Labiaplasty, sometimes called Labia reduction surgery, is a plastic surgery procedure elected by women who experience pain or embarrassment due to over-sized labia minora. the protuberance of the labia could be the result of age or childbirth; however, many women opt for labiaplasty purely for cosmetic enhancement. With advancement in cosmetology and plastic surgery, it is not just the sculpted body that can be attained, but even the most intimate areas of your body can be given a designer look.

Vaginal rejuvenation

Labiaplasty, the medical term for this kind of surgery is done to either the labia majora or the labia minora around the vaginal area. It is also spelled labioplasty and sometime referred to as labia minor reduction or labial reduction. the procedure involves reducing elongated labia which is not appealing (look wise). Sometimes even labia has to be created where there is none; in this case the process becomes the part of vaginoplasty. Labia are what we call the mouth or the opening of the vagina. There are two of them – labia majora are the outer portion, which contains the fat and labia minora, which is the inner part. During childbirth damage takes place in the labia, because a pair of larger labia can cause pain or discomfort. There are many women who are not happy with the shape of their labia. And we not just taking about the married one who has undergone childbirth, even the young girls who have experienced physical relation wish for sculpted vaginal look. Your labia might be enlarged or one may be bigger than the other. So we do shaping up of the labia and it is called labial rejuvenation. Sometimes even the upper part of the vulva could be associated. We do liposuction if it is too big or put in some fat if it is too flat.

Frequently asked questions?

How the labia become enlarged?

Enlarged labia are often congenital. It can also be caused by:

• hormonal changes during pregnancy
• trauma to the labia, including trauma during childbirth or intercourse
• aging

Why it is done?

Labiaplasty reduces the size of one or both sets of labia. It can be performed to repair the labia following disease or injury, or especially after childbirth. It is done mainly as a cosmetic procedure, primarily for labia minora, where they could be too long or come in the way. Sometimes, one lip is bigger than the other. Then it is done to make both the same size. In labia majora, the fat could be excess only on the top part, so we remove the fat by liposuction.

Surgery

To shape the labia majora or minora, it is a short surgical procedure. It is done under very short anesthesia. Usually we do it in combination with the other procedures, whatever the patient is coming in for like tummy tucks and liposuction. Some are done even with hysterectomies and with vaginal tightening. It could be done with any procedure. By itself it is a very short 10-15 minutes outpatient job. Although, there are no such non surgical ways but fillers, or fat removal from that are can be done non surgically. After surgery, patients may experience some mild discomfort and variable swelling, which usually disappears in one or two weeks. Surgeons suggest a recovery period of three days to two weeks. Asked whether there are any specific patients on whom this surgery is done, expert replies, “no it is done on demand. It is a cosmetic procedure like a tummy tuck or a breast implant or a liposuction. If the patient finds the shape or the look unaesthetic, that is the time we do it.”

Frequently asked questions?

Who can benefit from labiaplasty?

Depending on the severity, enlarged or unevenly-sized labia can cause psychological, emotional, and physical pain and discomfort. You may benefit from labiaplasty if elongated labia cause problems for you such as:

• self-consciousness or embarrassment during intimacy
• fear or avoidance of intimate situations
• physical pain during intercourse
• inability to wear clothing such as bathing suits, lingerie, short skirts, or short, due to visibility of the labia
• inability to wear tight-fitting jeans or pants due to visibility and/or physical pain
• inability to participate in activities such as horseback riding, motorcycle riding, or bicycling due to physical pain
• rashes, irritation, or infection due to trapped moisture

Candidacy

The ideal candidate for labiaplasty experiences one or more of the above problems, or simply wants to enhance the appearance of her labia, and is:

• 18 years old or older
• in good overall health

There are certain circumstances under which labiaplasty is not appropriate including:

• while pregnant
• while menstruating
• during a herpes outbreak
• during yeast infection
• if you have bladder incontinence
• if you have prolapsed uterus

Frequently asked questions?

Am I a good candidate for a labiaplasty?

The only sure-fire way to know whether labiaplasty would be helpful is to speak with a surgeon who is an expert in the procedure.

It is impossible to tell perfectly, sight unseen, whether a labiaplasty can help a given candidate. However, this being said, good candidates for labiaplasty typically have some things in common. They typically are unhappy with the appearance of their vulva and wish that they could reduce some part of it. Sometimes they wish to reduce the size of the outer lips, and sometimes they wish to change the size of the inner. Sometimes they simply are looking to correct a marked asymmetry in their vulva.

On the other side of the spectrum, some women wish that they could increase the size and plumpness of their outer lips. A different sort of labiaplasty called labia majora augmentation can sometimes help with this.

Women with these sorts of complaints frequently experience a sense of embarrassment at being seen naked, and they frequently experience difficulties accepting themselves sexually. On the more physical side of things, labiaplasty candidates sometimes experience pain when wearing tight pants or undergarments, chafing while walking or riding a bike, irritation during exercise and pinching or painful sensations during sexual intercourse.

However, it should be noted that the immediate cure for a perceived body defect is not necessarily surgery. Just as all people look different, all vulvas look different too. Large numbers of women dislike the appearance of their genitals and feel that their genitals are abnormal or gross when they are in fact really very normal and average. Although some women fear that their elongated vulvas will drive men away, there are some men who actually find more prominent labia attractive. In some cases, the cure for a perceived body flaw is to change the way one thinks and to learn to accept oneself.

However, there are also a number of cases where women have undergone labiaplasty surgery and have been very happy with their results. These women tend to say that they would never go back and that their greatest regret is not doing it sooner.

Why choose labiaplasty?

Your cosmetic surgeon can help you decide if labiaplasty is right for you. You can choose labiaplasty alone or as a part of a mommy makeover. When you are planning for labiaplasty you should allow yourself about five to 10 days for initial recovery, and be aware that you must refrain from sexual activity for up to two months. Some women can return to work within a few days of their surgery, but you must avoid any strenuous activity for about three weeks.