Long, thick labia minora may be visible after pregnancy and childbirth or after major weight loss. Sometimes they are present in younger girls, just after puberty or later in life due to loss of skin elasticity and sagging of the perineum.
Labiaplasty or labial reduction involves a plastic surgical technique to reduce the large or often uneven labia minora to a thinner, neat and even size . The most well known techniques are trimming and wedge resection . The choice depends on the anatomy and often are combined .The aim is for the inner labia to be hidden inside the outer labia so that there isn’t any skin protruding especially when standing. Labiaplasty or Labial Reduction is often performed under local anaesthesia or with sedation and same day discharge.
Bed rest, comfortable underwear, large thick pads and baby wipes are helpful. Take a shower once or twice a day using a mild antiseptic soap and then pat the area dry. Minimal exercise and avoid strenuous activity as well as sexual intercourse for 3-6 weeks after surgery. The sutures are tiny and dissolve so there is no need for suture removal after labiaplasty (labial reduction) surgery. Use a barrier cream such as Sudocream for a month. Probiotics help to preserve the vaginal flora.
Swelling, bruising and bleeding for 2-3 days are common . Rarely a haematoma (blood collection) may require drainage. Moderate discomfort should be expected after Labiaplasty (Labial Reduction) and pain relief may be necessary. Infection of the wound can rarely be serious requiring antibiotics and delaying the wound healing. Some hypersensitivity around the scar may occur and may take up to 6 months to resolve. There have been some cases where chronic pain has been an issue. A usual concern is loss of sensitivity in the area of the scar however there is limited data to confirm this, probably because the enlarged labia are often described as not particularly sensitive to begin with. The scars heal well but occasionally there maybe small areas of thickness that respond to massage.
