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What’s Labiaplasty? Understanding the Procedure and Recovery Process

Progressive Womens Health, PLLC Blog What’s Labiaplasty? Understanding the Procedure and Recovery Process
What’s Labiaplasty? Understanding the Procedure and Recovery Process

Labiaplasty is a surgery that trims down tissue in your vulva, specifically the labia minora. Changes to your body throughout life can cause these tissues to grow larger or longer than their original size, which can affect how you feel about their appearance. 

At Progressive Women’s Health OB/GYN in Friendswood, Texas, experienced women’s care provider Asia Mohsin, MD, performs labiaplasty for medical and cosmetic reasons. Talk to her about your concerns and goals if you’re considering this surgery. 

When you might consider a labiaplasty

Some people get labiaplasty because they don’t like how changes to their labia minora have made their vulva look. Others consider the surgery because longer tissues are more prone to pinching and discomfort. 

The bottom line is that a labiaplasty can shorten or tighten your labia minora. The tissues can lengthen or expand because of natural changes throughout life, including:

Keep in mind that there’s no correct shape or size of labia minora. Still, getting labiaplasty can make you feel more confident in how your vulva looks, reduce discomfort associated with longer labia, and make it easier to keep the tissues clean. 

How a labiaplasty works

Dr. Mohsin has a couple of labiaplasty techniques she can use based on the shape of your tissues and your goals with the surgery. Trim and wedge are the two most common techniques:

Trim technique

A trim procedure involves removing excessive tissue from the outer edges of your labia minora so they don’t protrude as much. Usually, Dr. Mohsin aims to make them roughly even with your labia majora. 

Wedge technique

A wedge procedure involves removing a wedge-shaped piece of tissue from one or both sides of your labia minora. This allows the edge of the labia minora to stay intact and have a more natural outer appearance. 

What to expect during labiaplasty recovery

You can expect a little swelling and discomfort after your labiaplasty, which you can manage with over-the-counter pain relievers. Dr. Mohsin may recommend using a cold compress over fabric to reduce swelling. 

Dr. Mohsin may also prescribe an oral or topical antibiotic to prevent infection of the surgical site. To help healing go as smoothly as possible, wear loose-fitting pants and underwear as the incisions heal. 

Swelling in the weeks after surgery can make it difficult to see the true results. You can expect the swelling to go down in about six weeks. 

During those six weeks, you should:

With the right aftercare, your labiaplasty results can last for years or decades. Pregnancy and childbirth can affect your results, so consider possible future pregnancies before moving forward with the procedure. 

Call Progressive Women’s Health OB/GYN or request an appointment online to discuss your labiaplasty options today. 

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