8720 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 100 Richmond, VA 23235

Labia Reduction

Labiaplasty Procedure

Enlarged labia minora are often a cause of embarrassment and discomfort. This condition can affect both younger and older women.

Labiaplasty, also known as a labia reduction surgery, is a wonderful procedure that reduces the excess skin from the labia. Labia surgery is usually performed for not only aesthetic reasons, but also for hygienic reasons. More women are seeking to have this done as part of a mommy makeover package or simply to improve the appearance of long or asymmetrical labia folds. Young ladies who are dancers or gymnasts are also interested in labia reduction. This can be an embarrassing issue, butis easily addressed in less than an hour with the help of Dr. Lynam.

Labia Reduction Video Testimonials

Labiaplasty Procedure Case Study

Having long or multiple folds of labia minora is normal and natural – some women find their labia enlarge as a result of pregnancy, childbirth, and aging,while for others, long labia minora is a genetic issue. While there is tremendous variation among the appearance of women’s labia, most women seeking labia surgery usually request that their labia minora not protrude beyond the labia majora. Women wish to have tight, smooth and youthful-looking labia majora that don’t sag or bulge. The bottom line is, if your labia trouble you or are making you feel uncomfortable about your body, then it’s time to explore your options.

How Does Labiaplasty Improve Women’s Self-Esteem?

Many women feel self-conscious about their labia peeking out or visibly bulging through underwear or a swimsuit. Women may also feel physical discomfort when wearing yoga pants, during sexual intercourse or sitting on a bicycle seat. Removal of excess labia tissue through labia surgery allows the inner lips of the vagina to sit tucked up neatly within the outer lips.

Labia reduction is a highly safe and effective procedure to reduce the size of the labia minora by making the labia smaller, thinner, more comfortable, and very natural-looking. Labiaplasty,or labia surgery, can help to improve both a woman’s appearance and self-esteem. There should be no change in sensitivity or sexual function following a vaginal lip reduction.

Labia surgery is the most commonly performed vaginal rejuvenation procedure, and it can relieve symptoms women experience from twisting, pinching, and tugging of the labia. We find most women who get the procedure are not looking to achieve the “perfect vagina.” Instead, they just want to feel more comfortable in intimate situations, when changing clothes or showering in the locker room of their health club, and when wearing form-fitting lower body garments.

Reasons Women Want a Labia Reduction Surgery?

If you are seeking labiaplasty, you aren’t alone. According to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the popularity of labia surgery is on the rise in the U.S. The number of women getting the surgery increased by 39 percent in 2016, with cosmetic surgeons performing more than 12,000 procedures.

Though many of our patients turn to labia reduction for cosmetic reasons, there are also several practical and functional reasons women opt to get labia surgery. These include pain from chafing and tugging of the labia when running, riding a bike, doing yoga, or during intercourse, as well as itching, irritation, and self-consciousness at the gym or the beach. Sometimes, the extra labial tissue gets stuck to a woman’s inner thigh when undergarments aren’t holding it in place, which causes discomfort. Additionally, many women find their large labia make satisfactory hygiene difficult by interfering with urine flow or causing them to have difficulty inserting a tampon successfully. If you are having any of these issues, contact our clinic to schedule your labia surgery consultation with Dr. Lynam.

What Does a Labiaplasty Do?

The goal of labia surgery is to reduce the length of the labia minora so they don’t protrude or hang below the level of the labia majora, which is the part of your vagina that grows hair. Dr. Lynam may perform a labiaplasty on a woman who is concerned about asymmetrical labia when one of her vaginal lips is longer than the other, or, more commonly, to reduce the length of both labia so they no longer twist, tug, chafe, or fall out of a bathing suit.

Who Is a Good Candidate for a Labiaplasty?

The best labia surgery candidates are healthy non-smokers who have a positive outlook and realistic goals in mind. At the time of your consultation with Dr. Lynam, he will discuss your goals and explain the procedure and the routine postoperative healing process in detail,in addition to answering all your questions about the procedure. He will also go over your medical history to ensure you are a healthy candidate for labia reconstruction surgery.

A few weeks before your surgery, you will need to stop taking any blood-thinning medications, including aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs, to minimize your risk of bleeding. Other than that, there is no special preparation you need to be concerned about in the days leading up to your labia surgery, other than eating well, exercising, drinking plenty of water, and getting at least eight hours of sleep a night.

Women often ask us if they are still qualified for a labia reconstruction surgery even if they have not had children. Generally, the answer is yes. In fact, we frequently see younger patients who are dancers or gymnasts expressing interest in the procedure, so it is quite common even for women without children. However, if you are planning to have children, you may want to wait until you have completed childbearing to get the procedure.

