Labiaplasty in Savannah, GA

What Is a Labiaplasty?

Labiaplasty is a procedure to reshape the labia majora. This can be a cosmetic surgery, but many people choose to have the procedure because the size of their labia causes discomfort or pain in certain situations.

Women have two pairs of vaginal lips. These are the inner lips, called the labia minora, and the outer lips, called the labia majora. The size of the vaginal lips varies considerably from person to person, and there’s no “right” size for either the labia majora or the labia minora. Some women have small labia, while others have labia that are larger and protrude from their vulva.

There are lots of myths and lots of misinformation about labial size. For instance, some people believe that having many sexual partners or losing their virginity early in life affects the size of the labia, but this is untrue. The size of a woman’s labia has nothing to do with her sex life or any other lifestyle factors. Instead, it’s mostly about genetics. The main thing that affects labial size is hormones, and this is why labia grow in size during puberty. For some women, pregnancy and/or menopause may affect the size of the labia too.

While there’s no right size for the labia to be, if someone has very large labia, certain activities or clothing can be uncomfortable or even painful. Labiaplasty addresses this by removing excess labial tissue and reshaping what’s left to eliminate discomfort.

Why Have a Labiaplasty?

Cosmetic Reasons

Women whose labia are on the larger side may feel self-conscious about the way they look. When the labia are larger, they can sometimes create a visible bulge when wearing tight pants, athletic wear, or a bathing suit. If you have large labia and feel self-conscious for this reason, labial reduction can be an effective solution in providing vaginal rejuvenation.

Medical Necessity

For some women, having large labia causes physical discomfort or pain. This happens because their labia rub or chafe, or catch against their clothing. Large labia may also cause problems during sex and/or tampon insertion because they obstruct the vaginal opening. As well as this, physical activities such as riding a bike can be uncomfortable and even painful.

If your labia are large enough that they become uncomfortable or painful, the only way to improve the situation is with labiaplasty, as there’s no other way to shrink the labia or permanently prevent chafing and other symptoms.

Who Is a Good Candidate for a Labiaplasty?

You might be a good candidate if you have labia that are large enough that they make you feel uncomfortable in some way. It might be:

• Physical discomfort
• Physical pain
• Self-consciousness that affects your confidence

Alternatively, if you’re a transgender woman with surgical transition goals, labiaplasty may be an important part of your transition process.

All of these can be good reasons to have a labiaplasty.

For anyone undergoing this surgery, it’s also important to have realistic expectations about the results you can achieve and to be in good physical health. If you can tick all these boxes, you may be a good candidate for a labiaplasty.

What Happens at a Labiaplasty Consultation?

The surgical consultation is the first step in preparing for a surgical procedure. The consultation has several important components, including:

Physical examination: Your plastic surgeon will perform a physical examination. This is important because it helps them assess your surgical needs and develop an appropriate surgical plan for the labiaplasty. It can also help them assess what kind of results you can expect from surgery.

Your medical history: You’ll spend some time talking about your medical history, including any medical conditions you have and medications you take. It’s important to be thorough because some health conditions and medications may affect your surgery.

Your surgical goals: You’ll discuss your goals for surgery and what kind of results you hope to achieve. This is important to ensure that you have realistic expectations, as this can affect how you feel about the outcome of the labiaplasty. People who have realistic expectations are more likely to be happy with the outcome.

Your questions and concerns: If you have any questions about the surgery or any concerns you want to raise, the consultation is the best time to mention them. Having labiaplasty is an important decision, and it’s important that you have all the information you need to make the right one for you.

How Should I Prepare for Labiaplasty?

Not everyone needs to make specific preparations for surgery. If there are any preparations you need to make, your surgeon will let you know and give you instructions on what to do. The two most common ways to prepare for surgery are medication changes and stopping smoking.

Medication changes: Blood thinners increase the risk of excessive bleeding during surgery. If you take a blood thinning medication you may be advised to stop taking it temporarily, before having surgery. There are some over-the-counter medications, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, that fit into this category too. If you’re instructed to stop taking a medication, you’ll be told when it’s safe to start taking it again.

Smoking cessation: Smoking and vaping reduce the level of oxygen in your blood. This adds to your level of surgical risk and reduces your body’s ability to heal from surgery. If you’re a smoker, you’ll be advised to stop prior to your surgery and to refrain from smoking for as long as possible afterwards.

What Is the Labiaplasty Treatment Like?

The labiaplasty procedure typically takes one to two hours and can be carried out under either local or a general anesthetic. It’s a minor procedure and not very invasive, meaning most patients can go home the same day they have the surgery. You’ll only need to stay overnight if you have a health condition that makes surgery riskier than usual.

