Urinary Incontinence and Bladder Leakage Treatment in Melbourne
Leaking when you laugh, cough, sneeze, run or lift is one of the most common health conditions in Australia, and one of the least talked about. At Pink Laser Clinics it is treated without surgery, in a chair, fully clothed, in sessions of 20 to 30 minutes, with nothing to recover from afterwards.
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If this is you, you are not alone
One in three women who have ever had a baby wet themselves. That is the Australian Government's own figure, and it has not moved in years because most of those women never mention it to anyone. They plan around bathrooms, stop running, stop jumping on the trampoline with the kids, and decide it is simply part of having had a baby or getting older. Men live with it too, most often after prostate surgery.
It is not something you have to accept. Bladder leakage is, in most cases, a muscle and nerve problem, and muscle and nerve problems respond to treatment. The first step is knowing which kind you have, because the answer shapes what will help.
Source: Australian Government Department of Health, One in 3 women who ever had a baby wet themselves.
Stress incontinence
A leak when pressure lands on the bladder: a cough, a sneeze, a laugh, a jump, lifting a toddler or a barbell. The most common kind after childbirth, and the kind most directly tied to pelvic floor strength.
Urge incontinence
A sudden, strong need to go that gives you very little warning, sometimes with a leak before you get there. Often described as an overactive bladder. More common around menopause and with age, and sometimes best managed with bladder training or medical review alongside pelvic floor work.
Mixed incontinence
Both at once, which is common. Many women who leak have some of each, and the treatment plan is built around whichever is doing most of the damage.
A muscle you cannot see, and cannot always reach
The pelvic floor is a sling of muscle that holds the bladder, bowel and uterus in place and closes the bladder outlet when pressure rises. Pregnancy and birth stretch it. Menopause thins and weakens it as oestrogen falls. Prostate surgery disturbs it in men. Years of heavy lifting, chronic coughing or constipation wear it down. When the sling loses strength or coordination, the outlet does not close in time, and you leak.
Pelvic floor exercises work for many people, and supervised pelvic floor physiotherapy is the first thing most doctors recommend, with good reason. The difficulty is that the pelvic floor is hard to feel and hard to train. Many women who have done the exercises faithfully for months are contracting the wrong muscles, or cannot reach the deep fibres at all. If you have done the work and still leak, it is not a failure of effort.
That is the gap this treatment was built for.
What actually helps, and where each option fits
No single treatment suits everyone. This is how the main options compare, in plain terms, so you can see where a seated pelvic floor treatment sits among them.
| Option | What it is | Best suited to | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pelvic floor physiotherapy | A physiotherapist assesses your pelvic floor and teaches you to find, contract and train it, often with an internal examination | Anyone, and usually the first step. Essential if you cannot feel the muscle at all | Needs months of consistent practice. Works alongside the chair rather than instead of it |
| Seated magnetic pelvic floor treatment (what Pink offers) | A chair with magnetic applicators produces strong, repeated contractions of the pelvic floor while you sit fully clothed | Stress and mixed incontinence, postpartum weakness, people who have plateaued with exercise alone, anyone who wants a non invasive course | A course of sessions, then upkeep. Published results are for this class of device, not one brand. See the evidence below |
| Bladder training and lifestyle | Timed voiding, fluid and caffeine changes, weight and constipation management | Urge incontinence especially | Often recommended by your GP or a continence nurse alongside any other treatment |
| Medication | Prescription medicines that calm an overactive bladder | Urge incontinence | Prescribed and reviewed by your doctor. Side effects vary |
| Pessary | A small device fitted inside the vagina to support the bladder neck | Stress incontinence with prolapse | Fitted by a doctor or specialist physiotherapist |
| Surgery | Sling and other procedures that support the urethra | Stress incontinence that has not responded to conservative treatment | A specialist decision. Guidelines recommend conservative treatment first |
Pink does not provide medical diagnosis, medication, pessaries or surgery. We will tell you at your consultation if one of those is the better first step, and we are glad to work alongside your GP, physiotherapist or specialist.
