What is StarFormer IntimaWave?
StarFormer IntimaWave is a magnetic-stimulation treatment for the pelvic floor, applied while you sit down, fully clothed, with no surgery and nothing to undress for. You sit on the StarFormer applicator and a magnetic field induces deep, repeated contractions of the pelvic-floor muscles —the same ones targeted by Kegel exercises, but many more per session and involuntarily, reaching fibres that are hard to activate on your own.
Its aim is to strengthen and re-educate the pelvic floor, the hammock of muscles that supports the bladder, uterus and rectum and takes part in urinary continence and sexual function. With the years, pregnancies, childbirth, menopause or simple muscle weakness, this group loses tone, and that is where small leaks of urine on coughing or laughing, a sense of reduced firmness, or a lack of support appear. To be clear: it is a treatment of muscular support and re-education, not surgery; it can improve tone and mild-to-moderate symptoms, but it does not correct a significant prolapse nor replace a surgical repair when that is what is required. Results may vary.
Techniques Dr. Arístides Arellano uses
StarFormer is indicated within a plan, not as a fashion. Dr. Arístides Arellano’s principle is the same one that governs all of his practice: assess first, treat second, because magnetic stimulation only makes sense when the problem is muscular tone and not another cause. These are the elements of the approach:
- Prior assessment of the pelvic floor — before the first session the origin of the symptoms is studied, because a urine leak or a sense of lost support can have different causes, and not all of them are solved by strengthening the muscle.
- Seated, clothed session — the patient stays seated on the StarFormer applicator, in her own clothes; there is nothing to undress, nothing is inserted and there is no direct contact, which makes the treatment a comfortable and discreet option.
- Protocol in a series — magnetic stimulation is worked over several sessions spread across weeks, because the muscle strengthens through repetition, just like training; a single session is not enough.
- Combined with re-education — StarFormer is paired with bladder-hygiene guidance and pelvic-floor exercises, so the patient keeps at home what is gained in the consulting room.
- StarFormer as a complement, not a substitute for surgery — when the assessment detects a significant prolapse or another surgical indication, it is stated plainly; magnetic stimulation does not replace the repair that is required.
How is it done?
A StarFormer IntimaWave session usually lasts 20 to 30 minutes and is performed in the consulting room, without an operating theatre, without anaesthesia and without downtime. You sit —clothed— on the applicator and, during the session, feel the rhythmic contractions of the pelvic floor, without pain; the intensity is set to your tolerance and raised gradually. When it ends, you go straight back to your day: there is no recovery. The treatment is worked in a series —usually several sessions a week over a few weeks— and then maintained with booster sessions, because muscle tone, like any training, is lost if it is not kept up.
All surgery carries risk and requires a prior medical assessment. Results may vary according to each patient, their anatomy and their individual healing process.
Who is a good candidate?
- People with mild or moderate stress urinary incontinence —the small leaks on coughing, laughing, sneezing or exercising— caused by pelvic-floor weakness.
- Women in the postpartum period or in menopause who notice reduced tone or support and want to strengthen the muscles without surgery.
- Those who prefer a non-invasive, comfortable and discreet treatment, applied seated and clothed.
- People looking to complement pelvic-floor exercises or accompany re-education, not to replace surgery when that is what is indicated.
- It is not the right treatment in cases of pregnancy, significant prolapse, metal implants or electronic devices such as a pacemaker in the treatment area, or in certain medical conditions; this is decided at the consultation.
Recommended post-treatment care
StarFormer IntimaWave has no surgical recovery: you can return to your routine the same day with no restrictions. To understand the general principles of care after a procedure and to sustain the results at home, See the full guide: Post-surgical recovery and care.
Before and after
Most patients want to see before-and-after photographs before deciding. Out of respect for each person’s privacy, Dr. Arístides Arellano shows real cases —always with documented consent— during your in-person consultation, where you can review results from patients with a starting point similar to yours. Results may vary from patient to patient.
Approximate price
The cost of StarFormer IntimaWave treatment is defined at your consultation, and we do not publish a fixed figure for a concrete reason: it is worked in a series and the number of sessions depends on the degree of pelvic-floor weakness and on your response, so the total cost varies from one patient to another. Approximate price — the definitive cost is set at your private consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano. See the price list.
