Interview By Carla Sanchez Taylor
Cindy Barshop, cast member from The Real Housewives of New York City, is a woman with a vision. That vision is in the shape of a well-coiffed, beautifully chiseled, tight vagina. Well, that was what I thought initially anyway. After all, Cindy has a history for successful femi-ventures, most notably her chain of laser therapy and waxing studios, Completely Bare. Her new business, The VSPOT, located in Park Avenue is a bit more adventurous in concept: a spa that services all things V (for vagina).
I am an ignoramus when it comes to vagina themed spas and vaginal rejuvenation. My knowledge is limited to an elementary and bilateral misconception of what goes on at these places: Vagazzling and labia lifts.
“What’s wrong with just, you know, having a normal one?” I asked my partner the night before the interview. His answer, as I suspect the answer most would give: “absolutely nothing.”
When it comes to these topics, women usually shut down. We don’t talk to each other openly about our perceived sexual shortcomings. We don’t consider the physiology associated either.
So with some trepidation, I set forth on a very frank discussion with Cindy about…well, you know…
Carla: Let’s talk about vaginas.
Cindy: Oh I’m so ready.
Carla: What attracted you to this kind of venture?
Cindy: I’ve always been drawn to women’s topics. Usually my curiosity is sparked from personal experience. After having twins, I was dealing with some issues I had never dealt with before. I wasn’t able to enjoy sex as much. I was self-conscious about it. And I was dealing with issues of incontinence. I started doing the research on it. Did you know 15 million women suffer from issues of incontinence in the U.S. alone? From following the research, I knew non-invasive technology was coming. And you know I’m also a single mom. I wanted to try the treatment to see if it worked. Let me just say that I noticed a big difference after even the first Femilift treatment. That’s when I knew that I had to get this information out there to other women. We perform that procedure now at the spa.
Carla: What exactly does it do that a Kegel doesn’t do? And is it only for women with issues of incontinence?
Cindy: No amount of Kegels can do what this procedure does. This procedure causes a little trauma to the area which helps stimulate new cellular growth. We are just helping your body regenerate tissue. It also enhances orgasm. 43% of women can’t have an orgasm. Can you believe that?
Carla: No that’s not ok.
Cindy: Think about it, there are dozens of erectile dysfunction medications out there for men. These medications are proven to stimulate blood flow to the area, causing longer lasting erections.
Last year, the FDA finally approved one for women called the Addyi. Do you know what it is? An antidepressant. It doesn’t address the physiological issues at all.
Carla: If you can’t easily have an orgasm, why would you even want to have sex? That seems like an elemental question right?
Cindy: We have a procedure called the O-Shot, which utilizes your own platelet-rich plasma to strengthen the area. It increases healthy blood flow to the clitoris, pushes the G Spot out. And it’s also a painless and effective procedure like the Femilift.
Carla: There was a New York Times article a few weeks ago that discussed women in the workplace and the amount of work they have done to maintain a youthful appearance. But no one talks about it. How can we help each other as women to better ourselves without inadvertently contributing to insecurities?
Cindy: The best way to do that is to empower women. We need to talk about these things. Why shouldn’t we talk about feeling good? If we are insecure about our bodies or appearance, there are ways to improve. Our perceptions of ourselves inform our lives, inform our confidence. It’s not about what your partner thinks; it’s what you think.
Carla: When I was researching the Femilift, I called a good friend, Dr. Ashley Gordon, who’s a board certified plastic surgeon at Restora Austin Plastic Surgery Center. She explained the procedure to me and I have to admit, it sparked my interest. She has found it to be a highly efficacious procedure as well, and beneficial to all women.
Cindy: It really is. Once you say the words ‘vaginal rejuvenation’ I think the general perception is that it is all about aesthetics. But as we age, our tissue changes. It is inevitable. So it can prevent incontinence, dryness and lack of sexual desire due to decreased orgasms.
Carla: What would you say to women who are modest or a little anxious about these types of procedures?
Cindy: At VSPOT we have an all female doctor staff. This is what they do every day. We were very careful to create an atmosphere where women feel comfortable and safe. Most importantly, we listen to them, to their experiences and what they’ve been through.
Carla: Wow. Sounds like the new frontier.
Cindy: In ten years, this will be much more known and accepted than what we can imagine.
And Cindy will have been there from the start.
TREATMENTS AVAILABLE
O-SHOT:
- A simple procedure that uses your own blood plasma, and is injected into the vagina to enhance sexual pleasure. The treatment works by stimulating vaginal and clitoral rejuvenation, giving women a better, more intense orgasm.
V-LIFT:
- This simple non-surgical, no downtime treatment utilizes the newest Restylen LYFT and PRP filler to plump and smooth out wrinkles. It’s the same philosophy as injecting collagen into your face to improve its appearance, but is instead used on your lady parts.
V-STEAM:
- Like a facial for your vagina. During this relaxing treatment, a gentle steamer pampers your V with a soft steam infused with therapeutic herbs like basil, calendula, mugwort, oregano, marshmallow root, and wormwood. Throughout the 20-36 minute process, the V-Steam dilates the blood vessel to increase blood circulation, provide oxygen, and relax the pelvic floor muscles.
V-LIGHTENING:
- A quick and painless procedure that eliminates the dark pigment on the skin cased from excess hair removal. This 15 minutes treatment gives women a safer method to lighten the skin compared to other methods of bleaching.
FEMILIFT:
- A non-surgical laser treatment which uses FDA approved fractional CO2 lasers to offer a solution for vaginal loosening, dryness, and incontinence that comes along with childbirth and aging, or if you’ve had issues with holding in a little tinkle.
