Southwest Center for Female Genital Refinement
The Southwest Center for Female Genital Refinement
Labiaplasty
Labiaplasty (also known as labial reduction, labial beautification or labial refinement) is a procedure that reduces or reshapes the labia minora, which are the inner-vaginal lips. Women may choose to have this procedure to improve the physical appearance of their labia.
Patients will tell me that their large or misshapen labia cause pain during intercourse, discomfort with day-to-day activities or discomfort with wearing tight clothing.
Some women feel that their labia are unattractive and these women have in fact, been the subject of teasing by others in either sexual or nonsexual situations. Teasing can have devastating effects on a woman's self-esteem and confidence.
The large labia can be genetic, caused by aging, childbearing, or various sexual practices. Labia minora reduction is sought after by women who dislike their large inner-vaginal lips that protrude past their labia majora, which are the wider vaginal lips. These women report that they have pain with sexual relations or have been embarrassed with a sexual partner or no longer wear tight fitting pants. Labial reduction allows for an improvement in the appearance of large or misshapen labia.
Women who either experience sexual problems or embarrassment over their labia minor or inner-vaginal lips are good candidates for labial reduction surgery.
Labiaplasty can be done as an outpatient surgery. The patient usually returns to sexual activity in approximately four weeks. There are no sutures that need to be removed and scarring is minimal, if at all. The patients are able to return to work in one week or less and the results are uniformly excellent.
Labiaplasty is commonly referred to as labial beautification, female cosmetic genital surgery, and labia reduction, labial refinement, labia enhancement, vagina lip reduction, or simply labia surgery.