Labioplasty

Labioplasty (or labiaplasty) is a plastic surgery procedure in which the excessive folds of tissue are removed from the female genitalia area, either from the labia majora (outer folds) or labia minor (inner folds).  The procudure usually involves reduction in the size of the folds, and is done either alone or in combination with other procedures.  Women in southern California, are seeking the procedure for a variety of reasons.

Reasons Why Some Women Seek Labioplasty:

There are several reasons why some women wish to undergo cosmetic contouring of their labia.  Some are born with labia that are too large, are asymmetric, or that are redundant.  Others can have excessve folds as a result of having children (due to childbirth) or from aging.  Excessive tissue in some women result in discomfort in certain clothes (bathing suits, snug clothing), difficulty doing certain activities (such as bike riding), and in some cases, a feeling of being very self conscious with their sexual partner.

In a few patients, discomfort may result from sexual intercourse and a few women actually feel inhibite during sexual activity as a result of being very self conscious about the appearance of their labia.

Weight gain can also cause tissue excess, particularly in the out lips, or labia majora, which can result in the above symptoms.  Whatever the reason for having labioplasty, the patient is usually understandably anxious and the significant majority of women report that they feel more comfortable seeking Dr. Afifi's opinion as a woman physician.

Anesthesia for Labioplasty:

If labioplasty is the only procedure requested, a woman can undergo labioplasty under local anesthesia only with some light sedation (for example, with oral Valium) to treat any anxiety.  This is an outpatient procedure done by Dr. Afifi at a fully accredidated surgery center.

Additionally, many patients also wish to combine labioplasty with another aesthetic procedure such as liposuction, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), or other plastic surgical procedures.

Type of Procedure:

There are different options of labioplasty and each procedure has different benefits.  The goal is to review the patient's desired goals and to minimize any scars, so that the genitalia appear beautiful and the patient feels extremely comfortable and happy with their personal appearance. 

Results of Labioplasty:

The most frequently reported result that patients, in fact, report is that wearing clothes is much easier and they feel much more comfortable with their sexual partner.  Some report that as a result, they feel greater satisfaction during their sexual activities.  This is often because their inhibition from their personal appearance is resolved.