What is The Healing Time for Labiaplasty?

By: Dr. Sean Kelishadi, M.D. FACS

6/24/2020

Labia tissue can become enlarged as a result of aging or having children. This often leads to pain or irritation during everyday activities. Women may even feel less than confident about how their vagina looks. For these reasons and more, some people choose to have the elongated tissue repaired with labiaplasty surgery. Dr. Sean Kelishadi is a board-certified plastic surgeon who offers this procedure to patients in Newport Beach, CA.

But how painful is labiaplasty, and low long does it take to heal? If you are considering this procedure, you may be concerned about the labiaplasty recovery timeline. When visiting SSK Plastic Surgery, our skilled professionals take the time to educate patients about what to expect. Contact a member of our team to get your consultation today. We are proud to help you relieve discomfort and improve your quality of life.

Who should get labiaplasty?

The goal of labiaplasty surgery is to reduce the overall size of the labia minora, or the inner labia. Even though labiaplasty is a relatively easy outpatient procedure, there are certain aspects of the process that every patient should know. This is why you should meet with a board-certified plastic surgeon with plenty of experience performing these procedures. During your visit, you can ask to see before and after pictures of previous patients to better understand what results to expect. We can also address the following at SSK Plastic Surgery:

  • Your goals for surgery

  • Your current health and medication use

  • If you are a candidate for labiaplasty

  • What techniques will be used during surgery

  • Our labiaplasty recovery timeline

  • What to wear after labiaplasty

How painful is labiaplasty?

Many people want to know – how painful is labiaplasty? During the procedure, patients should feel little to no pain. This is because we use a form of local anesthesia to help you feel as comfortable as possible. Dr. Kelishadi has written articles about a successful technique he helped devise, which he may use for this procedure. This involves gently removing the excess tissue from the labia minora while bringing the remaining tissue into proper shape. Whenever possible, SSK Plastic Surgery places suture lines in creases of the body, so they are nearly invisible. We also do our best to preserve your natural appearance and sensation.

Your labiaplasty recovery timeline

After the labiaplasty is complete, you may feel some mild discomfort in the area. Side effects include bruising or swelling that could last several days or weeks. Dr. Kelishadi will give you helpful instructions to make your labiaplasty healing time feel more pleasant. This includes the use of pain medications and frequent icing of the area. Because sitting and walking will be painful immediately after surgery, you will need to take at least one full week off from work to rest and recover. Patients with active jobs may need to take off longer.

To reduce your risk of infection or irritating the labia tissue, you will need to follow our recovery guidelines closely. Even after you return to daily activities, try to avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise. Do not insert anything into the vagina for 6 – 8 weeks. This includes tampons and engaging in sexual activity. You should also refrain from submerging the affected tissue in water. When you visit our clinic in Newport Beach, CA, for a follow-up appointment, we can examine the area and make sure the labiaplasty recovery timeline is going as planned.

What to wear after labiaplasty

Although many women are satisfied with the outcome of their labiaplasty, you may still have some concerns about pain and discomfort. Knowing what to wear after labiaplasty may help. Wearing loose-fitting underwear, such as boxers, can prevent chafing and lessen the side effects of surgery. Our office also recommends comfortable skirts and dresses until your labiaplasty healing time is complete. Because we understand that having a labiaplasty is a very personal decision, you can rest assured that our team will be with you throughout the entire process.

Is labiaplasty worth it? Yes!

SSK Plastic Surgery is a top cosmetic surgery facility that offers a range of services for patients in the Newport Beach, CA area. We offer surgical and nonsurgical procedures alike to enhance and improve certain areas of the face and body. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sean Kelishadi is proud to offer his expertise, and he and his dedicated staff make sure you are fully informed about your labiaplasty. We want you to move forward with confidence! When you are ready to learn about the recovery process and healing time for labiaplasty surgery, we encourage you to contact our office today for an appointment.

* All information subject to change. Images may contain models. Individual results are not guaranteed and may vary.