What Is Labiaplasty?

Author bio: Guest post is provided by Dr. Berenholz of the Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Institute of Michigan.  Dr. Berenholz specializes in vaginal reconstruction surgeries and labiaplasty in Chicago and Michigan.  Check out his website for more information.

You may have heard talk of vaginal cosmetic surgery and wondered what it was.  There are different types of vaginal surgery options including labiaplasty.  Vaginal cosmetic surgery is extremely common today.  It’s not even unheard of to learn of a high number of labiaplasty in Minnesota and other Midwestern states.

Labiaplasty is a surgery that involves the alteration of the labia minora and the labia majora.  The minora is the inner labia and the majora is the outer labia.  Some women seek this type of surgery because they were born intersex.  Someone who is intersex displays sex characteristics of both a male and female.  This can be in the chromosomes and can also be displayed in the actual genitals, causing ambiguity of the genitals.

There are also other conditions and functional impairments that lead women to undergo labiaplasty.  The majority of women who seek labiaplasty do so because they want to change the appearance of their vagina.  The vagina often goes through an extreme transformation after childbirth.  The size, color and shape can change dramatically.  The natural aging process can also produce physical changes in the vagina.  Pelvic relaxation problems are not uncommon for older women as the vaginal muscles weaken.

Labiaplasty works to correct many issues with the vagina; it can enhance the vagina both aesthetically and functionally.  There are various ways to perform the surgery, but one is typically put under general anesthesia and the recovery time is minimal.