Treated in a chair, fully clothed
At Pink, urinary incontinence is treated with IntimaWave, the pelvic floor mode of the Fotona StarFormer PRO, a Class IIa medical device entered in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. You sit in a treatment chair in your own clothes. Magnetic applicators built into the seat and the backrest produce pulses that pass through clothing and skin and reach the pelvic floor directly. Each pulse makes the muscle contract, far more completely than you could manage on purpose. A single session produces thousands of these contractions.
The pulse
A coil in the seat generates a brief, powerful magnetic field. It passes through clothing and skin without acting on the skin's pain receptors, which is why most people describe the sensation as strange rather than uncomfortable.
The nerve fires
The field reaches the nerves that control the pelvic floor and triggers them, the same way your brain does when you contract a muscle deliberately.
The muscle contracts, completely
The contraction recruits fibres that are very hard to reach voluntarily, including the deep fibres that do most of the work of holding the bladder closed.
The muscle rebuilds
Repeated across a course, the contractions do what any strength programme does: the muscle gets stronger, and nerve and muscle relearn how to work together. Control improves across the course, not overnight, and it is maintained the way any muscle is.
The chair treats the pelvic floor and the lower back together, from the seat and the backrest at once, so the whole support system is worked rather than one point in it. No undressing, no probes, no needles, no downtime. You walk out and get on with your day.
Read the full treatment page: IntimaWave Pelvic Floor StrengtheningWho this treatment suits
Every course begins with a free consultation where all of this is assessed properly. If the treatment is not right for you, we will say so and talk through what is.
Suited to
- Leaking when you cough, sneeze, laugh, run, jump or lift (stress incontinence)
- Sudden urgency or an overactive bladder (urge incontinence), or a mix of both
- Pelvic floor weakness after childbirth, once you have had your postnatal check
- Pelvic floor weakness around perimenopause and menopause
- Anyone who has done the exercises, or the physio, and still leaks
- Anyone who would rather be treated fully clothed, with no downtime
Not suitable, or assessed first
- A pacemaker, defibrillator or any active electronic implant: not suitable
- Pregnancy: not suitable
- Metal implants in the pelvic region, or a copper IUD: assessed at your consultation, and we may ask you to check with your doctor
- An active urinary tract infection: treat the infection first, then begin
- Pelvic organ prolapse beyond mild: treated case by case, alongside your specialist, not instead of them
See your GP or a specialist first if
- There is blood in your urine, pain when you pass urine, or pain in your pelvis or back
- Leaking started suddenly, or you cannot empty your bladder properly
- You get repeated urinary tract infections
- Your incontinence followed surgery or treatment for prostate, bladder or gynaecological cancer
- You have a neurological condition such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease or a spinal injury
- You are over 65 and have not had the leaking assessed by a doctor
For men, too
Men have a pelvic floor, and it weakens for many of the same reasons. The chair works the male pelvic floor the same way: seated, clothed, 20 to 30 minutes. If your leaking followed prostate surgery or cancer treatment, you need your urologist's or specialist's clearance before any course begins, and we plan the course with them, not instead of them.
Read: Men at the StarFormer PROFrom first conversation to last session
Your consultation
Free, at the Doncaster clinic. We talk through your symptoms, your history and what you want back. We check for anything that rules the treatment out, and you leave with a plan: which protocol, how many sessions, how often.
Your first session
Come as you are. You sit in the chair, the clinician starts the intensity low and brings it up to your comfort. Twenty to thirty minutes. You will feel a rhythmic pulling and tightening deep in the pelvic floor. Then you drive home, go to work, pick up the kids.
Your course
Most protocols run two to three sessions a week over six to twelve sessions, depending on your condition. Each session builds on the last. Many people notice a difference part way through the course rather than after the first visit, and your clinician reviews progress as you go.
Afterwards, honestly
The pelvic floor is a muscle, and like any muscle it loses strength without use. In one published study, women's quality of life scores had drifted back towards where they started three months after a course finished, even though the measured muscle improvement remained (Barba and colleagues, Healthcare, 2023). That is why we plan a review and, where it is needed, a maintenance session every four to six weeks, from the start rather than as an afterthought. Your clinician will tell you plainly whether you need it.
