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April 8, 2026

Aman

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

What Is Perineoplasty? Procedure, Cost and Recovery

Pregnancy and childbirth can affect your body in a whole range of ways, including when it comes to your perineum. Around 90% of first-time mums who have a vaginal delivery experience grazes, tears, or episiotomies in this area, making it a common part of giving birth.

While the perineum can heal naturally over time, there are also cases when it requires a helping hand. This is when we recommend perineoplasty, a surgical procedure that restores your perineum after giving birth.

If you’re considering a perineoplasty, we’ve put together everything you need to know in this guide.

What is a Perineoplasty?

A perineoplasty is a surgical procedure to carry out perineum repair. It addresses common complications from vaginal childbirth, including when the perineum is torn, stretched, and doesn’t heal properly.

The main goal of perineoplasty is to restore the area’s function and appearance while reducing any long-lasting discomfort.

Your perineoplasty might include:

• Removing excess skin

• Treating and removing scar tissue

• Tightening and repairing stretched perineal muscles

• Reconstructing your vaginal opening

The whole procedure typically takes around 1-2 hours, depending on the extent of your surgery, and you should see a full recovery within 6 weeks. 

What is Perineorrhaphy?

A perineorrhaphy is another way to describe the surgical repair of your perineum. This is similar to a perineoplasty, and the two can be used interchangeably, although a perineoplasty involves broader procedures around reconstructing your perineum.

While perineorrhaphy focuses on surgical repair, perineoplasty takes it a step further to also consider the cosmetic aspects of your procedure, ensuring your perineum both looks and functions as it did before childbirth. 

What Are the Signs I Might Need Perineoplasty?

You might need a perineoplasty if you feel your perineum has significantly changed after a vaginal childbirth, leading to discomfort and a decline in your self-confidence. Common signs that it’s time to get a perineoplasty include:

• General discomfort and pain: Your perineum might feel sore, particularly if it’s touched or when you’re wearing underwear.
• Discomfort during intercourse: You may struggle with sexual intercourse due to friction around your perineum, leading to discomfort and an unsatisfying sex life.
• Excess scar tissue: If your perineum tore during childbirth or you had an episiotomy, scar tissue can develop as the area heals. In some cases, this tissue can feel tight, raised, and painful.
• Sagging skin: You might feel that you have excess perineum skin after childbirth, or that the area feels looser and stretched, which can affect both comfort and confidence.
• Pelvic organ prolapse: A common side-effect of vaginal birth, if you’re experiencing frequent prolapses, we highly recommend booking a perineoplasty consultation.
  

Even if you don’t experience discomfort, painful scars, or medical issues, you might struggle with the appearance of your perineum after childbirth. Scar tissue and stretched skin can alter the look of your intimate areas, making it hard to feel at ease in your post-childbirth body.

Appearance is a perfectly valid (and common!) reason to choose perineoplasty, which reconstructs the look of your perineum to restore your confidence.

Why Do People Get Perineoplasty?

Between 95-100% of women experience perineal pain after a vaginal delivery. While for some this goes away, 8% still experience pain at seven weeks post-partum, and many have lingering complications long after.

A perineoplasty addresses these issues and treats pain, all while reconstructing the appearance of your perineum and tightening the entrance of your vagina. It’s a way to restore comfort, improve function, and help you feel more confident in your body after childbirth.

What Are the Benefits of Perineoplasty?

A perineoplasty targets a whole range of issues after childbirth and offers several benefits. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common perks of this low-risk surgery.

Reduce Pain

Childbirth can create lasting trauma for your body, and pain doesn’t always disappear on its own. One of the most significant advantages of perineoplasty is improving your physical comfort if your perineum is sore and tender.

During the procedure, excess and damaged tissue is carefully removed, and the remaining tissue is repaired and repositioned. This targets problems like sensitive scars, sore skin, and stretched tissue, helping to increase everyday comfort.

It can also reduce pain during sex, with one study showing perineoplasties resolved dyspareunia (painful sex) in 64% of patients. As a frequent issue following pregnancy and vaginal delivery, this is a major benefit for new mums.

Strengthen Your Muscles

Vaginal childbirth weakens the muscles around your perineum and pelvic floor, leading to issues like urinary incontinence (UI) and pelvic organ prolapse. 

