Labiaplasty

Labiaplasty is a procedure that reshapes and reduces the labia for a more youthful, proportionate appearance. Elongated labia can be bothersome if they cause chafing or are visibly protruding while wearing tighter fitting clothing or bathing suits. Enlarged labia can cause discomfort during intimacy or physical exercise such as yoga or cycling. ⁽¹⁾ Labiaplasty is specifically designed to help you improve the appearance of this intimate area and increase comfort in your daily life. Whether you experience changes to your labia over time or you are simply dissatisfied with the appearance of your labia, labiaplasty can have a positive effect on your confidence and overall quality of life.

Dr. Caroline Min is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has helped many women improve their quality of life with labiaplasty procedures. At her state-of-the-art office in Pasadena, she has cultivated a welcoming environment for patients who are seeking either surgical or non-surgical rejuvenation.

Contact our office using our online form or call (626) 737-9001 to learn more about labiaplasty and the other treatments we offer.

Before and After Photos

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About Labiaplasty

Many women suffer from enlarged labia minora (the inner genital lips) which can cause physical and emotional discomfort. Some women may be dissatisfied with the appearance of their labia if it is larger or thicker than they desire. Enlarged labia minora can lead to discomfort during normal activities, such as walking, sitting, or wearing certain types of clothing as well as during sexual intercourse or sports. Women with enlarged labia minora may experience psychological distress, including embarrassment or anxiety which can influence intimate relationships and overall well-being.

Labiaplasty is effective for helping patients achieve their aesthetic goals and enhancing their intimate comfort. In 2023, more than 10,000 women received this procedure. ⁽²⁾ At her practice, Dr. Min uses an advanced technique pioneered by Dr. Gary Alter, who is renowned for his work in aesthetic genital surgery. This technique removes a wedge from the most protuberant portion of the labia and preserves the labial edge, which results in a natural-looking labia with barely visible scars.

Labiaplasty can also remove excess skin on the sides of the clitoral hood. ⁽³⁾ In contrast, many surgeons merely trim the edge of the labia and oversew the raw edge, which changes the natural color and contour of the labia, which may cause an unnatural appearance.

Benefits

Labiaplasty reduces large labia or reshapes uneven labia, improving their appearance and reducing associated discomfort. The results of labiaplasty often come with the following benefits:

Candidates

Many women who consider labiaplasty are often dissatisfied with the physical appearance of their labia and would like to reduce or reshape the vaginal lips to improve their overall confidence. ⁽⁴⁾ Labiaplasty can help these candidates improve the appearance of the labia as well as comfort during intimacy with minimal scarring.

Ideal candidates for labiaplasty are:

It is important that candidates have realistic expectations about what they can achieve with this procedure. Dr. Min will be able to determine if you are a good candidate for this procedure during a personal consultation at our office.

Personal Consultation

During your consultation, Dr. Min will perform an evaluation and discuss your aesthetic goals with you. Please come to your appointment prepared to discuss your medical history. This includes any current conditions, medications you have taken, or procedures you have received.

Based on the information obtained during this meeting, Dr. Min will develop a procedural plan that is in line with your goals and unique situation. You will be encouraged to ask any questions you may have during your personal consultation. Dr. Min will describe the labiaplasty procedure to you and provide you with information about preparation and recovery steps you should take.

To schedule your personal consultation, fill out our online form or give our Pasadena office a call at (626) 737-9001. We look forward to speaking with you!

Preparation

Dr. Min will provide you with preparation guidelines well in advance of your procedure. The steps for preparing for labiaplasty often include, but are not limited to:

Types of Labiaplasty Procedures

Generally speaking, there are two different ways to perform labiaplasty surgery: the trim technique and the wedge technique.

Trim Technique

In the trim technique, Dr. Min excises the edge of the labia and closes the incision with sutures. While it is typically a quicker procedure, this technique may result in a loss of some natural labial contour, as the edge of the labia can take on a scalloped appearance. The trim technique may result in a more visible scar when compared to the wedge technique.

Wedge Technique

The wedge technique involves removing a triangular-shaped wedge of tissue from the thickest part of the labia minora, preserving the natural contour and edge of the labia. The scars from this technique are well hidden. This technique is more complex than the trim technique, and may take longer, but often provides superior results.

Clitoral Hood Reduction

Surgeons may perform clitoral hood reduction together with labial reduction. This procedure involves removing excess tissue from the hood covering the side of the clitoris.

Clitoral hood reduction improves the overall appearance of the vulva and may address functional issues, such as difficulty achieving stimulation due to excess hood tissue.

Recovery

Your recovery will vary depending on the extent of your procedure and the technique used. Most patients can return to work after 1 week or less, but full recovery can take 3-4 months. It is normal to experience some discomfort and swelling during the initial phases of your recovery, but this significantly improves after the first 1-3 weeks. Before your labiaplasty, Dr. Min will provide you with detailed guidelines about what activities you should avoid during your recovery, and when you will be able to resume all normal activities. We advise against participating in more strenuous activities until your healing has progressed significantly.

Results

It can take 3-4 months to see the full effects of labiaplasty. After labiaplasty, you can enjoy more proportional vaginal lips that no longer cause uncomfortable chafing throughout the day. You can also enjoy improved confidence after the procedure. Labiaplasty permanently removes excess skin from the labia, so the results are essentially permanent! It is important to keep in mind that the appearance of intimate areas can continue to be affected by the processes of aging and other factors after this procedure.

The Cost of Labiaplasty in Pasadena

The cost of labiaplasty will depend on your specific procedure and personalized treatment plan. If you request additional procedures to achieve your aesthetic goals, we can provide an all-inclusive quote during a personal consultation at our Pasadena office.

Contact our office or call (626) 737-9001 to learn more about labiaplasty pricing.

FAQ

References

1. Willis RN, Wong CS, Pai A, Patel BC. Labiaplasty Minora Reduction. PubMed. Published 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448086/
2. American Society of Plastic Surgeons ® Endorsed Partner. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/news/statistics/2023/plastic-surgery-statistics-report-2023.pdf
3. Hamori CA. Aesthetic Surgery of the Female Genitalia. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2014;134(4):661-673. doi:https://doi.org/10.1097/prs.0000000000000516
4. Özer M, Mortimore I, Jansma EP, Mullender MG. Labiaplasty: motivation, techniques, and ethics. Nature Reviews Urology. 2018;15(3):175-189. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/nrurol.2018.1