Labiaplasty

Indications for the procedure

Indications for the procedure are aesthetic (less often medical). An alternative to the procedure is to forgo the operation. The goal of the procedure is to reduce the labia. The procedure does not guarantee an improvement in intimate life.

Type of anesthesia

local or local + sedation (with an anesthesiologist's assistance)

Procedure duration

1.0 – 1.5 h.

Stay in clinic

several h.

Follow-up examinations:

After one week – local check-up; the sutures used are dissolvable and do not require removal (they will fall out on their own);

After several weeks (local check-up).

After 1 year (final assessment of the procedure's outcome).

Medications:

Over-the-counter painkillers (patients usually do not complain of pain after surgery);

Estrogen creams or estrogen suppositories are recommended (e.g., Oekolp 1 suppository per day for 3 weeks);

Recovery period:

The early recovery period is approximately 6 weeks;

After each physiological activity, shower the operated area;

Use of a sanitary pad is recommended;

Wearing compression underwear supporting the sanitary pad – cotton briefs are recommended.

Return to mental work and driving after a few days (usually).

Return to physical work after 2 weeks.

Engaging in sports after approximately 6 weeks.

Intimacy with a partner after a minimum of 6 weeks (usually). This depends on the patient's subjective feelings.

Unavoidable consequences:

Temporary: swelling, bruising, general discomfort (spontaneous pain, tenderness of the operated area), delicate bloody or serosanguinous spotting from the sutured wound line; sensory disturbances at the procedure site – scars (rare but can be permanent)

Permanent: scars, which after some time are very barely visible; minor irregularities along the scar line.

Potential complications:

Local general surgical complications: hematoma (accumulation of blood in the surgical wound requiring evacuation, sometimes another procedure is necessary); excessive postoperative bleeding (after the procedure, blood spotting from the suture line may occur – this is normal, but sometimes the bleeding is so severe that it does not stop spontaneously and requires an additional suture on the wound); prolonged wound healing (under ideal conditions, the wound heals after a few days, often in some places, on small sections, the healing process takes longer); infection (any surgical wound can become infected; this is rare and requires antibiotic treatment).

Local complications specific to labiaplasty: 

Overcorrection (significant reduction of the labia minora can cause the vaginal vestibule area to be excessively irritated during, for example, horse riding); 

Undercorrection (sometimes the patient expects a greater reduction of the labia – this requires an additional procedure);

The outcome of the procedure is never perfect; there is always some imperfection and asymmetry; In case of significant irregularities or asymmetry that bother the patient, another procedure is necessary to refine the surgical outcome;

The result of a plastic surgery is assessed subjectively, and it is impossible to predict the patient's psychological reaction to the outcome of the procedure; there are cases of mood deterioration in reaction to the procedure.

Complications prolong the recovery period, sometimes requiring further procedures;