All About Our Dilators: The Whole Story

Four years ago, Crystal Delights teamed up with recognized plastic surgeon, Dr. Peter Pacik to create a set of dilators with a revolutionary design. With the help of Dr. Pacik, we carefully designed these dilators to be safer, more effective, and more comfortable than any others before them.

Aided by the use of these dilators in conjunction with Botox, Dr. Pacik has become a pioneer in the treatment of a condition called Vaginismus. Vaginismus is a disorder affecting an estimated 7% of women worldwide in which any vaginal penetration causes severe discomfort and pain. Many women affected by Vaginismus wish to experience sexual intercourse or have children, but the disorder makes this incredibly painful or impossible. Many women suffering from Vaginismus cannot even use tampons or undergo routine gynecological exams.

In 2005, Dr. Pacik successfully treated his first case of Vaginismus. Before that, he had never even heard of the disorder, and after researching it, he was shocked to learn how little medical information there was about Vaginismus, and how few treatment options there were for women suffering from the condition. He was moved by the stories of women who just wanted to feel normal, but at every turn were simply told to “just relax” or that it was all in their heads. Like many conditions regarding women’s sexual health, it was not taken seriously and largely ignored. As Dr. Pacik began treating more women with Vaginismus, it became his calling to help them. He subsequently received a grant to study the treatment of the condition and authored a book about it titled “When Sex Seems Impossible. Stories of Vaginismus & How You Can Achieve Intimacy.”

Shellie of Crystal Delights was first introduced to Dr. Pacik several years back when the director of the Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health, Megan Andelloux, invited her to a conference Dr. Pacik was holding at his home in Dunbarton, New Hampshire called “Sex on the Lake.” The conference drew a multitude of sex therapists, physical therapists, and sex educators. There were also people in attendance who suffered from sexual dysfunction, including Vaginismus. Shellie was approached by Dr. Pacik, who had learned that she designed and sold glass pleasure products. He was interested in designing glass dilators for his patients, and wanted to work with Crystal Delights to create a new type of dilator that would be optimal for his patients’ treatment, and unlike any other treatment devices available. Most medical dilators had design flaws that made them uncomfortable for most women, and therefore unsuccessful for treatment. Many dilators were too long, and made dilation an unpleasant experience. Because of their design, most dilators also required the user to dilate while lying down, so they could not be used for long periods of time or during normal activity. Dr. Pacik wanted us to help design something that would correct all of these flaws, which were all barriers to successful treatment.

Shellie and Dr. Pacik came up with some concepts, and she later attended one of his discussions where he would also perform surgery. In Shellie’s own words, this was a life changing event. One of Dr. Pacik’s patients flew in all the way from the U.K., and before her treatment for Vaginismus, she was in tears and completely distraught. After treatment, the transformation Shellie witnessed was incredible. The woman was all smiles, a changed person. This was the moment Shellie fully realized how much good they were doing. They were truly changing people’s lives. For years, women living with this condition have felt that they’ve had nowhere to turn, and that there was nothing out there that could help them. Many women have come to Dr. Pacik at their whit’s end. They have seen other doctors and undergone treatment after treatment with no success, and only after being treated by Dr. Pacik are they finally able to achieve the results they want. These dilators truly are revolutionary; they have changed the way this condition is treated, and they have helped so many women live the lives they’ve always wanted to.

Our dilators are designed to not exceed a length of 4 inches, which is the average length of a woman’s vagina. This makes dilation much more comfortable, especially for longer periods of time. We’ve also given the base an ergonomic design with a folded lip rim which makes contact with the vulva more comfortable, and allows it to sit closer to the body. This allows the user to dilate for long periods of time, and during normal activity. You can wear one to work, while you’re shopping, or while you watch TV. Dilation can be done virtually any time, any place. This is an important part of treating Vaginismus, and one of the reasons why our design has been successful in such an unprecedented way.

Dr. Pacik has not only given new life to these women through treatment, but his attention to this condition has also given an outlet and a community to so many women who thought they were alone. They can now share their experiences and see that there are other women out there going through the same thing. This has helped shine a light on this condition and remove the stigma that is often attached to women’s sexual issues and causes so many women to feel embarrassed and ashamed about seeking help. Because of this increased awareness, we are seeing more and more women seeking treatment so that they can claim and enjoy this aspect of their lives.

Learn more about Dr. Pacik at: PacikVaginismus.com