Many women devote extra time to making sure the swimsuits, yoga pants, and other clothing they wear does not reveal their excessively long or asymmetrical labia minora. These are the inner vaginal lips that typically remain tucked behind those outer hair-containing folds of skin known as the labia majora.
More than affecting the appearance of your genitalia, however, labia minora that hang below your outer vaginal lips can create significant discomfort, irritation, and itching. You may experience pain when riding a bike, during sexual intercourse, or when wearing restrictive clothing.
At Tubal Ligation Reversal Center, with locations in Atlanta and Loganville, Georgia, we’re dedicated to providing outstanding care for all aspects of women’s health. We offer a variety of gynecologic surgical procedures – including labiaplasty. Our OB/GYN specialists have the skill and expertise required for a successful surgical outcome, so you can say goodbye to your physical discomfort and social embarrassment.
Labiaplasty is an outpatient surgical procedure that reduces the size and normalizes the shape of your labia minora. The general goal of surgery is to remove the extra tissue hanging below your labia majora. This excess tissue is often due to inherited traits or sometimes occurs as a result of the stretching experienced during vaginal childbirth.
Depending on your issue, we can also use the surgery to correct asymmetry that occurs when one side is longer than the other. Most often, however, this cosmetic procedure is performed on both labia minora.
How common is labiaplasty?
The American Society of Plastic surgeons estimates that approximately 12,000 women underwent labiaplasty in 2016. This is a 39% increase over 2015. Statistics aren’t yet available for 2017 or 2018, but experts expect the numbers will continue to rise as women become more comfortable talking about and seeking a permanent solution for this condition. And multiple studies indicate the surgery has a very high satisfaction rate, well over 90%, which may have a significant impact on its rising popularity.
What happens during a labiaplasty?
We take time to thoroughly discuss the details of the procedure, aftercare, and what you can expect from labiaplasty before scheduling your surgery. Generally, however, it’s an outpatient procedure, which typically means no overnight hospital stay. You’ll be under general anesthesia (asleep) during the surgery, which usually takes about an hour.
We monitor you carefully for several hours after the surgery and then release you to go home and finish recovering. You will need someone to drive you home and provide supportive care for a time after the procedure, probably overnight.
How long does it take to recover after labiaplasty?
We generally recommend you take about a week off work, so you can rest and give the surgical sites time to start healing. You’ll receive detailed instructions about incision care and ways to ease any swelling or discomfort during this time. We usually ask that you refrain from tampon use and sexual intercourse for about 4-6 weeks after surgery.
If you’re experiencing discomfort or having problems with your self-confidence due to the appearance of your labia minora, schedule a consult at Tubal Ligation Reversal Center. You can rely on our warm and welcoming atmosphere to help you feel comfortable. You can also count on our surgical skill and expertise with labiaplasty to help you make an informed decision about whether this increasingly popular procedure is right for you.
References
About The Author:
Clinical Professor of Surgery, Augusta University and University of Georgia
Fellow, American College of Surgeons
Member, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
Dr Chris is the CEO of Georgia SurgiCare and its subsidiaries, the premier Same Day Surgery center in Georgia. He is an Augusta University Professor of Surgery who specializes in all aspects of General and Bariatric Surgery, including acid reflux, weight loss, gallbladder, hernia repair and cancer care. He is a leader in his field and at the forefront of technology, committed to providing high-quality, personalized and compassionate care to patients every day. Furthermore,Dr Chris has received numerous prestigious awards and distinctions such as Best of Gwinnett, SBDC Business Development, and Innovation Award.
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