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Woollahra Sydney . Wollongong NSW

Labia Surgery is performed at Dr Hunt’s clinic by our Female Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Maryam Seyedabadi. An all-female theatre team can be arranged for this intimate surgery.
A Medicare rebate may be available for Labiaplasty surgery if you meet the strict criteria. Find out more about Labiaplasty Surgery, its benefits, recovery, costs, and aftercare tips.
What Is Labiaplasty?
Labiaplasty is surgery to alter the shape of the vulva. The vulva is the external part of the female genitalia. It’s sometimes used interchangeably with ‘vagina’ to refer to the same thing.
The labia, or vaginal lips, make up the largest part of your vulva. You have 2 sets of labia, which can be hidden beneath clothing or within natural creases in the skin.
- Labia Minora: These are more frequently the target of cosmetic procedures. The small or inner lips of the vagina are those fleshy lips extending outward. Large Labia Minora are cosmetically unsatisfying for some women. Moreover, they might get in the way during vaginal sex, causing pain or injury. A Labiaplasty procedure can trim the small vaginal lips and bring them down in size.
- Labia Majora: These are the external, skin-like edges of the vulva. They’re less likely to cause cosmetic concerns or require cosmetic surgery.
Other components of the vulva include the vaginal opening, urethral opening, and clitoral hood; however, these are not usually a target of genital plastic surgery.
Who Might Opt For Labiaplasty?
Before reading any further, you should know this: there’s no “normal” when it comes to the shape of your vagina.
Dr Maryam makes sure all of her Labiaplasty patients do it for the right reasons only. You should only consider Labiaplasty if:
- You’re unhappy with your genital appearance and want to change it (cosmetic reasons)
- Your labia is getting in the way during sexual activity, causing pain or injury
- You’ve had a genital injury during birth or due to an accident
- You’ve had previous genital surgery that disfigured your vulva (e.g. vulva cancer surgery)
If you fall under any of these categories, then you may be a suitable candidate for Labiaplasty Surgery. Dr Maryam will discuss your desires and expected outcomes during your first Labiaplasty consultation.
Why Patients Might Consider Labiaplasty
Patients might choose to undergo Labiaplasty for a number of different reasons, including:
- Sex life: If your labia is getting in the way during vaginal penetration, then Labiaplasty Surgery may help.
- Altering the vaginal appearance: During the Labiaplasty procedure, Dr Maryam will alter how your vagina looks on the outside.
How Is Labia Reduction Performed?
Labiaplasty is an outpatient procedure, so you’ll be in and out of the hospital clinic on the same day. It will be performed under general anaesthesia.
The goal of Labia Surgery is to remove excess tissue from the vulva and reshape the labia.
There are two vaginal plastic surgery techniques commonly used to reduce the labia:
Wedge resection
This is a more commonly performed Labiaplasty technique. During wedge Labia Reduction, Dr Maryam cuts a small triangular piece (a wedge) in the middle of the labia minora on each side. She removes this excess skin wedge and then pulls the remaining labia tissue tight together. The result is smaller labia minora that are better tucked in.
Trim procedure
This technique involves Dr Maryam performing a vertical incision along the outer edge of the labia minora. She cuts a few millimetres off the edge of the labia to make them smaller and less outward-projecting.
There are other combinations and variants of these procedures. Dr Maryam will adapt her surgical technique according to your needs.
Labia Surgery may also be combined with Fat Transfer or Liposuction.
Recovery After Labiaplasty
Full recovery from the Labia Reduction Procedure can take 4 to 6 weeks post-surgery.
Labiaplasty is an invasive procedure. You should expect to experience soreness, pain, and swelling in the groin region. These are completely normal side effects of Labiaplasty.
Symptoms are generally worse during the first few days after Labiaplasty. As of the second week, the swelling and pain should start significantly improving, and by 6 weeks most should generally be back to normal. The exception is some swelling that might persist for a few months.
Regarding limitations after Labiaplasty, here are a few things you should avoid:
- You can generally get back to work 5-7 days after surgery
- You should withhold sex for at least 2-3 weeks until the labia heal
- Avoid intense sports for 4-6 weeks, and once you start, start gradually
- Avoid smoking and vaping during recovery
Dr Maryam will prescribe several medications, including an antibiotic and painkiller, to help you recover and manage any pain and side effects.
Labiaplasty Aftercare Tips
To help you with your recovery after Labiaplasty Surgery, we’ve put together some useful tips:
- Don’t use tampons after Labiaplasty. Use pads instead. Tampons after Labial Reduction can be traumatic and irritate your healing wounds.
- Perform sitz baths once daily to reduce the swelling and soothe the pain. Make sure to use salt lukewarm water to get the full benefit.
- Apply ice packs on your underwear. This reduces the swelling and pain after Labiaplasty. Do not keep the ice pack on for more than 15-20 minutes continuously.
- Sleep with your behind elevated. You can do this by putting a couple of small pillows under you while you lie down. This helps reduce swelling from Vaginal Surgery.
- Wear loose-fitting clothes. Tight clothes might restrict blood flow to the labial wound, delaying healing.