StarFormer IntimaWave is a pelvic floor chair that uses magnetic pulses to make your pelvic floor muscles contract while you sit, fully clothed. A pelvic floor chair, sometimes called a Kegel chair, has coils in the seat and backrest that fire the nerves to those muscles, so they contract without any effort from you. People book it for fewer stress leaks, a stronger pelvic floor and core after childbirth or with age, and better intimate wellness.
At Above & Beyond Wellness Spa in Fenton, Missouri, a StarFormer IntimaWave session takes 30 minutes and costs $95 for members or $149 for non-members. Most clients notice a change within 4 to 6 sessions.
IntimaWave at our spa is a wellness service, not a medical treatment. If your symptoms are new, painful or sudden, see a doctor first.
You will learn how the chair works, which benefits have research, what the FDA record covers, what a course costs and who should check with a doctor first.
I am Sarah Hankammer, owner of Above & Beyond Wellness Spa and a Licensed Massage Therapist, LMT (Missouri license 2015027635, verify with the state). I gave a Fotona training webinar on StarFormer strength and mobility work, which Fotona published on its own site. Our team runs every IntimaWave session at 50 Fenton Plaza.
Above & Beyond Wellness Spa is a wellness spa, not a medical practice. Our team does not act as your doctor, and nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis or a treatment plan. IntimaWave is a wellness service for building pelvic floor strength.
It is not a treatment for any disease or condition. Talk to your doctor before booking if you have a medical condition, new or painful symptoms, or any question about whether it is safe for you. Results vary from person to person.
How Does a Pelvic Floor Chair Work?
Your pelvic floor is a sling of muscle at the bottom of the pelvis. It holds up the bladder and bowel and closes the openings when you cough, lift or laugh.
When it weakens, urine can leak. Read the signs of a weak pelvic floor.
A Kegel is you squeezing that sling on purpose. Many people cannot find the right muscles. In a 1991 study, women were told how to do it: half squeezed the wrong way, and one in four pushed down instead of lifting.
A pelvic floor chair does the squeezing for you, and some people call it a Kegel chair. Coils in the seat and backrest send out a magnetic field, which Fotona calls High-Intensity Tesla Magnetic Stimulation, or HITS.
The field passes through your clothes and skin and fires the nerves that run the pelvic floor. Fotona says the muscles then contract harder than you could squeeze them yourself, thousands of times in one sitting.
- Coil in the backrest.
- Coil in the seat.
- The magnetic field passes through your clothes and skin.
- The nerves to the pelvic floor fire, and the muscles contract.
Simple drawing, not to scale.
The same device, with handheld applicators, is our TightWave service for the core, back, glutes and legs.
Benefits of the StarFormer IntimaWave Chair
Tap a benefit to see who it fits and how much research stands behind it. We would rather you know that up front.
Green rows have the most support. Yellow and blue rows are earlier.
Fewer stress leaks (coughing, sneezing, lifting) Strongest support
Who it fits: Women after childbirth, adults over 50
What the research shows: Pelvic floor training has a large body of evidence, and the chair trains the same muscles.
Less urgency and fewer sudden dashes Promising
Who it fits: Anyone with an overactive bladder
What the research shows: Some studies show gains. Urge that started suddenly needs a doctor first.
Recovery after prostate surgery Promising
Who it fits: Men, once the surgeon clears them
What the research shows: Pelvic floor training after surgery is standard advice, and the chair is one way to do it.
Stronger core and steadier posture Good fit
Who it fits: Anyone who cannot isolate the muscles
What the research shows: These muscles are part of your core.
Better sensation and intimate wellness Promising
Who it fits: Men and women
What the research shows: A review published in 2025 found better sexual-function scores in women with bladder leaks, most clearly when the chair was paired with pelvic floor training.
Bowel control Early research
Who it fits: Adults with mild loss of control
What the research shows: A doctor should look at this first.
Individual results vary.
Do Pelvic Floor Stimulators Really Work? What the Research Shows
Short answer: studies so far show gains, and the clearest ones come when the chair is paired with pelvic floor training. Pelvic floor exercise has a large body of evidence behind it, summarized in a Cochrane review. Chair studies are newer and smaller, and they point the same way.
That review calls the studies small and asks for larger trials, which is how early research reads. The chair and Kegels train the same muscles, and the research favors using both. That is the plan we suggest.
What Does FDA-Cleared Mean for a Pelvic Floor Chair?
FDA clears a device for one stated use. It “clears” a device when a 510(k) submission shows the device is substantially equivalent to one already on the market. Cleared is not the same word as approved, and a clearance covers the use written in it.
