Your labiaplasty in Sindelfingen
Alongside breast augmentation and other body-shaping procedures, corrections in the intimate area, and in particular correction of the inner labia (labiaplasty), are among the treatments most frequently requested by my patients.
This is a sensitive topic that most people cannot discuss with their partner or best friend without inhibitions. It is very encouraging, however, that women who experience corresponding distress and feel restricted in everyday life, during sports, in their relationships and in their sexuality are increasingly taking the opportunity to talk about this topic with a specialist and thus gradually approach it. In the vast majority of cases, a comparatively small and gentle surgical procedure can make a major contribution to helping you feel more comfortable and self-confident again.
The fact that women are increasingly expressing the wish for a correction of the intimate area is due less to a trend towards intimate surgery per se than to a developing understanding and sexual education that this topic, especially in times of intimate shaving, should no longer be taboo, and that one can turn to a plastic surgeon with the necessary experience with the wish for an attractive intimate area just as naturally and trustingly.
Labia majora augmentation
Due to predisposition, after pregnancy but also with age, there can be a decline in tissue or loss of volume of the outer labia (labia majora), which can have an unfavorable effect on the aesthetic appearance of the intimate area and is perceived as particularly bothersome when the inner labia also protrude significantly beyond the outer labia.
In this case, autologous fat treatment (lipofilling) can be a sensible treatment option, which gently restores volume, shape and firmness to the outer labia and at the same time can put the appearance of supposedly enlarged inner labia into perspective.
Like labiaplasty, the procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. A small amount of fatty tissue is usually harvested from the abdominal region using a particularly gentle procedure (liposuction), cleaned and processed, before the fat cells are evenly injected into the outer labia through tiny openings using a rounded cannula, thus achieving the desired change in shape or volume. It is important to note here that the fatty tissue usually does not heal in completely in one surgical session, and depending on the circumstances one or two treatment cycles may be required to achieve the desired result.
As the fatty tissue is extremely sensitive to pressure until it has completely healed in, similar rules of conduct apply as for labiaplasty. I will be happy to explain all further important details to you in a personal consultation.
Mons pubis contouring
Similar to the correction of the outer labia, a mons pubis that is subjectively perceived as too prominent can be flattened according to your wishes through targeted volume reduction by means of liposuction, or specifically built up and shaped by means of autologous fat transfer (lipofilling). In the latter case, you only need a small, suitable fat deposit for fat harvesting, ideally on the lower abdomen or on the inner or outer thighs. This comparatively small procedure can also be carried out under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. For undisturbed wound healing, similar recommendations apply as for other intimate surgery procedures. I will be happy to advise you personally and in detail on this topic if you wish.
Key facts about labiaplasty
| Duration of surgery: | approx. 60–90 minutes |
|---|---|
| Special features: | Option of combined procedures such as clitoral hood reduction, enlargement of the outer labia or mons pubis contouring |
| Type of anesthesia: | local anesthesia with/without twilight sedation, general anesthesia if necessary (to be considered for combined operations) |
| Hospital stay: | not required (outpatient) |
| Suture removal: | not necessary |
| Aftercare: | Physical rest, little walking and cooling for approx. 1 week, external intimate hygiene, regular check-ups up to 1 year after surgery |
| Back to social life: | 1 week (as a lot of lying down is required) |
| Back to work: | approx. 7 days for light office work |
| Sports activities: | 6 weeks without sports involving mechanical strain such as cycling or jogging; walks possible after approx. 1 week |
| Treatment costs: | depending on findings / surgical technique from €2,500 plus anesthesia services (if desired) |
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about labiaplasty
What restrictions and complaints are associated with inner labia that are too large?
Most frequently, women feel impaired by inner labia that are too large and protruding, with or without existing asymmetry. Resulting complaints include pain during sporting activities, up to severe swelling and pinching (for example when cycling), pain and discomfort during sexual intercourse, and avoiding swimming pools, saunas or wearing bikinis or tight-fitting clothing. Even if none of these functional impairments and psychological burdens are present, the aesthetic appearance alone can be perceived as very bothersome. Your level of distress alone is what counts.
How does the labiaplasty consultation work?
Before any surgical correction, a personal consultation first discusses in detail what your wishes and ideas are. I also inform you about possible treatment procedures and explain potential risks and complications. I then examine your intimate area to get an impression of the findings and explain which concept can best meet your individual wishes. Afterwards, I am happy to show you some representative examples in which such a correction was carried out, so that you can get a realistic impression of possible treatment results.
Once you have thought everything through carefully, feel in good hands and decide to have the procedure, the surgical correction is carried out on your preferred date if possible, on an outpatient basis and usually under local anesthesia. This means that you can go home on the same day after a short recovery period. Ideally, and necessarily if twilight sedation is desired, have a person you trust pick you up or take a taxi home.
How is the operation performed?
On the day of the operation, you will be welcomed by me and the medical staff and prepared for the operation. If you are very nervous, you can be given a sedative tablet beforehand to help you approach the procedure a little more calmly. However, this is rarely necessary.