By repairing torn tissue, our surgeons enhance support for your organs and strengthen your vaginal muscles. This helps restore stability to the pelvic floor, improving bladder control and reducing the risk of further pelvic weakness over time.

If you struggle with urinary incontinence and bladder leaks, we’d also recommend taking a peek at our non-surgical stress UI procedures.

Reduce Feelings of Looseness

It’s normal to feel that your perineum is looser after childbirth, with your muscles and skin stretching to accommodate vaginal delivery. You might also experience this loose sensation in and around your vagina.

Pernieoplasty tightens the perineum and the entrance to your vagina. By removing excess skin and re-stitching the area, it restores firmness and support to the vaginal opening and surrounding tissue.

Many women find this improves comfort both during daily activities and when having sexual intercourse. In fact, perineoplasties have been linked to improved sexual activity and pleasure, helping you achieve a full and satisfying sex life after childbirth. 

How Much Does a Perineoplasty Cost in the UK

A perineoplasty at Gynaedoctors starts at £3,800. This includes the cost for initial consultations, the perineoplasty procedure, and supportive aftercare. We also offer financing to spread the cost, with interest-free options available.

For an accurate quote or to learn more about perineoplasty financing, we recommend contacting our team.

The Perineoplasty Procedure

The exact steps of your perineoplasty procedure will depend on the issues you’re struggling with and your desired outcomes. In general, though, our surgeons will:

• Remove excess skin: We’ll start by carefully removing stretched or damaged skin around the perineum.

• Reinforce your muscles: Our surgeons will repair any stretched or torn muscles, strengthening your perineal area.

• Tighten the vaginal opening: We’ll make a ‘V’ shaped incision at the opening of your vagina before stitching it back together, tightening both your vaginal entrance and your perineum.

• Treat scar tissue: If you developed scar tissue from tearing or an episiotomy, your surgeon may remove or reshape this tissue so the area heals more smoothly and comfortably.

• Reshape the perineal area: Once the deeper tissues are repaired, the skin can be carefully repositioned and sutured to restore its appearance and support proper healing.

All the stitches we use for perineoplasty are dissolvable, meaning that you won’t need to come back to have them removed. 

How Painful is Perineoplasty?

The perineoplasty procedure isn’t painful at all, as you’ll be sedated throughout. You’ll literally sleep through the surgery. You’ll also receive a local anaesthetic, which will be injected directly into the area to reduce any discomfort when you wake up.

During recovery, we recommend taking pain relief. Our team will advise you on suitable medication, as well as aftercare that can aid your recovery. 

What to Expect After a Perineoplasty?

Perineoplasties have around a 90% success rate, making them low-risk procedures. Recovery tends to be straightforward, although – as with any surgery – you will need a little time and care to heal properly.

Immediately after the procedure, it’s normal to experience mild swelling, tenderness, and bruising around the perineal area. We’ll advise you on steps to manage any discomfort in the first few days.

Rest as much as possible in the first week, while maintaining gentle movement to promote healing. Avoid any activities that put pressure on the perineum, including heavy lifting, intense exercise, and prolonged sitting. Keep the area clean and dry, following the aftercare instructions of our surgeons.

Here are some tips from our team to support perineoplasty recovery:

• Gently wash the area with warm water and carefully pat it dry to reduce the risk of infection and support proper healing.

• Wear loose, breathable clothing and soft underwear to avoid irritating your perineum.

• Stay hydrated and maintain a fibre-rich diet to prevent constipation and reduce strain on the healing perineal area. Whole grains, legumes, and plenty of fruit and veg are essential for a speedy recovery.

Most patients return to daily activities within a week, although full healing typically takes several weeks. To allow the area to heal properly, we recommend avoiding sexual intercourse for around 4–6 weeks, or until your surgeon confirms it’s safe to resume.

We also provide follow-up appointments and emergency aftercare, supporting you through your recovery. 

Book a Consultation for Perineoplasty

Perineoplasty is a transformative procedure for women who’ve had vaginal deliveries. It reduces pain, boosts confidence, and can even improve your sex life, minimising the long-term side effects of childbirth. Make sure you invest in reliable perineoplasty by choosing our trusted surgeons at Gynaedoctors.

To learn more or book a perineoplasty consultation, reach out to our team today.

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