Consultation

During your consultation, you and your plastic surgeon will discuss why you need the surgery, and what you hope to achieve. You will also discuss the process of the surgery and everything that will be involved until your recovery period. You should be completely open with the doctor about your expectations, concerns and habits. Your medical history will be evaluated to determine candidacy for the surgery. The surgeon is then going to examine your vagina in detail. He or she will also take photographs to compare the labiaplasty surgery before and after the procedure.

There are certain guidelines that the doctor will advise you to follow before the surgery, like maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regularly, stop smoking and alcohol consumption at least three weeks before the surgery, to strictly avoid anti-inflammatory drugs or medicines having aspirin so that the risk of excess bleeding is reduced.

Surgery

Labiaplasty is a procedure that can be done under either local anesthesia with oral sedation or under general anesthesia. This surgery takes around 2 to 3 hours

Labiaplasty can be carried out using two different methodologies which are as follow;

• The Trim Method: It is also referred to as the strip method. In this method the edge of the protruding labia is removed. It is preferred by women who want a more small look. It removes the dark edges of labia. The loose edges are closed with dissolvable stitches.
• The Wedge Method: This method uses a pie shape incision to reduce the size of labia. It maintains the edge of the labia for those who want a natural contour. It creates a small horizontal scar and reduces the enlarged part of labia. The remaining edges are stitched together through dissolvable stutters.

Post Surgery

The labiaplasty recovery time varies from person to person but takes about three months to get fully recovered. Bruising and swelling are common, but medicines prescribed by your surgeon will assist in settling it down. You will be having difficulty in the urination process and should avoid excess urination. Patients can resume wearing tampons or having intercourse after four to six weeks. Trim labiaplasty generally allows for a quicker recovery.

After Care

In order to have successful long-lasting results it is important to follow the below:

• Take medications as prescribed by the surgeon.
• You are advised to avoid sex for at least 4-6 weeks post the surgery.
• Stay away from swimming, avoid rubbing the area using tampons or wearing tight clothes for two weeks.
• Avoid strenuous exercise or lifting heavy objects for at least two weeks.
• Take it easy in the first week after the surgery and give the body time to heal and rest.
• Use icing with a cold pack sandwiched between the underpants and an elastic garment, like Spanx to reduce swelling.
• It is important to attend the follow-up appointments with your doctor to keep your track of your progress.