Together with you, I will define the desired extent of the reduction of the inner labia and, if applicable, of a possible tightening of the clitoral hood by means of markings. Of course, I will explain these markings to you and give you appropriate recommendations, taking form, function and aesthetics into account.
After the intimate area has been pre-cleansed, the local anesthetic is given, which you need not be afraid of. Most patients tell me during and after the anesthetic that they had imagined it to be much worse and that they find the anesthetic at the dentist significantly more unpleasant. With the additional application of an anesthetic cream if necessary, you will hardly feel the injection. We are in constant contact and I guide you through the procedure. After thorough disinfection and sterile draping, the operation begins. I follow the planning drawing precisely and gradually remove the excess tissue using a very tissue-friendly electrosurgical instrument, constantly checking for symmetry and taking into account the overall harmony of your intimate area. The tissue is then closed in several layers with absorbable sutures using a special technique, and the wounds are cleaned. We release you from your positioning, slowly help you sit up and you receive a pad for your underwear. You then rest for a while with gentle cooling.
Which surgical technique is used?
Numerous techniques have been described for performing labiaplasty. In my technique, I place particular emphasis on a natural result combined with a gentle surgical technique in order to offer you the best possible chances of healing. Depending on the findings and their extent, different surgical techniques are used, which either reduce only the inner labia or additionally reduce the clitoral hood. Thanks to a special technique, vertical and horizontal tightening of the vulva can also be achieved. In my opinion, simply “cutting off” excess tissue at the edge of the inner labia contradicts an aesthetic-plastic approach, which aims to preserve form and function equally.
What are the risks of labiaplasty?
As with any operation, there are certain risks. Swelling of the inner and outer labia and bluish discoloration are completely normal and usually subside completely after 7–14 days. In rare cases, minor wound healing problems can occur. Bruises requiring revision (surgical relief) are extremely rare with the appropriate surgical technique and rest. Greater pain can occur above all if you walk too early and too often; an unpleasant burning sensation or feeling of pressure may well be present in the first few days but can be controlled very well with ordinary painkillers. By behaving appropriately, such as consistent physical rest and cooling, most risks can be reduced to a minimum and the healing process accelerated considerably.
How can I prepare for the operation at home?
In order to really be able to rest after the operation, it is advisable to do and prepare a few things beforehand. Get a few commercially available, moldable cooling pads and make sure you have tight panties and leggings. You should also stock up your medicine cabinet with mild (over-the-counter) painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen. Also get a sufficient number of sanitary pads (thick/normal), which will serve as panty liners after the operation and which you should change almost daily and possibly several times a day, especially at the beginning. In general, make sure that others take over shopping and other obligations outside the home for you in the first week, so that you do not have to walk much and, above all, do not have to strain yourself. You will of course receive further valuable suggestions during the consultation and in the form of a handout with instructions for the time after the operation.
What should I bear in mind before and after labiaplasty?
Before the planned operation, please shave your intimate area thoroughly. Shaving should not take place on the day of surgery but the evening before, so that the tiniest injuries have already healed. This reduces the risk of wound infections. You must also not be suffering from a urinary tract infection or an infection in the genital area at the time of the operation. Be sure to avoid taking medications that promote bleeding, such as aspirin/ASA, for up to 14 days before and after the operation. The same applies to medications such as heparin or Marcumar, which you may of course only pause or stop in consultation with your family doctor.
After the operation, you should take particular care of yourself for the first week. To do this, you should lie down a lot, cool the intimate area regularly and wear panties or leggings that are as tight as possible, which also helps prevent swelling, which always occurs and can be very pronounced at first. For the first few days, only walk as much as “absolutely necessary”, such as to the toilet, and avoid walks, as the legs rubbing together can cause unnecessary mechanical irritation in the wound area, which in the worst case can encourage wound healing problems or bruising and ultimately jeopardize the surgical result. Another important aspect is intimate hygiene, which involves external spray disinfection and changing pads after every visit to the toilet. Special creams should only be used if signs of inflammation appear and in consultation with me. You may and should shower from the first day after the operation; special intimate cleansing must of course be avoided due to the fresh wounds and delicate sutures.
Depending on individual tendency, in rare cases the stimulus of the operation can lead to a temporary change in the vaginal environment with transient fungal colonization, which sometimes requires short-term treatment with vaginal suppositories or tablets.
A first careful intimate shave can usually be done after 14 days, as the wounds have usually healed sufficiently by then.
Sporting activities that can irritate the intimate area through friction or pressure (e.g. cycling, jogging) should be avoided for a total of 6 weeks. The same applies to sexual intercourse or inserting tampons. During the regular wound check-ups, I draw your attention to all aspects and guide you through the healing phase until you can resume all your usual activities.
How much does the treatment cost?
The treatment costs are determined individually but, depending on the extent of the operation (with/without clitoral hood reduction), are between €1,900 and €2,200. For combined procedures such as enlargement of the outer labia or mons pubis contouring, the costs are correspondingly higher.
