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What to Expect Before, During, and After Labiaplasty: A Comprehensive Guide
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February 3, 2025
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What are the benefits of Labiaplasty?

Labiaplasty by the Team at Gynaedoctors

Is Labiaplasty the Right Choice For You?

Prior to Surgery

The Labiaplasty Procedure

Post Surgery: What to Expect

When Will I See Results?

Consult Our Expert Team

A woman’s body changes in many ways over the course of her life. From changes through puberty into adulthood, post childbirth struggles to menopause, there are many things that can alter the appearance of a woman’s body.

Whether you’ve birthed children or not, it is not uncommon for women to feel self-conscious about the change in their labia over time. Labiaplasty is a form of genital surgery that seeks to improve the size, shape, or symmetry of the labia so that women can feel more confident, enjoy fulfilling sex lives, and be free from any discomfort they may have been experiencing.

With more and more women exploring the possibility of a labiaplasty, there are many questions that have arisen about the procedure itself and the recovery process. This comprehensive guide seeks to cover every aspect of labiaplasty surgery, recovery, and what you can expect.

What are the Benefits of Labiaplasty?

Labiaplasty addresses labia issues ranging from pain and discomfort to size, shape, and aesthetic. Some women feel self-conscious about their appearance as a result of their labia issues, while others find it painful to have sexual intercourse or engage in physical activities.

The benefit of labiaplasty is that it is a quick and highly effective surgery that can solve these problems and restore a woman’s self-esteem and confidence. Here are some of the other benefits you may experience as a result of having a labiaplasty:

As you can see, labiaplasty offers women the chance to rediscover themselves and their confidence. It can restore intimacy in relationships and remove discomfort that some women may have been living with for many years. 

We highly recommend labiaplasty surgery to women who are negatively affected in any way by their labia. It could make a world of difference to you and to your quality of life.

Labiaplasty by the Team at Gynaedoctors

Labiaplasty is a surgery we carry out regularly here at Gynaedotors. Women come to us for labiaplasty surgery for all kinds of reasons, from pain and discomfort to cosmetic reasons. Whatever your reasons for wanting a labiaplasty, we are here to support you by providing the best labiaplasty surgery treatment and aftercare. Here’s what you can expect.

Is a Labiaplasty the Right Choice for You?

Most women have been to the gynaecologist before and nervously asked, “Does my vagina look normal?” The appearance of your genitalia is something women worry about more than they let on. However, the beautiful thing about the labia is that it comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colours. No two labia are the same which means there is no such thing as a ‘normal’ labia. 

Despite this, some women feel self-conscious about the look of their labia or they experience discomfort or pain during sexual intercourse, exercise, or while wearing tight fitting clothing. In such cases, it is not unusual for women to seek medical intervention.

If having a labiaplasty feels like the right decision for you, or perhaps you’re already booked in for the surgery, the first step is to book an initial consultation with your chosen plastic surgeon.

Prior to Surgery

Initial Consultation: Before you commit to having labiaplasty surgery, it is essential you feel comfortable and confident with your choice of surgeon. That’s why we recommend scheduling a consultation with a member of our team to discuss your expectations and ask any questions you may have. 

During this appointment your surgeon will also discuss your goals for the surgery itself, review your medical history, carry out a physical examination to understand the best surgical options, and give instructions as to how you should prepare for the upcoming surgery.

Meeting with your surgeon is extremely important prior to having a labiaplasty (or any type of surgery) as it helps you go into surgery feeling prepared and confident in your decision.

Before Surgery Preparations: Once you decide that a labiaplasty is the right decision for you, it’s time to start planning for your procedure and recovery. We recommend that you take at least one week off work to cover the procedure and time for initial recovery. It’s worth noting that recovery can take up to 6 weeks, so the more time off you can have the better. Some women opt to work remotely so that they can be more comfortable.

Establishing Healthy Habits: To prepare yourself for surgery it’s important to establish healthy eating habits. Make sure that you are eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and getting plenty of sleep each night. Doing these things consistently in the lead-up to your surgery will help aid in a smooth recovery.

Seek Help from Family and Friends: After your surgery, the best thing you can do for yourself is rest as much as possible. Therefore, as part of your preparations it can be helpful to contact family and friends who can help you around the house following your surgery. 

For example, you may need help with the cooking and cleaning or looking after the kids or perhaps you just need someone to pick-up your groceries and prescriptions. Whatever you might need, make sure you have people you can call on to make it happen.

The Labiaplasty Procedure

Anaesthesia: A labiaplasty is typically carried out either using a general anaesthetic or a local anaesthetic with sedation. Your surgeon will discuss the options with you and, providing there are no health reasons that require a certain form of pain relief, you will get to choose whether you undergo the surgery using general or local anaesthetic.

Surgery: Once you are comfortably sedated, the procedure can start. During the surgery, your vaginal lips will be shortened or reshaped by cutting away the unwanted tissue with a scalpel or laser. Any loose edges along the remaining labia may be stitched with dissolvable stitches to promote aesthetic healing. 

Surgery Techniques: It’s important to note that there are various surgical techniques that can be used when carrying out a labiaplasty. Your surgeon will take great care to choose the approach that is best suited to your body and goals. Your surgeon will also work carefully to perform the surgery in a way that minimises scarring and preserves vaginal sensitivity.

Timescale: The surgery takes 1 to 2 hours and, providing everything goes smoothly, you should be able to go home the same day.

Post Surgery: What to Expect

To increase your chances of healing quickly following a labiaplasty, it is important to understand the recovery process and what can support you in your healing journey. Here’s what you can expect following a labiaplasty surgery:

Hospital Aftercare: Immediately after your procedure you can expect to be monitored for a couple of hours. This gives your aftercare team a chance to see how you are recovering, discuss pain management with you, and support you in a smooth recovery by offering at-home management tips to aid in a smooth recovery.

Pain Management at Home: Before you leave the hospital, you will be prescribed pain medication to help ease any discomfort. It is important to take the medication as prescribed as this will reduce any pain or discomfort you might experience during your recovery.

Returning to Previous Activities: As with most surgeries, it is important to give your body the time it needs to properly recover. This means you should avoid strenuous activities for at least six weeks following the operation. Please note, this includes sexual intercourse. By avoiding strenuous activities, you minimise the risk of damage to your body and of causing complications during the healing process.

Follow-ups: It is important to schedule any and all follow-up appointments with your surgeon. This is a chance for your surgeon to examine you to ensure that you are healing well and to also address any concerns you may be having.

When Will I See Results?

After your surgery and recovery, it is natural to wonder when you might see results. Every woman’s body is different and therefore heals differently. You won’t see the complete results until the swelling has gone away and the scars have diminished. This could take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months.

Consult Our Expert Team

Labiaplasty can be a transformative procedure for many women, elevating their confidence, increasing their sex lives, and enhancing their day-to-day comfort. However, every woman’s needs are different. Therefore, we encourage you to seek consultation from our expert team to decipher whether a labiaplasty is the right fit for you and how it might improve your overall wellbeing and quality of life.

Speak to a member of our team for more information or browse our blog for more informative articles like this one.

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