Where physiotherapy fits
This is not a choice between the chair and the physio. Physiotherapy teaches you to find and use the muscle; the chair builds the strength to use. In one randomised trial, women with stress incontinence did about as well after six weeks of the chair as after six weeks of supervised pelvic floor training (Dudonienė and colleagues, Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023). Many of our clients do both, and if you are already seeing a physiotherapist we are glad to work alongside them.
Read: Non surgical pelvic floor options in MelbourneTwo moments when the pelvic floor needs the most help
After childbirth
Leaking after a baby is so common that many women never mention it. It is also very treatable, and it does not have to be your normal a year on. Most women can begin once they have had their six week postnatal check and been cleared by their GP or obstetrician; after a caesarean, or if you had a significant tear, your doctor may ask you to wait longer. We confirm timing at your consultation and plan the course around feeding, sleep and the rest of life.
Read: A pelvic floor recovery timeline, six weeks to twelve months
Around menopause
As oestrogen falls, the pelvic floor and the tissue around the urethra thin and weaken, and leaking that was occasional becomes daily. The chair builds the muscle regardless of what weakened it. Hormonal factors, including whether local oestrogen might help, are a conversation for your doctor, and we are happy to work alongside that.
Read: Menopause, bladder leaks and pelvic floor strengthWhat it costs
The number of sessions, and therefore the cost of your course, is set at your consultation, not before it. The consultation itself is free. This treatment is not covered by Medicare, and private health funds do not usually rebate it. We will tell you the full cost before you commit to anything.
What the research shows, and what it does not
Magnetic stimulation of the pelvic floor has been studied for more than twenty years, and the evidence is reasonable without being perfect. Two honest points first. Most published trials used other brands of magnetic chair, so this is evidence for the class of device, not for the StarFormer specifically. And follow up in most studies is three to twelve months, so nobody can yet tell you how long results last beyond that.
- A 2026 meta analysis of 17 randomised trials, 1,389 women with stress incontinence, found magnetic stimulation improved incontinence scores, quality of life and one hour pad test results, with no significant difference on the 24 hour pad test or muscle strength.Li and colleagues, International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 2026. Read the study
- A double blind, sham controlled trial of 120 women with stress incontinence found 75% responded to active treatment against 22% with sham at two months.Lim and colleagues, Journal of Urology, 2017. Read the study
- A sham controlled trial of 70 women with urge incontinence found a larger improvement with active treatment than sham at six months.Lukanović and colleagues, International Urogynecology Journal, 2026. Read the study
- A randomised trial of 68 women with stress incontinence found magnetic stimulation and supervised pelvic floor training gave similar results at six weeks.Dudonienė and colleagues, Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023. Read the study
- A study of 25 women found quality of life scores had returned towards baseline three months after treatment ended, while measured muscle improvement persisted.Barba and colleagues, Healthcare, 2023. Read the study
- A review of side effects across 28 studies found them minimal and temporary, with no significant difference from sham.Pavčnik and colleagues, Medicina, 2023. Read the review
- In men after prostate surgery, a 2026 rapid review of nine small studies suggests earlier return of continence than exercise alone. The studies are small and this is an area where you need your specialist involved.Wong and Welk, Canadian Urological Association Journal, 2026. Read the review
We treat these as evidence for the approach, not as a promise about your result. Individual outcomes vary, and we will tell you where you sit as your course goes on. Where a study was funded by a device manufacturer we say so; none of the studies listed above was.
Urinary incontinence treatment, the questions we are asked most
Plain answers. Anything not covered here is covered at your consultation.
Do pelvic floor chairs really work?
For many people, yes, across a course. Randomised trials of this class of device show improvement in stress and urge incontinence compared with sham treatment, and the studies are linked above. It is a course of treatment, not a single fix, results vary between people, and some benefit fades without upkeep.
Does it hurt?