Swipe sideways to see every column.
| The chair we run | |
|---|---|
| Device | StarFormer (model M008-3T) |
| Maker | Fotona d.o.o. |
| FDA number | K241785 |
| Decision date | 27 March 2025 |
| Stated use | Electromagnetic stimulator for pain relief |
The record does not name bladder control. That is why IntimaWave at our spa is a wellness service for building pelvic floor strength, and why we never call it a treatment for incontinence. A clinic that gives you its chair’s model name and FDA number is giving you something you can check.
What Does a Course of IntimaWave Sessions Cost?
Start with a consultation: $50 for 30 minutes. It covers your health history and your goals, and it ends with a free 20-minute demo in the chair. You feel it before you pay for a course.
Each IntimaWave session is 30 minutes and costs $95 for members or $149 for non-members. Most clients notice a change within 4 to 6 sessions. Your consultation sets how far apart to space them.
See the numbers as a table
Swipe sideways to see every column.
| Path | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kegels at home | Free | A few minutes most days |
| 4 chair sessions, member rate | $380 | 2 hours in the chair |
| 6 chair sessions, member rate | $570 | 3 hours in the chair |
| 4 chair sessions, non-member rate | $596 | 2 hours in the chair |
| 6 chair sessions, non-member rate | $894 | 3 hours in the chair |
Add the $50 consultation to start. A spa membership brings every session to the member rate. Insurance does not cover it, because it is a wellness service.
If pain rather than weakness is your problem, laser pain relief is the better fit, and some clients combine the two.
What Is a Session Like, Minute by Minute?
Before you sit, wear soft clothes with no metal zippers or buttons. Leave your phone, keys and cards off the chair, because the magnet can damage electronics.
Illustration of the session, not a measurement. Your therapist sets the level to your comfort.
Minutes 0 to 2: you sit down 1
You sit fully clothed. The applicators are in the seat and backrest, so nothing touches your skin.
Minutes 2 to 5: it builds 2
The intensity starts low. You feel tapping, then a tugging pull deep in the pelvis. Tell us the moment it is too strong. It is adjusted at once.
Minutes 5 to 30: contractions 3
Strong, rhythmic contractions come and go. Most people read or rest. It should never hurt.
After: back to your day 4
You stand up and head out. Some people feel the mild tiredness you get after a workout, and there is no downtime.
Kegels or the Chair? Tap Your Situation
Open a row to see where most people start.
I can feel my pelvic floor muscles and I will practice most days Start with Kegels
Kegels are free and have the strongest research behind them.
Add the chair if progress stalls or you want a guided start.
I cannot tell which muscles to squeeze Chair, then Kegels
The chair finds the muscles for you and shows you what a real contraction feels like.
Then keep the muscles working with a few minutes of Kegels most days.
I want a quick start after childbirth or surgery Both, after your doctor says go
Ask your doctor or surgeon when pelvic floor work is safe for you.
Once you are cleared, the chair plus Kegels is the combination the research favors.
I have pain, a bulge, blood in my urine, or leaks that started suddenly See a doctor first
These signs need a diagnosis before any strengthening plan.
Once a doctor has ruled them out, we are glad to help.
Swipe sideways to see every column.
| Kegels at home | IntimaWave chair | Both together | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | $95 to $149 a session | One course plus daily practice |
| Time to notice | About 3 months of daily practice | 4 to 6 sessions for most clients | Fastest start, longest hold |
| Technique | Matters. Half of women squeezed the wrong way in the 1991 study. | The chair finds the muscles for you | The chair teaches you what the squeeze feels like |
| Good for | People who can feel the right muscles and will practice | People who cannot isolate the muscles or want a short course | Most people |
Our advice is the last column. Use the chair to learn what a real contraction feels like. Then keep the muscles working with a few minutes of Kegels most days.
Who Should Check With a Doctor First?
The chair is not for anyone who is pregnant or has a pacemaker or another implanted electronic device. We screen at your consultation, and each line below shows the reason and the next step.
Each line has the reason we ask and what to do first.
You are pregnant Wait
Why we ask: Magnetic stimulation of the pelvis is not tested in pregnancy.
What to do first: Wait until after your baby arrives. Ask us about prenatal massage.
You have a pacemaker or another implanted electronic device Ask your cardiologist
Why we ask: The field can interfere with it.
What to do first: The chair is not used with implanted electronics. Ask your cardiologist about other options.
You have a metal implant in the hips, pelvis or lower spine Tell us
Why we ask: Metal in the field can heat or move.
What to do first: Tell us exactly what and where. Some cases are fine, some are not.
You had pelvic surgery in the last few months Surgeon first
Why we ask: Healing tissue should not be contracted hard.
