Everything you Need to Know About Labiaplasty aka Vaginal Rejuvenation

Labiaplasty is the process of reducing the labia minora, the inner lip of the vaginal lips by a cosmetic surgery procedure. This process is done to make the woman’s labia minora symmetrical, so they don’t hang beyond the labia majora, the outer lining of the vaginal lips. Labiaplasty is also known as designer vagina surgery which alters the labia. The stigma of labia enlargement leads women to consider surgery as an option to avoid embarrassment. Labia enlargement may be due to pregnancies, ageing or hereditary. 

Why do women get Labiaplasty?

• Discomfort: Some women might find functional problems due to the larger labia which cause it difficult for them to ride a bike or wearing underwear or a thong and also it might cause excess moisture in the vagina which irritates.
• Dissatisfaction with the appearance of the labia: This is one of the main reasons women go under the surgery. They find it as an embarrassment or lack of confidence in how their labia look especially during sex.
• Intimacy concerns: Women who don’t like the appearance of the labia find it difficult to enjoy their time in the bedroom. Having larger labia could also be one of the reasons behind the uncomfortable experience or a painful one. It is believed that just by reducing the size of the labia, sexual function might be improved.
• Cancer or pre-cancerous conditions: Apart from the appearance and dissatisfaction, labiaplasty is also done looking from a medical point of view, it might involve having to remove a part of the labia that contains cancerous cells in the vaginal area.

How is Labiaplasty done?

• Consulting a surgeon: If one wants to get labiaplasty done, first and the very important step is to consult a surgeon, discuss the problems regarding the labia and reason behind wanting labiaplasty done. The surgeon should be convinced enough and should see your problem then only the procedure continues.
• Surgery: Labiaplasty is an outpatient procedure and can be done under general anesthesia or local anesthesia. The surgeon will reduce the size and length of the labia minora during the operation and make a stitch line. The surgery only takes one hour or so but it is the healing process that takes time. The doctor avoids any stretching of the vagina as there are stitches and it might bleed, no sexual activities for about 4-6 weeks, avoiding any physical activities and 3 weeks of resting is recommended and icing the swollen area as well.

Risks concerning Labiaplasty

Scarring: One of the risks behind labiaplasty is getting scars down there as your surgeon may cut extra skin than necessary, make the vagina less stretchy.

Vaginal dryness: The surgeon might cut extra skin than necessary which may lead to dryness of the vagina and easy tearing of vagina at the time of giving birth to infant in the future.

Loss of sexual sensation or numbness: As a result of labiaplasty, the nerves might numb for a while and may take time to wake up. There might be loss of sexual sensation while trying to have sex as the nerves might not be able to feel what you want to as the result of the surgery.

Word of caution: Labiaplasty should not be done or considered before the age of 18 as till that time the vagina grows in many forms. The surgery of getting labiaplasty may be painful for many as it requires shedding of the extra tissue and some women may heal quickly and some may not. It is rightly said everything comes with a cost and labiaplasty comes both ways, in terms of money it is very expensive and painful healing as the other

Over to You

Women should start accepting themselves as they are. Everybody is her kind of beautiful, getting a surgery just to enhance the beauty of the vagina isn’t an option to overcome your fears. Labiaplasty may make the vagina look better but who knows if it comes with side effects to your body. 

Nobody should be ashamed of their body parts as growing is the natural process and getting it right through surgery will make you happy for some time maybe but not always. Surgical situation should only be considered if a woman is going through some medical problem, else everybody should accept themselves happily.