Labiaplasty

Labiaplasty (also labioplasty) is a plastic surgery procedure for altering the labia minora and the labia majora, the paired tissue structures bounding the vestibule of the vulva. The indications for the correction of labial hypertrophy are two-fold: (i) the correction of defect and deformity, and (ii) the cosmetic refinement of the pudendum femininum.

While there are no formal medical definitions of labia minora hypertrophy (e.g. length, width, girth), labiaplasty alters the condition wherein a woman presents labia minora that are disproportionately greater than her labia majora; the labioplastic alteration of the proportions creates less asymmetrical labia minora that are aesthetically satisfactory to the women who undergo the procedure.

Labiaplasty corrections include clinical presentations of congenital defects and congenital abnormalities, such as vaginal atresia (absent vaginal passage), Müllerian agenesis (malformed uterus and fallopian tubes), intersex conditions (male and female sexual characteristics in a person), etc.; and the exterior cosmetic refinement of the vulvo-vaginal complex, to repair the tearing and stretching of the labia minora caused by the mechanical stresses of childbirth, accident, and age. Furthermore, in other surgical practice, within a male-to-female sexual reassignment vaginoplasty operation for the creation of a neovagina, a labiaplasty procedure creates labia where once there were none.

Commonly Asked Questions About Labiaplasty

A lot of women live with pain or reduced sexual pleasure because of a loosening of their vagina or large labia. This typically happens due to childbirth or aging. Labiaplasty is a surgical intervention that reduces or reshapes the labia minora (inner labia) and the labia majora (outer labia), which is the skin that covers the female clitoris and vaginal opening. This article covers the most commonly asked questions when it comes to this type of surgery.

• What is labiaplasty?

As was mentioned previously, labioplasty or labioplasty surgery is a procedure that involves the reduction of the labia minora (inner labia) and the labia majora (outer labia), which is the skin that covers vaginal opening and clitoris. Childbirth, aging and other factors may affect the shape of a woman's labia. Labiaplasty should not be performed in girls under the age of 18 because the labia continuous to develop beyond puberty into early adulthood.

• What is the purpose of labiaplasty?

The size and shape of labiaplasty are individual for every woman. It is as individual as eye color and the range of what is considered normal varies deeply. However, when a woman's labia are extremely elongated, the excess tissue might cause a high degree of discomfort or may restrict its normal function. Although, there are women who decide to undergo this surgery for aesthetic reasons. Some women might view their inner labia's appearance not aesthetic, which could cause their emotional or psychological distress during sex or while wearing a thong or swimsuit. The excess tissue can be also obvious in tight-fitting yoga pants.

• What to expect from surgery?

This procedure involves trimming the excess tissue to allow the lips of the labia minora to sit tucked neatly within the labia majora, which is the outer lips of the vulva. This process is normally taken under general or local anesthesia. The recovery is normally not complicated and swift. Doctors will typically prescribe pain medication but only for a few days. Specialists also recommend staying away from work for a week in order to make the healing process smoother. It is also advised to wear loose and comfortable pants and mini pad to absorb minor bleeding. It is also not recommended to use tampons during the period after the surgery. It normally takes one month to get back to your normal daily activities.

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