What to do first: Get your surgeon’s clearance first.
You have an active infection, or blood in your urine Doctor first
Why we ask: A diagnosis comes before a workout.
What to do first: See a doctor first.
You have unexplained pelvic pain or a tight, spasming pelvic floor Therapist first
Why we ask: Tight muscles need relaxing before strengthening.
What to do first: See a pelvic floor physical therapist first.
The chair strengthens muscle. It will not fix a bulge or prolapse, a bladder that does not empty, nerve damage or an infection, and those need a doctor’s care. See a doctor before booking if you have any of these:
- A bulge or heavy feeling in the vagina or rectum.
- Leaks that started suddenly, or a sudden change in urgency.
- Blood in your urine, burning, or fever.
- Dribbling all day, or feeling that you never empty your bladder.
- Leaks after prostate surgery, until your surgeon says pelvic floor work is safe.
- Pain during sex or pelvic pain, which usually means tight muscles, not weak ones.
Once a doctor has ruled those out, the chair is a comfortable way to do the pelvic floor work they recommend. Sessions pair well with massage for the hips and lower back.
How Soon Will You See Results, and How Long Do They Last?
Most clients notice a difference within 4 to 6 sessions: fewer leaks with a cough, less urgency, a firmer feeling when they squeeze. Each 30-minute session builds on the last.
Muscles keep their strength when you keep using them. Plan on Kegels most days and a maintenance session when you and your therapist agree. How often depends on your age, how weak the muscles were, and whether you keep practicing.
Five Questions to Ask Any Clinic Before You Book
Ask these anywhere you book. Tap a question to see what a good answer has and how we answer it.
Open each one.
1. Which chair is it, and what is its FDA number? ask
A good answer has: A model name and a K number you can look up
Our answer: StarFormer (M008-3T), K241785.
2. What will the whole course cost? ask
A good answer has: The consultation, each session and any member rate
Our answer: $50 consultation, then $95 per session for members or $149 for non-members.
3. How many sessions, and how far apart? ask
A good answer has: A range and a reason
Our answer: Most clients notice a change within 4 to 6 sessions. Your consultation sets the spacing.
4. Who screens me, and for what? ask
A good answer has: A named list, checked before the first session
Our answer: Our team, at your consultation: pregnancy, pacemakers, metal implants, recent pelvic surgery, infection and unexplained pelvic pain.
5. What happens after the course? ask
A good answer has: A plan to keep the gains
Our answer: Kegels most days, and a maintenance session when you and your therapist agree.
See the Chair in Two Minutes
Fotona’s own IntimaWave video (2 minutes 7 seconds) shows the chair, the seated position and the treatment screen.
Book a StarFormer IntimaWave Consultation in Fenton
Clients come to us in Fenton from Arnold, Valley Park, Sunset Hills, Ballwin, Kirkwood and High Ridge. The consultation is $50 for 30 minutes and includes the 20-minute demo.
Book online, or call 1-636-492-2668. Above & Beyond Wellness Spa, 50 Fenton Plaza, Fenton, MO 63026.
StarFormer IntimaWave Questions, Answered
Three more answers, on points the sections above do not cover.
Search FDA’s 510(k) database by the chair’s name or K number, open the record and read the summary. It names what the device is cleared to do. Compare that line with what the clinic tells you, and ask about any gap.
The review looked at chair-based magnetic stimulation as a group, not IntimaWave alone. In one randomized trial, women who added chair stimulation to pelvic floor training scored 6.3 points higher on a sexual-function questionnaire at 8 weeks than women who trained alone.
In another trial, a bladder-leak score fell from 11.41 to 7.13. The authors rate the certainty as low to very low, so read these as early figures.
StarFormer is the Fotona device family. IntimaWave is its seated program for the pelvic floor, and TightWave is its handheld program for larger muscles such as the abs, back and glutes. Some models carry both.
Session details and current pricing are on the StarFormer TightWave and IntimaWave page. Related reading: red light therapy for recovery, and more about Sarah Hankammer.
References
- FDA 510(k) K241785, StarFormer (M008-3T), Fotona d.o.o., decision 27 March 2025
- FDA: Premarket Notification 510(k)
- Sacarin et al., J Clin Med 2025: chair-based magnetic pelvic floor stimulation and female sexual function in women with urinary incontinence, a systematic review
- Dumoulin, Cacciari and Hay-Smith, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2018, CD005654 (pelvic floor muscle training for leaks in women)
- Ptaszkowski et al., 2020: sham-controlled study of high-inductive electromagnetic stimulation of the pelvic floor
- Bump et al., 1991: assessment of Kegel performance after brief verbal instruction