About Dr. Arístides Arellano
Dr. Arístides Arellano is a plastic surgeon holding a specialty licence: he practises under a Mexican medical licence (D.G.P. 1125959) and a specialty licence in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (0002008), both issued by the Directorate General of Professions (DGP), which reissued his certificate of professional standing in 2025. His career began before Mexico’s present-day specialty-board system existed: he belongs to the founding generation of plastic surgery in Puebla, the second generation of a surgical tradition started in 1971 by Dr. Francisco Arellano Ocampo. Trust is verified, not promised: both licences are public and anyone can look them up in the DGP’s National Registry of Professionals.
Related patient guide
If you are weighing a pelvic-floor treatment as part of a wider plan, understanding how to choose a professional with verifiable credentials will help you decide calmly. Read How to choose a plastic surgeon in Puebla.
Trust is verified, not promised. All 210 scanned documents —degree, licences, diplomas, publications and certificates, from 1977 to 2025— are open in Dr. Arístides Arellano’s credential archive, alongside an explanation of the difference between a specialty licence and a board certification.
Recovery · step by step
- Same dayThere is no downtime and no relevant discomfort. A slight muscular sensation may be noticed in the area, similar to having exercised, which settles quickly. Normal activity resumes immediately.
- During the seriesThe treatment is worked over several sessions spread across a few weeks. No change is felt at first, and that is normal: the muscle strengthens through repetition, not from a single session.
- On completing the seriesMild-to-moderate symptoms usually improve —fewer leaks on exertion and a greater sense of support—. The response is assessed by comparing against the starting point, not by an isolated impression.
- MaintenanceMuscle tone is not kept up on its own. It is maintained with periodic booster sessions and with the prescribed pelvic-floor exercises, the frequency of which is adjusted to each patient.
Frequently asked questions
Does the StarFormer treatment hurt?
No. The magnetic stimulation of StarFormer IntimaWave is felt as rhythmic contractions of the pelvic floor, without pain. The intensity is set to your tolerance and raised gradually. Most patients describe it as a sensation of muscular work, not as discomfort.
Do I have to undress for the treatment?
No. StarFormer IntimaWave is applied while you sit clothed on the applicator; there is nothing to undress, nothing is inserted and there is no direct contact. It is one of the reasons it is a comfortable and discreet treatment.
How many StarFormer sessions do I need?
It depends on your case, but StarFormer is always worked in a series: it is not a single application. It is common to start with several sessions a week over a few weeks and then keep the result with booster sessions. The exact number is defined at the consultation, according to the degree of weakness and your response.
Does it help with urine leaks on coughing or laughing?
It can help with mild or moderate stress urinary incontinence, that is, the small leaks on coughing, laughing, sneezing or exercising caused by pelvic-floor weakness. Not all leaks have the same cause, so the origin of the symptom is assessed first. Results may vary.
Does StarFormer replace pelvic-floor surgery?
No. It is a treatment of muscular support and re-education that can improve tone and mild-to-moderate symptoms, but it does not correct a significant prolapse nor replace a surgical repair when that is what is indicated. If the assessment finds an indication for surgery, it is stated plainly.
When will I see results?
Not immediately. During the first sessions no change is noticed, because the muscle strengthens through repetition, just like training. Symptom improvement is usually seen as the series advances, and the best way to confirm it is to compare against the starting point.
Who should not use StarFormer?
It is not the right treatment in cases of pregnancy, significant prolapse, or if there are metal implants or electronic devices such as a pacemaker in the treatment area, or in certain medical conditions. That is why a prior assessment is always carried out before the first session.
The equipment used
Every case is different. Discuss yours in a personal consultation.
Book a consultation on WhatsAppEvery figure published on this site is approximate and is not a quote. Any procedure or treatment first requires a private assessment consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano —$800 MXN, charged separately— and it is at that consultation that the definitive cost of your case is determined.
Educational content; it does not replace a medical consultation. Results may vary from person to person.