The pulses pass through the skin without acting on its pain receptors. You feel a strong, rhythmic tightening deep in the pelvic floor, which is unusual at first and which most people do not find painful. The intensity starts low and is only increased to your comfort, and you can ask for it to be turned down at any point.
Do I have to undress?
No. You sit in the chair in your own clothes for the whole session. Nothing is inserted and nothing touches the skin.
How many sessions will I need?
Most protocols run six to twelve sessions, two to three times a week. Your clinician sets the number at your consultation based on your condition and your history.
How much does urinary incontinence treatment cost in Melbourne?
At Pink, sessions start from $300 with course pricing for six sessions and more. Your course length, and so your cost, is set at your free consultation. Full pricing is on the IntimaWave page.
Is it covered by Medicare or private health?
No. There is no Medicare rebate for this treatment, and private health funds do not usually cover it. We will give you the full cost before you commit.
I had a baby. When can I start?
Most women begin once they have had their postnatal check and been cleared by their GP or obstetrician, commonly from around six weeks after a vaginal birth and later after a caesarean or a significant tear. We confirm timing at your consultation.
Is it only for women?
No. Men with pelvic floor weakness are treated in the same chair. If your leaking followed prostate surgery or cancer treatment, you will need your specialist's clearance first, and we plan the course with them.
I am going through menopause. Will it help?
Pelvic floor weakness around menopause is one of the most common reasons women come to us. The treatment builds the muscle regardless of what weakened it. Hormonal options are a conversation for your doctor, and the two can work alongside each other.
Is it better than pelvic floor exercises or physio?
It is different, not opposed. Physiotherapy teaches you to find and control the muscle; the chair produces contractions far beyond what you can do voluntarily. In one randomised trial the two gave similar results at six weeks. Many people do both, and we work alongside physiotherapists.
Can it make a prolapse worse?
Mild prolapse is treated case by case and only alongside your specialist. Prolapse beyond mild is not suitable for this treatment. Tell us at your consultation if you have been told you have a prolapse, or think you might.
Can I have it on my period?
Yes. There is no contact with the skin and no reason to wait.
Can I have it with an IUD, a pacemaker or a metal hip?
A pacemaker, defibrillator or any active electronic implant rules the treatment out. A copper IUD and metal implants in the pelvic region are assessed at your consultation, and we may ask you to check with your doctor first.
How long do results last?
The pelvic floor is a muscle and holds its strength the way any muscle does, for months, with gradual decline if it is not used. Published follow up is mostly three to twelve months. A maintenance session every four to six weeks may be recommended, and your clinician will tell you whether you need one.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can book a free consultation directly. If you have a specialist or physiotherapist already, we are glad to work alongside them, and we will tell you at the consultation if anything needs a doctor's assessment first.
The pelvic floor, understood
Discreet, longer reads for the questions behind this treatment.
The diagnostic
Stress, urge or mixed?
Which kind of incontinence you are dealing with, and why the answer shapes treatment.
Read article →
The options
Non surgical pelvic floor paths
Physio, chairs and where each fits, mapped honestly.
Read article →
The comparison
IntimaWave or Emsella?
How to compare pelvic floor chairs, spec by spec, claim by claim.
Read article →You do not have to plan your life around a bathroom
Urinary incontinence is common, it is treatable, and the first step is a conversation. Book a free consultation at Pink Laser Clinics in Doncaster. We will assess your condition, answer every question on this page and the ones that are not, and tell you plainly whether this treatment is right for you.
Content reviewed by Porsha, BDermSc (Victoria University) | Pink Laser Clinics
Fotona StarFormer PRO. A magnetic muscle stimulation system (IntimaWave pelvic floor mode) entered in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, ARTG 455429, Class IIa. Intended purpose as registered: magnetic stimulation in the field of Aesthetics, Urology, Gynecology, Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy and Pain Management. Suitability, experience and results vary.Always follow the directions for use.
Pink Laser Clinics in Doncaster
Pink's flagship clinic is in Doncaster, in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. Your consultation and every session of your course happen here, with the clinician who plans it.
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