Labiaplasty Surgery

Everything You Need to Know about Your Labiaplasty Brisbane Surgery

Labiaplasty is a cosmetic surgical procedure to reduce the size or to change the shape of the inner or outer lips, or labia. Many women are born with large or irregular labia minora (inner lips). For others, the appearance of these can be altered by childbirth. Whatever the cause, labia that are too large or uneven can cause embarrassment with sexual partners, as well as discomfort and irritation from tight clothing and some sporting activities.

Patients often seek designer vagina surgery or labiaplasty when suffering from discomfort or sometimes the need for labiaplasty is simply to feel better about this most personal part of your body. Other procedures can be performed as part of labiaplasty including the reduction of the Hood of the Clitoris, volume replacement, skin rejuvenation of the outer lips (the Labia Majora), and the reduction of the Mons Pubis with liposuction or Cryolipolsis (Fat Freezing).

If you answered Yes to any of these questions, and you want to improve the way you feel about your body, you may be a candidate for labiaplasty surgery. This decision is a very personal one. Only you can decide what is right for you.

Learn more from Dr. Konrat

It is critical that you are fully informed about the procedures: the information on this website has been written and is regularly updated by Dr. Konrat. However, you should never make a decision by reading a web page alone, no matter how comprehensive the information is. We encourage you to book a personal consultation with Dr. Konrat, where she will assess you, explain the procedure and your options in detail and help you to understand all the benefits as well as the risks and complications of labiaplasty surgery.

The Procedure – Pre-Op, the Operation and Post-Op

Pre-Operation

Your vagina surgery journey will start with an in-depth consultation with Dr Georgina Konrat, including an examination and a discussion of your desired outcome in a confidential relaxed atmosphere. Dr. Konrat will explain the procedures in detail. We understand that you may not remember or understand everything you hear in your consultation, so we encourage you to take notes to review at home and to call or email Dr. Konrat with any questions or concerns you may have about your intended surgery.

Prior to your surgery, pre-operative blood tests will be taken and one week prior to your surgery, you will commence taking Kelloggs Guardian Flakes to assist with ease of bowel action. Labiaplasty surgery can be performed at any point during your menstrual period, so there is no reason to be concerned should it coincide with your procedure booking date.

The Operation

If you are having surgical labiaplasty, the procedure will be performed in a Day Hospital under general anesthesia. For patients having a DOVE labiaplasty, this procedure will be performed in an accredited clinic and is performed under local anæsthetic.

1. When you arrive, you will be admitted by one of the operating theatre nurses.
2. Local anæsthetic cream is applied to the area. This makes the area very numb.
3. Pre-operative photos are taken, and special surgical drawings mark the areas to be treated.
4. You will be very sleepy, and throughout the procedure, you will be entirely comfortable. At times you may even drift into a deep sleep.
5. Long-acting local anaesthetic reaches into the area to be treated. At no time is there any pain or discomfort associated with the procedure.

Post-Operation

After your operation, you must organise for a responsible adult to collect you, take you home, and stay with you overnight. During the first 24-hours after the operation, you will be quite uncomfortable, but this will be well managed with pain relief medications prescribed for you, and by using ice packs to help reduce swelling and inflammation in these delicate areas.

What to expect over the next 2-weeks?

There may be a number of tiny dissolvable sutures in the skin, and also some just inside the opening of the vagina; Although these are dissolvable, most of the stitches are removed gently at around 14 days after your procedure.

• You will be prescribed antibiotics to take orally for at least one week after the surgery.
• Most women find they can resume normal activities after 5 days.
• Usually, sexual activity may resume in 4-5 weeks.
• The first 7-10 days can be a little uncomfortable and you should not wear jeans, tight pants or other restrictive clothing during this time.
• We highly recommended that you rest for at least 3-4 days following the surgery. After that, for the next week, you should gradually return to gentle daily activities.
• There may be many tiny sutures in very delicate skin that will require at least two weeks to heal well.

Risks Associated with Labiaplasty Surgery & Laser Procedures

General Risks of Surgery

Because surgery is such a vital part of modern medicine, there is a tendency to forget that there are risks associated with every type of surgery. While these risks are small, every person undergoing surgery should be aware of the risks.

Wounds

All internal and external wounds need time to heal after surgery. Sutures or stitches and other materials are used to hold wounds closed while they heal.

Wound break-down

In a small percentage of cases, tiny areas of the scar will not completely heal. This may leave a tiny hole where the stitch was, or a small area approximately 3-5 mm long, which does not close as fast as the rest of the stitches. When this occurs, there are two options:

• Watch and wait – the wounds will gradually close and heal on their own or;
• if, after assessment, Dr. Konrat feels the overall result will be improved by closing the small wound breakdown, then this is done by placing a few stitches in the open area to assist with healing faster and giving a better aesthetic result.

Infection

This is rare: Despite taking precautions, infections can occur during and just after surgery. These may be general, such as pneumonia, or specific to labiaplasty surgery. Because labiaplasty patients are generally in good health, they usually have a lower risk of developing general infections such as pneumonia.

However, minor infections can possibly occur and can affect the rate of healing. If this happens, some small areas may take a little longer to heal than others. This is an area where a large number of bacteria and other organisms normally live every day. Their environment is disturbed following surgery and laser procedures, with the potential for very minor infections to occur which is why taking the prescribed antibiotics is so important.

Bleeding / Bruising

Rarely a small clot or hæmatoma may develop. This is not serious unless a very large and painful lump develops. This is very rare and almost never occurs. When it does occur, please notify Dr. Konrat or her surgical nurse so that they can assist you immediately and perform an assessment. Early intervention is best and assists with healing as expected.

Swelling

The tissues in this area are very delicate and minor swelling may persist for some weeks. This is not unusual and will heal well in time. Women often experience similar healing after childbirth, particularly if they required stitches.

Asymmetry

Although all care is taken to achieve complete symmetry, both sides may not be exactly the same prior to surgery and is therefore difficult to make them perfectly symmetrical after the surgery. During your consultation, Dr. Konrat will help you understand what you can expect.

Pulmonary Risks

Patients have a risk of forming a blood clot in the leg (deep vein thrombosis) that breaks off and gets stuck in the lung circulation (pulmonary embolism). This is minimised by the wearing of surgical ‘stockings’ during the surgery, and by getting out of bed as soon as possible. You will also be encouraged to breathe deeply when you wake up from the anæsthetic, as this expands your lungs and helps ensure your blood oxygen levels are good.

Risks of Anaesthesia

Labiaplasty is performed either under Twilight anæsthetic with long-acting local anaesthesia, or in a Day Hospital under general anaesthesia. As a rule, risks posed by anaesthesia are very low in cosmetic surgery patients, because the patients are generally in good health. Dr. Konrat will take a full medical history, will order a number of tests prior to surgery and will make lifestyle recommendations to ensure your health is optimal before the surgery. This will minimise any general risks.

Mental Health Disorders and Elective Surgery

It is important that all patients seeking to undergo elective surgery have realistic expectations that focus on improvement rather than perfection. Complications or less than satisfactory results are sometimes unavoidable and may require additional surgery. This can be stressful for patients.

In your consultation prior to surgery with Dr. Konrat please openly discuss any history of emotional depression or mental health disorders. If you are unsure whether a matter is relevant, please mention it anyway. Although many individuals may benefit psychologically from the results of elective cosmetic surgery, the effects on mental health can never be predicted, and could possibly have a negative influence on emotional stability.