Labiaplasty

Women who experience discomfort or embarrassment due to an enlarge labia may find great benefit in labiaplasty.

woman lounging in chair in blue swim suit

Enhance Comfort and Confidence with Labiaplasty by Dr. Josh Korman

Excess skin on the labia minora often occurs after childbirth or due to heredity, leaving women feeling uncomfortable with the overall appearance of their feminine genitalia. Through labiaplasty, women can correct these issues and improve their overall quality of life by undergoing this transformational procedure. Contact Dr. Josh Korman at either his Mountain View, Carmel, or San Jose facility to requesting a consultation and find out how this procedure can help you!

About Labiaplasty

Labiaplasty is a cosmetic procedure that removes excess tissue on the labia, trimming and shaping it in such a way that minimizes discomfort and provides a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. The labia, consisting of the labia majora and labia minora, are the skin folds around the vagina. The labia majora are the larger folds on the outside of the vagina and the labia minora are the inner colored folds that lead directly to the vaginal canal. Excess skin on the labia can lead to hindrances of a woman’s daily activities and even have a poor impact on her sex life.

This intimate topic tends to be “an elephant in the room” conversation, but no need to keep silent anymore. Dr. Korman has provided his vaginal rejuvenation patients with amazing results that greatly improve their overall quality of life. Women can now feel more confident in their own skin.

Labiaplasty Vs. Non-Surgical Vaginal Rejuvation

Many women who are considering vaginal rejuvenation are often conflicted when it comes to choosing a treatment method. Nowadays, women have options when choosing a particular treatment. Labiaplasty, the surgical option, is very effective at reshaping and trimming the labia and has become the most common form of vaginal rejuvenation. Non-surgical treatment options are designed to help correct vaginal skin laxity and help to tighten the vaginal muscles that have become stretched with laser energy. Although both of these treatments are effective forms of vaginal rejuvenation, their methods of providing these results are very different. Labiaplasty physically excises the excess or loose skin on the labia whereas non-surgical treatments options use radio frequency technology to help tighten the tissue rather than removing the excess that has become problematic. Non-surgical laser options do not always provide the dramatic results patients are seeking, which is why Dr. Korman offers labiaplasty for his vaginal rejuvenation patients as well. He feels that women who are concerned about this intimate issue should be able to receive instantaneous results that can drastically improve the overall quality of the woman’s life!

Good Candidates

Women who are considering a labiaplasty procedure typically feel that their labia minora and/or labia majora are large, asymmetrical, disproportionate, droopy, or stretched. Most commonly, patients seek treatment for the labia minora; however, Dr. Korman can provide treatment to both the labia minora and the labia majora. Patients who seek this treatment are often unhappy with the appearance of their vagina because they dislike that their labia minora droops lower than their labia majora. Although this is a very common characteristic, it can be a concern and embarrassment to some women. Other women may experience an enlarged labia majora that is more prominent in tight-fitting clothes and can cause the skin to become irritated through continuous friction.

The women looking into this procedure should be in good health and maintain reasonable expectations for the overall outcomes of the labiaplasty procedure. Labiaplasty will address the outer appearance of the labia, but it does not address loose muscles. These patients should also not have any underlying health conditions that can cause risk to themselves or to the end results of the procedure. Some women may be concerned that undergoing a labiaplasty procedure will negatively affect sensations felt during intercourse. This is actually quite the contrary. In fact, as Dr. Korman removes loose labia tissue, women may experience an increase in sexual stimulation once fully healed.

Consultation

When meeting with Dr. Korman for the initial consultation at one of his three Bay Area locations, he and the patient will discuss the particular concerns and what her overall expectations are for the labiaplasty procedure. The doctor will then review the patient’s medical history, current health conditions, and routine medications. Through an exam, Dr. Korman will be able to identify the particular concerns being discussed and build an individualized treatment plan to provide the desired vaginal rejuvenation results. An enlarged or disproportioned labia is not exactly a medical concern per say but still a very important cosmetic concern that we encourage women to address. Dr. Korman understands that this is a very sensitive and private topic for women which is why he approaches every consultation with personal concern and sensitivity. His previous patients have all had amazing experiences when working with Dr. Korman, feeling that his office is a welcoming, private, and judgment-free zone.

