LOS ANGELES—Jessica Sage is an independent performer on AVN Stars who started camming about three years ago, which she kept up for about a year and a half, “and then I dabbled in content creation for myself. I do solo work. And right now,” she told AVN, “I’m working on an entire girlfriend experience series. It goes with my persona, I guess.”
Her persona, she says, is “kind of like the girl next door, just down to Earth, chill. I’m not like one of those super sexy people, but I’m not fetish either. I’m kind of just — me.”
But even though the Jessica Sage fans see on camera and on AVN Stars is not far removed from the off-camera personality, there is one aspect of herself that she has yet to reveal on camera — but now says that she is coming forward to discuss publicly, because it involves a life-altering medical condition that, Sage says, other women in the industry may experience as well, but may not have the understanding to cope with.
The condition is known as “pelvic organ prolapse,” and is defined by the health site WebMD as “a type of pelvic floor disorder, can affect many women. In fact, about one-third of all women are affected by prolapse or similar conditions over their lifetime.”
As explained by Sage herself, who has been suffering from the condition since prior to her entry into the adult industry, “it basically means that the muscles within your pelvis become too weak to hold up your organs. And your pelvic organs can basically fall out of your body.”
She was diagnosed with the condition when she was pregnant with her second child, at age 21, she told AVN. “I went to my doctor and said, ‘Something’s not right. I think I can see my cervix.’”
At first the doctors dismissed her concerns, saying that she was too young to suffer from PoP. But when she brought them pictures, the medical professionals relented, telling her “that’s exactly what it is.”
Giving birth to her child, she says, appears to be the final factor in creating the full-blown pelvic organ prolapse condition. That diagnosis was the start of a painful journey for Sage, that has so far led to two surgeries “with more to come in my future.” But the damage to her finances has also been severe, as she has been forced to accumulate massive medical debts already, with more expenses on the way.
So why is Sage going public, to tell the story of her battle with PoP? She hopes to warn other adult performers who may also experience the condition, but instead of properly treating it, using it as a way to make money.
“I see it glorified. I know there’s a big fetish around prolapses,” she noted. “The biggest issue is that this isn’t a talked-about thing. Even doctors are very misinformed on this condition. You expect to see it in 90-year-old women. Very old women. Women who’ve had multiple children. But even if you’re a woman who has urinary incontinence — you’re leaking pee — that is letting you know that your muscles are too weak down there.”
The symptom could indicate the start of a prolapse, Sage says, adding that she does not want to “kink shame” any other performer or fan — but “I just wanted to bring awareness to those women who think they might have a prolapse and try to use it to their advantage. Because it’s not fun to deal with.”
Sage says that the condition became extremely painful, and that sex prior to her surgeries “was extremely painful, because my muscles got locked into a spasm for, like, a year.” She needed a year’s worth of physical therapy, and expects to require “multiple surgeries for the rest of my life.” Surgeons placed a “mesh” around her urethra to hold it closed. That device must be replaced every five years.
She also had a “temporary” surgical fix to keep her organs from falling, but the procedure was “extremely invasive,” and required a 12-week recovery period.
Not surprisingly, the condition has also interfered with her ability to perform on camera. The types of sex toys she can use are limited, and she cannot perform “any boy-girl stuff.”
If Sage could speak directly to other women in the industry experiencing prolapse, what would she tell them?
“To look out for themselves. It’s your body. You need to take care of your body. Look out for symptoms like leaking urine, or if sex is painful. If you feel pressure down there or a bulge inside, those can be signs that this is what’s going on. If you already have it, and are using it to your advantage, no amount of money is worth the thousands and thousands of dollars I’ve already racked up in medical debt. And the thousands and thousands I will have to pay eventually. The money you make for a video is not worth the long-term damage to your body, or the long-term damage to your wallet.”
