Correcting An Asymmetrical Labia
Vaginal rejuvenation procedures aren’t the daring, sexualized surgeries that many classify them under. While some patients do opt for one (or multiple) vaginal rejuvenation procedures for aesthetic reasons, many—often the majority—do so for reasons that dramatically and positively impact them physically in their daily life. Labiaplasty is a relatively simple procedure that involves physically altering the labia by removing excess tissue that may hang and appear asymmetrical. A woman’s labia usually changes or grows due to hormones that fluctuate during puberty, pregnancy and childbirth. These changes can often lead to acute feelings of insecurity and discomfort. Let’s take a closer look at labiaplasty and how Toronto’s cosmetic plastic surgeon Dr. Adibfar helps patients feel more confident and comfortable in their own bodies.
A woman may opt for a labiaplasty if she finds that her labia protrudes, hangs lower than it should, and/or if one side of the labia is larger than the other. While many argue that a woman’s labia shouldn’t require alteration, patients contend that the physical pain they feel in every day activities due to an asymmetrically large labia—which often times includes walking, jogging, swimming, horseback riding etc.—as well as the psychological suffering endured from not being able to wear certain clothes or constant preoccupation with hygiene, is enough to want to undergo labiaplasty. This simple procedure not only allows patients to feel more confident in the way they look, it positively impacts them on a daily basis. Patients rave that they’re now able to wear bathing suits and feel comfortable, that they can wear more fitted jeans and that they can take part in their favourite physical activities at the gym without any pain. Teenage patients often opt for labiaplasty because their labia may hang and sag so excessively that it deters them from wanting to take part in school social activities and sports. Simple things like getting dressed in a public change room appears terrifying. For adults, the thought of being intimate also seems daunting. For these and many other reasons, patients praise labiaplasty as a life changing procedure.
Let’s look at the procedure in more detail. A labia’s lips (just like breasts) are ‘sisters, not twins.’ While it’s natural and certainly normal to have a labia that appears asymmetrical, many patients find that one side will hang excessively lower and carry more tissue then the other. The other side may also protrude, but maybe not as much. A labiaplasty can be performed using various techniques, including removal of excess tissue with surgical tools or a laser. Either way board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeon Dr. Adibfar will choose the safest advanced technique to best suit your anatomy and goals.
One of the more popular ways to reduce the labia’s size is via the wedge technique. With this technique, Dr. Adibfar removes a triangle patch of excess tissue from the center of each side of the labia. The two remaining edges are then closed together using sutures which results in a labia with its natural edges left intact. Dr. Adibfar safely removes the appropriate about of tissue to make certain that both sides are neat and as symmetrical as possible. For more severe cases, Dr. Adibfar may need to remove the excess tissue, creating a new edge. Patients may also require a clitoral hood reduction or lift for those with excess tissue over the labia. Once the surgery is complete, patients are asked to have someone bring them home and support them should they need anything over the next several days. Patients will be icing the area for approximately 3 days while the swelling and bruising subsides. After that patients are encouraged to walk around for increased circulation, however will not be able to participate in strenuous exercise or intercourse for 3-4 weeks.
Once fully healed, patients are free to slowly get back into more strenuous activities and enjoy wearing more fitted clothing!
Patients, especially younger, find this procedure to be incredibly helpful in raising their confidence and self esteem. They lose all feelings of embarrassment and feel free to participate with their peers, as well as in their favourite sports. Women also find that they no longer feel pain in their every day life and find their intimate encounters all the more satisfying!
Click here to learn more about labiaplasty or to book a consultation with Toronto’s Elements Spa’s board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeon Dr. Adibfar.