Labioplasty and Vaginal Reconstructive Surgery

Labioplasty refers to plastic surgery of the labia minora and is usually done for women who perceive their labia to be too long. What's too long? The average labia measures less than three centimeters from base to tip, but obviously there is a huge range of what is considered normal. Some women, when reassured that their labia are slightly longer than average but perfectly normal, still desire "a trim" based on their idea of what is attractive. There are even women who are reluctant to let their partners see them since they think their labia are too "floppy," and therefore avoid being sexually intimate.

Some women do have abnormal, excessive length to their labia; a condition referred to as labial hypertrophy. Labial hypertrophy is defined as labia that are longer than four centimeters and extend well beyond the labia majora. When measuring labia, in case you are so inclined, you should spread the labia outward (like a butterfly) and measure from the base to the tip of the triangle. Common complaints in women with long labia include vaginal irritation, discomfort during walking, sitting, or other activities. Women who requested labioplasty in one study gave the following reasons for desiring surgery:

• 87% Aesthetic dissatisfaction
• 64% Discomfort in clothing
• 26% Discomfort in playing sports
• 43% Uncomfortable sex

Most women who undergo labioplasty are very satisfied with the results and are glad they went through with it, even if it means a month of no sex, bike riding, or tight clothes. A bag of frozen peas placed over the vaginal area for the first 24 hours after surgery is essential.

The other vaginal plastic procedure that is frequently requested is a "vaginal tightening," or perineoplasty. Women who have had many children, large children, or vaginal tears at the time of delivery often are left with a relaxed or scarred introitus. Basically, a relaxed introitus is a large, gaping vaginal opening which, for some women, is aesthetically bothersome or less sexually satisfying.

Labioplasty can be performed as an outpatient or in conjunction with other procedures.

(From The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy, by Lauren Streicher.)