anything more invasive
Gilbert notes that DiVa’s accessibility is part of its appeal. However, not every provider offers it — especially in more traditional healthcare settings.
“This can be supplied in other practices, she says. It’s a little bit constrained in OBGYN settings due to insurance; sure healthcare vendors wouldn’t offer it if they’re extra of an coverage model. Insurance plans see this as an ‘elective’ procedure and ‘not medically necessary,’ which doesn’t quite sit right with me.”
Inside the O-Shot: Tapping Into The Body’s Natural Ability to Restore Itself
While DiVa relies on energy-based technology, the O-Shot uses a targeted injection, typically prepared from a patient’s own platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Some providers use platelet-derived growth factors as an off-label alternative, but this modality has not been FDA-approved.
“It’s done at a couple of locations along the front vaginal wall as well as the base of the clitoris,” Gilbert explains. “I know that sounds really scary, but again, we walk each patient through a delicate numbing process for maximum comfort. We use a tiny little needle; most people do really well with it.”
A Dynamic Approach to Achieving Real Results
The goal of this treatment, she says, is to support microvasculature and nerve function, two components she considers fundamental to sexual response.
“When we think about sexual characteristic, blood go with the flow and nerves are big components of that, Gilbert says.
The O-Shot can help at any age. However, she sees a significant number of patients during perimenopause and menopause, when changes in sensation become more noticeable.
A randomized managed trial posted in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2026 measured consequences for ladies who received PRP injections into the anterior vaginal wall against a placebo institution, and decided meaningfully greater improvement in sexual function scores among the treatment group, with no severe negative occasions suggested.
Why One Treatment Rarely Tells the Whole Story
When asked whether the O-Shot could stand in for hormone therapy altogether, Gilbert pushes back gently on the premise.
“From where I sit as a functional medicine provider, I’m looking at multiple parts of the picture,” she says. “I think most things are multifactorial. If we can hit things from a hormone standpoint — and also from a blood flow and nerve standpoint — I think you’re going to get the best result. I like to have a little bit more of a ‘holistic’ and all-encompassing view about it.”
In some cases, controlled hormone replacement therapy for women may be introduced to provide symptom relief and achieve greater comfort. This is dependent on the patient’s unique medical circumstances, and Gilbert works with each patient individually to determine which combination of interventions best supports her specific goals.
Taking the First Step to Reclaiming Your Sexual Health
For women who’ve spent years minimizing their own discomfort or assuming this conversation belongs to someone else’s chart, Gilbert’s message is direct: specialized, compassionate care is available. It starts with a single consultation with a credentialed provider.
“Women’s sexual health is such an underserved place in remedy, she says. “I’m very passionate about it. I hope that comes through to all of my sufferers. And I really hope any woman out there can feel that level of care if they seek out any of these solutions.”
A consultation gives patients the chance to talk through their specific concerns and determine whether DiVa, the O-Shot, hormone therapy or some combination best supports what they’re looking to achieve.
As Gilbert sees it, that first conversation might be the most significant step toward feeling like themselves again.
About The Expert: Courtney Gilbert, PA-C
Courtney Gilbert, PA-C is a functional medicine expert at Donaldson Plastic Surgery in Columbus, Ohio. With locations in both Dublin and Lewis Center, Donaldson is built on three distinct pillars of care: surgical, aesthetics and functional medicine. All three are designed to help women feel more confident, informed and comfortable in their own bodies at every stage of life.
