Now more than ever, more women are choosing to undergo labiaplasty surgery. In fact, ASPS statistics show that in 2016, over 12,000 procedures were performed (a 39% increase from 2015)! If you are one of the many individuals who are considering labiaplasty surgery, read on for some answers to popular procedure questions.
What is Labiaplasty?
First, let’s go over the procedure itself. A labiaplasty can be performed for both functional and aesthetic reasons. The procedure entails trimming excess tissue from the labia minora. Long labia majora can sometimes cause women to feel uncomfortable when wearing tight clothing, during sexual intercourse, or during certain exercises. Some women may also feel self-conscious about long labia peeking out while wearing a bathing suit. A labiaplasty can help to create a neater labial fold, making life more comfortable for many women.
Want More Children?
Some women who are interested in labiaplasty wish to have children in the future and are not sure if labiaplasty might affect their ability to have more children. The answer to this is, no, labiaplasty does not affect a woman’s sexual ability or ability to have children. It is important to note however that while the results of labiaplasty are permanent, delivering a child vaginally after labiaplasty can cause some stretching of the labia again.
Does Labiaplasty Hurt?
During your procedure, you will be kept comfortable either with a general anesthetic or with local freezing. If you have local freezing, Dr. Plant will apply numbing cream around an hour before your procedure so that you’ll barely feel the freezing go in.
What is Labiaplasty Recovery Like?
Because the labia and vagina are sensitive parts of the body, there will be some pain involved during recovery. However, pain medication will be prescribed to help control any discomfort that you may have. Most women only require a few days of downtime before returning to work, so you can be back on your feet rather quickly. Most women report that any downtime needed is worth the outcome of boosted self-confidence.