Labiaplasty Expectations

Pre-Op Labiaplasty Expectations

On the day of surgery, you’ll arrive at the surgery center a couple hours before your procedure at which time Dr. T will answer questions, give you medication to relax (Xanax) as well as antibiotics and pain medications. You’ll relax an hour or so as they take effect. We’ll then head back to operating suite and prep you for the surgery. Many of the patients fall asleep at this time, which is absolutely fine! You can also listen to your music or watch whatever you’d like on your phone. To get started with the procedure, we’ll inject local anesthetic into the labial tissue. This lasts less than a minute and you will only feel the small pinch of the needle.

Post-Op Expectations

You will receive a comprehensive post-operative packet that details exactly what you need to do to make your labiaplasty as successful as possible. Generally speaking, the more you leave the vulva and labia alone after the surgery, the better it will heal. Icing the area is critical during the first week of recovery.  I recommend lounging or laying on your side for the first 2 weeks, as opposed to sitting directly on a chair. If you must sit, a donut cushion is highly recommended. During a shower, gently let soap and water run over the area when you wash, no scrubbing of the vagina is allowed. When you go to the bathroom, use a peri-bottle to rinse with water and then gently dab with toilet paper to dry. No sexual activity or immersing in water for six weeks. After about six weeks, you will be able to return to normal activity and while you may have some minimal swelling, you are most of the way there. The results will be visible and this is an exciting time for us as we see how happy you are!

The 2 Week Visit

After two or three weeks, you will have a follow up appointment with Dr. T. This is an important visit as we will evaluate your progress and make sure there are no issues or concerns. We may need to trim sutures, but generally this is just for a visual check up. We call this appointment out because your labia will be very swollen and it will not be a reflection on your final results. I emphasize this to my patience to reassure them that progress is being made and everything is normal. You won’t see the final results until about six weeks after surgery.

Pain after a Labiaplasty

Despite what many patients think, the pain after labiaplasty is surprisingly minimal. You may experience some discomfort, but this can be managed with over-the-counter acetaminophen / Tylenol and ibuprofen /Advil, Motrin. I have never had to prescribe narcotic medications for pain. The pain will begin to subside within the first few days after surgery and will improve each day thereafter.