There are two different surgical techniques that can be used:

• The trim technique involves trimming away excess labial tissue along the length of each labia and then closing up the incision that’s left behind.
• In the wedge technique, wedge-shaped pieces of tissue are removed from the center of each of the labial lips. This technique uses smaller incisions and generally leaves less scarring. This technique also gives the labia a more natural-looking shape after healing is completed.

Labiaplasty Aftercare and Recovery

After labiaplasty you can expect to need around a week off from work. During the initial recovery period, the genital region is tender, painful, and swollen. An icepack can be used to reduce pain and swelling but should be applied for no more than 20 minutes at a time, with a 20-minute rest period in between each application.

It’s important to wear loose underwear and loose clothing to prevent chafing and irritating the stitches. Care should be taken to ensure the genital region is kept very clean. Exercise and tampon use should be avoided for three to four weeks after surgery. Sexual intercourse should be avoided for around six to eight weeks.

Labiaplasty Complications and Risks

Labiaplasty Complications

Labiaplasty has several possible minor complications. But, as this isn’t a highly invasive procedure, the risk of serious complications is low. Some possible complications include:

• Separation of incisions: If this happens, the incisions may take longer to heal or may need further surgery.
• Skin irregularities after healing: This may include pigmentation spots or discoloration near the scars, or wrinkles on the labial skin.
• Asymmetry: The labia may be slightly asymmetrical after healing. This may happen due to poor wound healing or infection. Keeping the area clean and not constricted can help promote even healing.

Labiaplasty Risks

All surgery has some level of risk associated with it, but for most people, the risks are low. Your surgeon will discuss them with you before your procedure.

Anesthesia: Up to 1 in 5,000 people have an allergic or sensitivity-type reaction to general anesthesia. If you’ve previously had anesthesia without having an adverse reaction, you’re unlikely to have an adverse reaction in the future.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): After surgery, your risk of DVT or a blood clot increases temporarily. Inactivity further contributes to the risk, so it’s important to get back on your feet quickly after surgery. While you can’t resume exercising right away, you’ll be able to walk and resume light activities within a week.

Surgery results: With any surgery, there’s a risk that you’re not completely happy with the results. This is one reason why it’s important to have realistic expectations.

With this kind of surgery, it’s important not to remove too much labial tissue. If the inner labia are completely removed, it can lead to a higher risk of yeast infections and UTIs. It can also make intercourse painful due to reduced lubrication of the vagina. An experienced plastic surgeon won’t make this mistake, so choosing a good surgeon is a crucial part of getting surgical results you’re happy with.

What Results Can I Expect from a Labiaplasty?

The primary result of a labiaplasty are smaller labia. Whether your reasons for having the surgery are cosmetic or medical, you can expect that your labia will look and feel smaller. If you’re having surgery for medical reasons, you can also expect relief from chafing, pain, and any other symptoms caused by the size of your labia.

Most people who have labial reductions are very happy with their results. This surgery has a patient satisfaction rating of 94%, meaning that 94% of people who have the surgery say the results are worth it.

How Much Does a Labiaplasty Cost?

According to RealSelf.com, the average cost of a labiaplasty is a little more than $4,000. The exact amount depends on variables relating to the surgeon, their experience, and their location. In addition, your treatment goals and other personal factors can influence the cost of the procedure. We’ll discuss all of this at your consultation to determine the exact cost.

Does Insurance Cover the Cost of a Labiaplasty?

Labiaplasty is a cosmetic procedure that is sometimes considered to be medically necessary. This means insurance does sometimes cover this procedure. Whether or not you’re eligible for insurance coverage depends on the reason you’re having the surgery.

If your reasons for having a labiaplasty are purely cosmetic, then the procedure isn’t eligible for insurance coverage. But if you’re having the surgery because your labia cause discomfort or pain, it may be partially or fully covered by insurance.

For transgender women, the question of cosmetic versus medical necessity doesn’t apply. Instead, your insurance coverage depends on whether your policy covers gender confirmation surgeries.

If you think you may qualify for insurance, you can discuss this with your surgeon at your consultation. And if you’re eligible for insurance coverage, make sure to get this confirmed in writing before having the surgery.

Financing Options for Labiaplasty Surgery at Savannah Plastic Surgery

We offer several payment options, including checks and cash, and all credit cards. We also offer Alpheon®, Care Credit® and PatientFI® financing. To learn more about your payment options, please visit our financing and insurance page.

Are you interested in learning more about the labiaplasty procedure or vaginal rejuvenation? Are you ready to schedule your consultation at Savannah Plastic Surgery? Contact us today. We welcome patients from Savannah and the surrounding areas of Chatham County and have convenient office locations in Brunswick and Hinesville, Georgia and in Bluffton, South Carolina.