Are You a Leaky Faucet?

By Dr. Grant Stevens

Until recently, the options for treating urinary incontinence have been invasive or ineffective. All we could do was cover up the problem with pads, be opened up on an operating table, or suffer side effects from pills. So, what was the point of talking about it?

But now, there are REAL nonsurgical solutions for treating urinary incontinence. This isn’t about shaming or blaming, it’s about acknowledging a medical condition affecting 1 in 3 women worldwide. Ladies, we don’t have to suffer with urinary incontinence alone or in silence.

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: “What! You too? I thought I was the only one.’”  –C.S. Lewis

In honor of World Continence Week, we’ve put together the top three ways we talk about urinary incontinence.

1. STIGMATIZE

A stigma is “a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something.” The stigma around urinary incontinence is rooted in shame and fear.

We feel shame that our bodies aren’t functioning properly. We are fearful to laugh, cough, sneeze, run or do yoga because we might leak a little. And, even worse, people might see it or smell it. (Nobody wants to relive the childhood trauma of peeing your pants.)

The result of this stigma? We don’t talk about it. We suffer alone, in silence with urinary incontinence.

“Conditions affecting the bladder have often been uncomfortable or “taboo” subjects and these medical disorders have been under-reported and under-diagnosed. Surveys have shown that fewer than 40% of persons with urinary incontinence mention their problem to a doctor or nurse.” – The International Continence Society

As women, we are notorious for our resilience and adaptability, often adjusting to circumstances as they are, rather than how they should be.

2. MINIMIZE

This one is difficult, because it’s the most common way we talk about urinary incontinence. We acknowledge that it’s real, but we minimize the impact on our self-esteem, our confidence, our sex lives, and accept it as just part of life.

“I can’t jump on trampolines anymore, I wet myself…when you’ve had a few children, it’s just what happens. It’s amazing, two sneezes, I’m fine. Three, it’s game over!” Kate Winslet, actress and mom of three, told PEOPLE.

You may be thinking, “Look, a famous actress is talking about her urine leakage! She’s normalizing the problem. That’s good, right?” Well, yes and no. Yes, Kate is helping other women realize it’s normal (which we LOVE) but she’s minimizing the issue by saying “it just happens.” And, she’s not the first woman to say this.

Ladies, sometimes we are our own worst enemies.

For years, we’ve been telling each other the same story over coffee or drinks, at dinner or over the phone: after kids you’ll have to cross your legs when you sneeze or laugh. You might not be able to jump on a trampoline anymore. Oh, also, you may not be able to run or do yoga without wearing a pad. But that it’s okay—it’s just part of the price you pay for giving birth to your baby.  It’s just another sign of growing older or having kids or working out too much. It’s just what happens.

Well, it may be normal, but it’s not okay. It may be just part of life, but this part doesn’t have to be permanent.

Studies show that 46% of women say urinary incontinence negatively impacts their sexual function.

Until recently, there weren’t any nonsurgical, effective treatments for urinary incontinence. So, we got used to minimizing the problem. We need to get to the root of the problem, not just mask it with pads to manage the symptoms. Pads are better than nothing, but let’s be honest, you can’t really stay poised wearing pads.

3. NORMALIZE

Ladies, this is it. This is how we should talk about urinary incontinence; by normalizing the condition and seeking real solutions.

“People think they’re the only ones dealing with this,” Kris Jenner told NowToLove. “When you realize that the woman sitting next to you is probably going through the same thing, you feel less lonely.”

No more minimizing or stigmatizing urinary incontinence. Stigmas close the conversation and minimizing the problem leads to symptom management, not solutions.

We are changing the story. We are opening the conversation and normalizing the condition. Earlier this week, Jada Pinkett Smith shared her story on her show, “Red Table Talk,” and how she actually underwent vaginal rejuvenation for her bladder issues.

We’re also seeing more awareness around urinary incontinence. Like the Icon’s pee-proof underwear, which just launched a campaign to help remove the stigma around incontinence. Their tagline is, “1 in 3 women leak a little. 3 in 3 women have the power to change the conversation around unruly bodies.”

We LOVE this tagline and how it’s helping normalize the conversation. But, pee-proof underwear is just like pads—it’s managing the symptoms, not treating the problem.

Let’s take it one step farther. Let’s normalize the conversation AND demand real solutions for this real medical condition. No more pads, pills, painful surgeries or pretend solutions. It’s time for real solutions.

You deserve to live your life leak-free.

You are not alone. One in three women are suffering from unwanted, unplanned and uncontrollable urine leakage. There is real help to treat the cause of urine leakage, not just the symptoms. More and more, women are speaking out and taking back control of their bodies and their lives.

Get back that loving feeling with Viveve Solutions. If you leak a bit when you laugh, cough, sneeze, jog, or lift something heavy, you may have stress incontinence. This is the most common bladder control problem in younger women. We’d love to talk to you more about this. Give us a call at (310) 827-2653.

Cheers, WGS

About Dr. Grant Stevens

W. GRANT STEVENS, MD, FACS Clinical Professor of Plastic Surgery University of Southern California Grant Stevens, MD, FACS, is the founder and medical director of Marina Plastic Surgery and the Orange Twist Institute in Marina Del Rey, California. He is a Clinical Professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Southern California, Chairman of the USC-Marina Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship and the Director of the USC Division of Aesthetic Surgery. Dr. Stevens is past president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and chairman of the ASAPS Board of Trustees. He is third vice president of the board of directors of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS). He was elected by his peers into "The Guide to Top Doctors" and Castle Connolly's "Top Doctor Guide," recognizing him as one of the best plastic surgeons in America and one of the select few to be featured in "Plastic Surgery: The World's Top Surgeons & Clinics." Dr. Stevens is an active member at Marina Del Rey Hospital, where he is the past Chairman of the Department of Surgery, the Chairman of the Liposuction Committee and the Medical Director of The Breast Center. He is also on staff at St. John's Medical Center, the Marina Outpatient Surgery Center and USC. Dr. Stevens graduated with honors from Washington University Medical School in St. Louis where he was awarded the Senior Prize in Surgery. He completed his general surgery training at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center then returned to Washington University-Barnes Hospital where he completed a Fellowship in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery with Dr. Paul Weeks, Dr. Leroy Young, Dr. Tom Mustoe, Dr. Jeffrey Marsh and Dr. R. Christie Wray. He is a board certified Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the International College of Surgeons. He was appointed by the governor of California to the Medical Board of California Medical Quality Review Board. Dr. Stevens is an ASAPS and ISAPS Traveling Professor lecturing at numerous international, national and regional meetings and is an invited visiting professor at numerous U.S. and international universities. Dr. Stevens has authored more than 90 articles and chapters on aesthetic plastic surgery. He is a member of many medical societies, including ASAPS, ISAPS, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, International College of Surgeons, American College of Surgeons and American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery. Dr. Stevens is the past Chairman of the California Medical Association Advisory Panel on Plastic Surgery. He received the California State Assembly and the California State Senate Certificate of Recognition. He has also received the Special Congressional Certificate of Recognition and the Distinguished Service Citation from the Medical Board of California. He has been interviewed for articles including those in Time, USA Today, People, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Glamour, Vogue, Allure, Cosmetic Surgery Times, Business Week, Men's Fitness, LA Times Magazine, Discovery and numerous newspapers. He has appeared on more than 125 television programs including CNN, Discovery, 60 Minutes, MSNBC, The Learning Channel, PBS Nightly Business Report and many other TV and radio interviews.

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