Labial Aesthetics

 

The inner lips that we call the labia minora lie like a strip between the outer lips, which we call the labium majus. They meet each other at the top, just at the clitoris level. They become indistinct at the bottom, forming a circle. The shape and size of the inner lips vary from person to person.

 

Protrusion of the labia minora beyond the labia majora can be considered normal. However, some women may have excessively droopy and/or large labia minora. The labia minora can be asymmetric with their sizes and shapes different from each other.

 

This not only disrupts the aesthetic appearance of the genital organ, but also causes problems that affect functionality such as pain and irritation during intercourse. When doing sports and wearing tight trousers and bikinis, frictional irritation (chafing) may occur on the labia minora. When noticed from the outside, the labia minora can cause serious lack of self-confidence and psychological problems in the woman.

Patients with labium minus (labia minora) larger than normal may have to use pads even at times other than menstrual period due to excess secretion. Irritation, swelling and bad odor may occur in the genital area after walking and sports activities.

Labium minus deformities can be corrected with a variety of procedures. All of these procedures are called labiaplasty operation. Labiaplasty can be performed on any woman. It does not damage the hymen. It does not prevent pregnancy or normal (vaginal) delivery. Labiaplasty does not have any negative effects on sexual intercourse and pleasure; on the contrary, it changes these for the better.

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There are 4 different labiaplasty techniques

1)Trim Labiaplasty

With this technique, the procedure is performed under general or spinal anesthesia. The labia minora are reduced in size by cutting them with the help of scissors, and then the remaining tissue is repaired with fine sutures. Tissue healing is not good because this technique does not provide bleeding control and creates a straight incision line on the labium instead of an inward curve. It is a method that I don't use.

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2)Wedge Labiaplasty

In this technique, a triangular tissue is removed from the middle of the labium, and its remaining parts are sutured to each other. It is a technique that I use to reduce large and fleshy labia. When the photos taken before and after the wedge labiaplasty surgery are compared, the results appear to be very pleasing; but in this technique, there is a 1% chance that the wounded edges of the lips will fail to stick together, resulting in a wound dehiscence problem. To eliminate this possibility, we use either very late-dissolving or non-dissolving sutures. We perform labiaplasty operation under general or spinal anesthesia. Operations take 1 to 2 hours depending on the severity of the case. After a labiaplasty operation performed in the morning, the patient can be discharged the same day in the evening. If the operation is performed in the evening, we discharge the patient the next day. We call our patients for postoperative checkups at regular intervals for a period of 2 months. During each checkup, we take new photos and compare them with the previous ones.

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3)Laser Labiaplasty

This technique is similar to trim labiaplasty, but it is performed using 980 nm diode lasers instead of scissors. Contrary to popular belief, the laser does not stick the tissues together. Instead, it cuts the tissue by burning it. This procedure can be performed under general or spinal anesthesia. Operations take 1 to 2 hours depending on the severity of the case. If laser labiaplasty surgery was performed in the morning, the patient can be discharged the same day in the evening, as with wedge labiaplasty. If the operation is performed in the evening, we discharge the patient the next day. We call our patients for postoperative checkups at regular intervals for a period of 2 months. During each checkup, we take new photos and compare them with the previous ones.

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4) Radiofrequency Labioplasty (RF Labioplasty)

The RF Labiaplasty is similar to laser labiaplasty, but it involves the use of radiofrequency instead of laser for cutting. This is the technique that I’ve preferred for years. Radiofrequency is superior to laser in all respects. The laser cuts the tissue by burning it, while the radiofrequency device cuts the tissue by evaporating but not burning it. When using radiofrequency to cut the tissue, the surrounding tissue is not destroyed as in laser cutting. (SEE THE PHOTO)

 

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The patient is hospitalized for RF labiaplasty and then the procedure is performed under general or spinal anesthesia. Labiaplasty operations take 1 to 2 hours depending on the severity of the case. Photos are taken both before and after the operation. Patients admitted in the morning can be discharged the same day in the evening. Patients admitted in the evening cases can be discharged the next day. After the reshaping of the labia, the cut edges are closed under the microscope with very fine sutures. Since the sutures are dissolvable, they do not need to be removed afterwards. After the labiaplasty, we call our patients for postoperative checkups at 15-day intervals for a period of 2 months, and each time we document the process by taking photos and monitor the change. Full recovery after labiaplasty takes 2 months. As there may be swelling, it is not appropriate to make early comments before the completion of the first 2 postoperative months.

 

Patients are advised not to have sexual intercourse for a period of 6 weeks after labiaplasty. They can take a bath as soon as they go home. They can return to work within 1 week. Patients never feel unbearable postoperative pain.

Labiaplasty surgeries can also be performed under local anesthesia, but for a long time, I have not found it appropriate to perform labiaplasty under local anesthesia. As you can see in the videos, local anesthetics are injected into the labia minora. The labia minora swell as a result of the injection, and this condition makes it very difficult to maintain symmetry during the operation. When the swelling subsides 2 months after the operation, it can be very annoying to see that the labia minora that looked symmetrical during the operation are not actually symmetrical. For this reason, I do not find it appropriate to inject any local anesthetic that will disrupt the integrity of the tissue to be removed.

 

Labiaplasty is a very sensitive surgical procedure that requires ultimate attention and must be performed under microscope. Therefore, it should only be performed by surgeons who are experienced in this field.