Vaginal rejuvenation
Vaginal rejuvenation
The term vaginal rejuvenation covers several different procedures. It is sometimes called female genital plastic surgery, female genital rejuvenation surgery, female genital cosmetic surgery, vulvovaginal plastic surgery and designer vagina surgery, among other terms. Among the procedures that comprise female genital plastic surgery are labiaplasty, clitoral hood reduction, labia majoraplasty, monsplasty and vaginoplasty.
Labiaplasty
The term labiaplasty refers to a procedure that reduces the length of the labia minora. It is the most commonly performed vaginal rejuvenation procedure and it can relieve symptoms women experience from twisting and tugging of the labia.
Reasons patients want a labiaplasty
Women opt for surgery for a variety of reasons, including pain from twisting and tugging of the labia when riding a bike or during intercourse, itching, irritation and self-consciousness.
What does a labiaplasty do?
The goal of the procedure is to reduce the labia minora so that they don't hang below the hair-bearing labia majora. A labiaplasty may be performed to reduce asymmetry when one is longer than the other, or, more commonly, to reduce the length of both labia so that the labia no longer twist, tug or fall out of a bathing suit.
Clitoral hood reduction
Excess folds of the clitoral hood, or prepuce, can be reduced with a clitoral hood reduction. The procedure is most commonly done along with a labiaplasty.
What does a clitoral hood reduction do?
The extra folds can create a bulge that is exaggerated when the labia minora are reduced, and a clitoral hood reduction can improve the balance in appearance of the female genitalia.
Monsplasty
A monsplasty is a procedure designed to reduce bulging of the mons.
Reasons patients want a monsplasty
Some women struggle with a bulge of excess skin and fat in the mons, the upper part of the hair-bearing part of their vulva. The bulge can result in women feeling too embarrassed to wear a bathing suit or tight pants.
What does a monsplasty do?
The purpose of a monsplasty is to reduce the amount of fatty tissue and/or skin, depending on the cause of the bulge.
Vaginoplasty
Vaginoplasty (also known as posterior colporrhaphy) is a procedure designed to tighten the vagina. Patients with significant laxity may not experience a benefit from these treatments and may be better candidates for surgical tightening with vaginoplasty.
Reasons patients want a vaginoplasty
After childbirth, women may complain of vaginal laxity, resulting from stretching of tissues and separating of muscles, sometimes to the point that a tampon falls out, and this lack of tone can contribute to sexual dysfunction.
What does a vaginoplasty do?
A vaginoplasty brings the separated muscles together, and the extra mucosa skin from the back side of the vagina is removed. The external skin can also be removed for a more aesthetic appearance.
Anesthesia
The type of anesthesia that is used for vaginal rejuvenation depends on the individual patient. However, many vaginal rejuvenation procedures can be done comfortably with local anesthesia and light sedation.
Cost
The total cost of a vaginal rejuvenation depends on the individual patient, but can range from $2100 to $3500.
Recovery
Recovery takes about a week, with physical activity restrictions for two to six weeks, depending on the extensiveness of the procedure.
Risks
The decision to have plastic surgery is extremely personal and you will have to weigh the potential benefits in achieving your goals with the risks and potential complications of surgery. Only you can make that decision for yourself.
You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure and any risks and potential complications.
The risks associated with vaginal rejuvenation procedures include those of most surgical procedures, including bleeding, hematoma and infection.
The most common complication is over-resection. While some women desire an aggressive reduction, this can result in chronic dryness, scarring at or near the vaginal opening and pain with intercourse. Healing problems are more likely to occur with a wedge procedure, particularly if the patient is exposed to substances that cause blood vessels to shrink.