What is Labiaplasty? Labiaplasty Surgery

Simply put, labiaplasty is the surgical repair of the labia majora (outer lips), also known as the large lips of the vagina, or the labia minora (inner lips), which are located just beneath the outer lips. The labia minora, meaning the inner lips, do not contain fat or hair cells, are not visible from the outside because they are located beneath the labia majora, are rich in blood vessels and nerve endings, and are constantly moist structures. There are two inner lips, and they fold and merge to form a fold-like structure over the clitoris. Anatomically, the outer lips cover the inner lips; meaning, because the inner lips are located beneath the outer lips, they are not noticed upon external examination.

What is Labiaplasty?

When labiaplasty is mentioned, what is mostly meant is the correction of defects related to the inner lips rather than the outer lips. The labia minora being larger than normal or sagging due to various reasons is among the most common genital aesthetic problems. During labiaplasty, the excess tissue in the overly enlarged or sagging inner lips is removed by a specialist physician, and the labia are reshaped.

The demand for aesthetic gynecology is increasing day by day by both physicians and patients. Labiaplasty is currently one of the most frequently performed genital aesthetic operations. There is still no national or international medical guideline shedding light on the circumstances under which surgical intervention should be performed, aside from labia majora enlargement (hypertrophy) to a degree that constitutes a medical necessity. Patients who opt for genital aesthetic surgery state that they seek medical assistance primarily due to aesthetic concerns and a decrease in sexual satisfaction.

According to statistics on cosmetic surgery published by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) in 2017, the number of individuals undergoing labioplasty increased by 217.3% over the last 5 years. Labioplasty and other genital aesthetic operations, which were preferred only by celebrities in the early 1980s, have begun to be preferred by women in our country as well, as sexual problems have stopped being a taboo and started to be discussed openly.

Why is Labiaplasty Performed?

Labioplasty is considered a medical necessity in cases where hypertrophy (excessive enlargement) of the inner lips causes recurrent vaginal and urinary infections despite treatment, irritation, painful sexual intercourse (dyspareunia), and restriction in movements.

Structurally normal-sized inner lips can sag due to multiple births, traumas during vaginal birth, hormonal changes related to menopause, rapid weight gain and loss, and other reasons, making the outer lips unable to completely cover the inner lips. In women who have never given birth and whose labia minora are normally sized from birth, sagging can also occur with advancing age due to a decrease in subcutaneous adipose tissue. In some women, one or both of the inner lips of the vagina are structurally (genetic traits) larger than normal, creating an asymmetrical appearance.

Sagging, for whatever reason, when it exceeds acceptable limits, can create an aesthetically unpleasing appearance, causing the person to feel bad and lose self-confidence. Even if there is no medical necessity, this situation can negatively affect a person's life in various ways.

For example, when the sagging of the inner lips reaches an advanced level, it can prevent wearing swimsuits, bikinis, or tight clothing. It can affect the professional lives of women, particularly those in sports where physical appearance is prominent and in occupational groups related to performing arts, and by affecting the sexual lives of all women, it can cause a loss of self-confidence and a decrease in quality of life.

Who is Labiaplasty Suitable For?

It can be performed when the sagging of the inner lips of the vagina has reached a level that negatively affects the person's quality of life, or in cases where labiaplasty has become a medical necessity. If deemed appropriate by the physician, it can be applied to adult women of any age who do not have other diseases that would prevent surgical intervention. While it can be applied for sagging shaped after childbirth, women who have never given birth can also be candidates for labiaplasty by undergoing an examination to regain their self-confidence.

How and Where is Labiaplasty Performed?

Labioplasty is a procedure that must be performed only by a specialist physician in a hospital setting, where sterility is of great importance. First, your specialist physician evaluates whether you are a suitable candidate for labiaplasty. If you are deemed suitable, your physician informs you about the details of the procedure and what needs to be done post-procedure. Generally applied under local anesthesia, your physician may sometimes consider general anesthesia as well. Although the surgery duration varies from patient to patient, it averages between 30 and 60 minutes. Since anesthesia is administered during the procedure, no pain is felt.

What Awaits You After Labiaplasty?

• Post-procedure complications are generally not seen. Complications such as infection, tissue damage, and bleeding are among the complications likely to be observed after all surgical interventions. Therefore, labiaplasty must be performed by a specialist physician, under sterile conditions, and in healthcare facilities with the necessary equipment.
• Post-operative bleeding is not expected; very mild bleeding, in the form of slight oozing and spotting only along the suture line, is rarely seen.
• In the first days after surgery, the vulva may be completely swollen, red, and sensitive due to edema. Applying a cold compress in the manner recommended by your physician helps relieve the edema in the area.
• Since the labia are a region rich in blood supply, wound healing is also completed quickly.
• The stitches in the area are absorbed or fall out within 10-15 days, depending on the type of suture material used.
• You may experience pain after the procedure, and your doctor may recommend pain management.
• Although it varies from patient to patient, you can generally return to work a few days after the procedure.
• Unless any complications develop, the complete healing of the area normally takes an average of 30 days.

During the recovery period, utmost attention must be paid to hygiene, and for 4 weeks until the area is fully healed:

• Your dressings should be performed as frequently as recommended by your physician.
• Yoga, pilates, and similar sports that will cause stretching in the area,
• Horseback riding, cycling, and similar sports that may cause pressure in the area should be avoided.
• Toilet cleaning should be done from front to back during this period, as always.
• To prevent the risk of infection, pools, Turkish baths, the sea, and jacuzzis should not be entered for the duration recommended by your doctor, and standing showers should be preferred over bathing in a tub. Your physician will usually allow you to take a standing shower from the first day.
• Sexual intercourse should be avoided for 4 weeks until complete recovery is achieved.
• Until complete healing is achieved, applications such as epilation and waxing should not be performed on the area.