Preparation

For patients who have any other questions during this time, please contact our office and speak with one of our friendly and helpful staff members. After scheduling the labiaplasty procedure, Dr. Korman he will provide the patient with a list of preparatory instructions to follow leading up to the surgery. For patients that smoke, they will be required to quit 3 weeks prior to the procedure date. It is also recommended that patients avoid taking any anti-inflammatory medications for 2 weeks before the labiaplasty. The women undergoing this procedure will need to arrange for a ride home following surgery, as they will be unfit to drive themselves. Additional individualized instruction may be provided as well.

Labiaplasty Procedure

The labiaplasty procedure is performed under local or general anesthesia on an outpatient basis. Once our certified anesthesiologist has administered the decided-upon anesthesia, Dr. Korman can begin the procedure. He will make an incision to remove the excess tissue on the labia minora and/or majora following the decided upon technique pattern.

Techniques We Perform

Trim Technique

The trim labiaplasty technique is the most basic of the labiaplasty techniques, excising a linear horizontal line of tissue from the tops of the labia minora. While this technique is quick and straightforward, it may not be the preferred method for some because the edges of the labia minora will be straight; it naturally has waves.

Extended Wedge Technique

The extended wedge labiaplasty technique mimics the above method but the V shaped tissue portion is removed laterally at the top of the labia minora in a downward manner. By doing this the incision scar is hidden in the natural crease between the labia minora and labia majora.

Wedge Technique

The wedge labiaplasty technique removes a V shaped portion of tissue from the center of both sides of the labia minora. This preserves the tissue’s naturally wavy edges.

Reduction of Clitoral Hood

We can reduce the size of the clitoris by removing a select amount of tissue. Sensation will be maintained, if not heightened. This labiaplasty technique is often paired with one of the above technique for comprehensive results.

Recovery

In general, there is a quick recovery after labiaplasty, although downtime may vary from patient to patient. There may be slight discomfort, as well as initial swelling in the genital region after the surgery. The use of cold compresses can help to reduce swelling and a prescription for pain medication will be provided to reduce any further discomfort.

Patients can normally resume daily activities after about one week of downtime; however, more physical activities, including sex, will need to be avoided for a longer period of time; commonly 6-8 weeks for swelling to subside and before resuming sexual activities. During the post-operative appointments, Dr. Korman can go into further detail about the length of downtime your particular case will require.

Results

Once healed, women will notice a considerable difference in the appearance of their vagina, seeing an improvement in symmetry, neatness, and proportion. Women may experience increased sensitivity of this region. Often times, this procedure provides women with a new-found confidence and better functionality of the vagina. As stated above, this procedure only treats excess skin, not troublesome fat that has accumulated in this region. For fully comprehensive results, additional procedure(s) may be necessary to provide the desired results like liposuction.

Additional Procedures

It is not uncommon for women to undergo more than one treatment during the same surgical session. Patients may require additional treatments in order to achieve their aesthetic goals. Some of the most common procedures performed with a labiaplasty go as follows:

Liposuction

Women may opt for liposuction treatment on various regions of the body to improve their overall figure. Especially after pregnancy, troublesome fat may reside on areas of the body that leave women feeling unhappy with their appearance. This treatment uses high power suction to target and removes unwanted fat throughout the body, allowing women to treat areas such as the abdomen, thighs, back, arms, etc. Another common area women receive liposuction is the pubic area for comprehensive results after labiaplasty.

Mommy Makeover

Mothers, this one is just for you! After childbirth, a woman’s body does not always bounce back to its “pre-baby” shape. Dr. Korman offers the Mommy Makeover procedure to help correct all negative cosmetic side effects that have arisen after pregnancy. A mommy makeover is a combination of a few cosmetic procedures to provide fully transformation results.

The most commonly chosen procedures are liposuction, tummy tuck, and a breast lift or breast augmentation. The combination of these procedures provides completely comprehensive results for women who are struggling to gain back their youthful figures. A Mommy Makeover can be paired with labiaplasty to receive treatment on all of the areas women tend to see a change after childbirth. The options available can be further discussed during the initial consultation with Dr. Korman.

Cost

The price of a labiaplasty will vary from patient to patient depending on the extent of treatment that is needed. This is why it is required for the patient to come in for a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Korman. Through this, the doctor will be able to construct an individualized treatment plan that will provide her with a personalized procedure quote.