Diving Into Labiaplasty Surgery

You may have heard in recent years of a certain procedure taking over the plastic surgery mainstream. Dare I say it? Labiaplasty! And there is no shame in our game. We are now in an era where more and more women are opening up to speaking about their sexual health and appearance of their lady parts. Thought to be considered a controversial procedure due to standards portrayed in pornographic films and the stigma that implies vaginas are so unappealing we basically have to go under the knife in order to feel “normal” – but that’s simply not the case. Vagina positivity is more popular now than ever.

What is labiaplasty? Labiaplasty (also known as labioplasty, labia minora reduction, and labial reduction) is a plastic surgery procedure for altering the labia minora (inner labia) and the labia majora (outer labia), the folds of skin surrounding the human vulva. The size, colour, and shape of the labia vary significantly, and may change as a result of childbirth, aging, weight gain/loss, and other life events that may occur. A percentage of women who undergo labiaplasty procedure do so to correct a functional impairment, meaning that women want to feel better while exercising and doing other physical activities; or could be aesthetic reasons, such as helping them feel less self-conscious while wearing certain types of clothing and more comfortable during intimacy with their sexual partners.

“My first patients requesting labiaplasty were women complaining of discomfort during sexual intercourse or had problems with urination, usually of which require correction of the labia minora that is too large,” says plastic surgery expert Dr. Zoran Potparic. “A long, stretched labia would make sexual contact very painful (and embarrassing) and that is a condition known as dyspareunia. Indications for this surgical procedure have significantly expanded in past 15 years. More and more patients are requesting labial correction for reasons of discomfort with particular underwear, sports activity and exercise, as well as purely cosmetic reasons. Since young women and significant number of young men started shaving genital areas and mons pubis, irregularities of the labia minora and labia majora became more visible. Featured in Vogue (as did breast augmentation and as of recently, buttock augmentation and contouring) that aesthetic surgery may have role to establish balance and harmony in this, for so long aesthetically neglected area.”

The best candidates for labiaplasty are women who are of the age of 18 and up who have fully developed into their womanhood. Those who are contemplating labiaplasty must be sure to see a board-certified plastic surgeon who will vigilantly listen to their concerns and create a customized treatment plan designed to meet the goals of the patient. Dr. Potparic states, “There’s no surgical specialty, including gynecology and urology that is more capable of handling these sensitive structures and tissues than plastic surgery. Correction of labia minora, perineum and clitoral hood are part of routine surgery for a significant number of plastic surgeons.”

And believe it or not – we are also seeing increase in demand for augmentation and change of labia majora. “As a part of aging, labia majora loose some of the youthful fullness (like breasts and faces) and correction of shape and volume may be needed. We usually use fat grafting to add volume and create more prominent mound which idealy would cover labia minora and introitus). Satisfactory correction can also be achieved with soft tissue fillers, in particular Sculptra in our practice. Most surgical procedures in this area are done in local or twilight anesthesia with minimal recovery time. We recommend our patient to resume normal activities including sexual intercourse 4-6 weeks after surgery,” explains Dr. Potparic.

Labiaplasty can have a multitude of positive effects on a woman’s life. At the end of the day, patient has to do procedure for herself, have a positive outlook and realistic expectations. If this is you and you are ready to experience a boost of confidence like never before, book your complimentary consultation today with your trusted board-certified plastic surgeon.

Take advantage of our March special of 10% off labiaplasty and breast augmentation! Call and book your complimentary consultation today.

Related Readings

• Guide to Labiaplasty Recovery

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