Looking at the Future of Labiaplasty

With the growing acceptance of cosmetic surgical procedures like rhinoplasty, liposuction and breast augmentation, labiaplasty is slowly on its way to joining their ranks. Although still surrounded by a certain stigma, more and more women are undergoing the procedure and the unfavorable reputation surrounding it is gradually lifting. This is further helped by studies conducted that demonstrate the effectiveness and success rate of labiaplasty procedures.

Despite its recent emergence, labiaplasty has actually been around for more than half a century. The development of the procedure from its origins to its modern equivalent is quite significant. Whereas in the past it was done for strictly medical purposes, such as to control swelling and ease discomfort, nowadays it has become more known as a purely cosmetic procedure that improves the external aesthetic appearance of a woman’s genitalia.

Labiaplasty is classified as a cosmetic reconstructive surgery, as the procedure involves removing excess tissue in a woman’s labia minora, or the inner folds of skin surrounding the vaginal opening. However, the outer folds or the labia major may also be reduced. Many women who have undergone labiaplasty claim an increased level of comfort and better sexual performance.

Despite its steady rise in popularity, a lot of women still have misgivings about getting plastic surgeons labiaplasty and often hesitate to look further into the matter. The most common cause for concern is safety. During the earlier years if its development, the common technique used in labiaplasty was amputating the excess labial tissue before suturing the edges together. This method resulted in bleeding, longer recovery time and scarring.

The image this conjures is probably enough to keep any woman at bay, but due to recent medical and technological advances, the method has been refined and is now done with more precision and expertise. It is done under local anesthesia, and only takes one to two hours to finish under the hands of a skilled surgeon. In fact, according to recent studies, very few plastic surgeons labiaplasty patients experience complications and the risks are far lower than other cosmetic surgical procedures.

Over time, society will eventually embrace the benefits that plastic surgeons labiaplasty can bring, as opposed to the controversy it also stirs. Other cosmetic surgical procedures received the same amount of flak, but soon it will be known as a safe and effective way to increase a woman’s self-esteem and improve quality of life.