The Labiaplasty Procedure

There are numerous surgical methods to reduce the size of the labia. Labia surgery is a highly individualized procedure and is based on your anatomy and the goals you wish to achieve. During the procedure, Dr. Lynam contours and sculptsboth of your labia by using surgical techniques to create a natural, pleasing shape and size. Sensitivity of the labia is preserved, and scarring is virtually undetectable after complete healing.

The labiaplasty procedure is usually done on an outpatient basis, takes one hour to perform, and takes place while the patient is under sedation. Most patients opt to have their labioplasty in the comfort of our state-of-the-art Richmond, Virginia office under local anesthesia and oral sedation if desired.

Techniques for Labia Surgery

Dr. Lynam uses two types of labia surgery techniques to achieve the desired results. The first technique is called the “wedge.” The wedge labiaplasty technique preserves the edges of the labia and instead takes pie-shaped pieces of tissue from other areas of the lips to make the overall size of your labia smaller. The second – and more popular – techniqueis called the “trim” method.

The labia trim method will not only reduce the overall size, but can address the darker pigmented area surrounding the tissue. The trim technique will allow Dr. Lynam to achieve a greater labia reduction than the wedge technique. Typically, the trim method also has a slightly shorter healing time.

At Richmond Surgical Arts, we understand your labia are a sensitive subject and area to discuss. However, you should never feel embarrassed or ashamed about wanting to improve your life with this procedure. If your labia are negatively affecting your quality of life in any way, it is perfectly reasonable for you to want to get labia surgery.

Our goal is to provide you with a warm and welcoming atmosphere during the consultation and the labia surgery process. Dr. Lynam has helped many women achieve their desired results by performing labiaplasties in our Richmond, Virginia office under a local anesthetic. If you are more comfortable having your procedure under full anesthesia, he can perform thelabia surgery at Stony Point Surgery Center.

Our ultimate desire for all our labiaplasty patients is to allow them to forget this area of their body was ever a problem for them. The surgery has a high satisfaction rate, and most of our patients are very happy they have taken this step to improve their self-esteem.

Can Labiaplasty Be Combined With Other Cosmetic Surgical Procedures?

Yes. Many times, patients choose to combine vaginal rejuvenation or vaginal tightening with labiaplasty for a full vaginal makeover. You may also opt to have labia surgery at the same time as other elective cosmetic procedures such as a breast lift, breast augmentation, or tummy tuck. By combining multiple surgical procedures into one single surgical session, you will be able to minimize the risk, inconvenience, and cost associated with having multiple surgeries.

Recovering From Labiaplasty

Your labia may be swollen, bruised, and sore for several weeks following surgery. The application of an ice pack on a 20-minutes-on, 20-minutes-off schedule for the first 24 hours helps reduce swelling. Any remaining swelling will resolve over the next four to six weeks. Apply antibiotic ointment to your incision several times a day for the first week following surgery.

Generally, it is a good idea to rest and let your body recover early on after surgery. Swelling can be managed with cold compresses, while itching and discomfort can be treated with witch hazel cooling pads. That being said, always ask Dr. Lynam before you apply anything to the surgical area, and be sure to have follow-up visits with himso he can assess how well your healing process is progressing.

Dr. Lynam uses dissolvable sutures to close your small incision, which should go away on their own over the next three to four weeks. After the stitches dissolve, the scar tissue will become firm before it softens after several months. Often, the scar from labia surgery blends very well into the labia minora tissue, which naturally has multiple wrinkles and folds. In fact, it might be so well hidden that your gynecologist may not even notice it.

After their labia surgery, most patients can return to work in about three to five days, and resume their normal fitness routine in about a week, with caution. You will also be able to drive a day or two after your labia procedure, provided you are not taking any narcotic medications that make it inadvisable for you to operate a vehicle.

After labia surgery, you may shower every day. Avoid sexual activity, tampons, or tight clothing that places significant pressure on the surgical area for at least six weeks. Once you have become sexually active again, it is important to be gentle for an additional month.

Labia surgery should not affect the sensitivity of your vagina. In fact, for many women, the enhanced self-confidence they achieve through their newly reduced labial tissue can actually helpimprove their sexual experience and sensation.

You should be able to see your final results within four to six months of your surgery, once your incision is fully healed. Most patients find that the benefits of the labia surgery results are long-lasting even as they age, thus creating a positive image and self-esteem for years to come.

At Richmond Surgical Arts, we provide a full range of cosmetic surgery procedures to help our patients look and feel their best. Vaginal rejuvenation is becoming the fastest-growing procedure in our practice. Labia surgery is a safe, effective procedure with both cosmetic and functional benefits. Dr. Lynam and his team of expert nurses take great pride in knowing they are helping make a difference for Richmond and the surrounding community of women bothered by this sensitive area.

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