Your Guide to Labiaplasty Recovery

When you look and feel confident about yourself, it carries into multiple aspects of your life. Confidence can lead to an increase in sexual relations and feelings of intimacy with your partner as well. For some women, the appearance and size of the labia can interfere with their daily activities as well as their confidence levels both professionally and personally. 

Women who have a condition called labia minora hypertrophy, when one or both of the “lips” are unusually large or asymmetric encounter problems such as irritation, issues with hygiene, and vaginal infections, as well as infections in the urinary tract. An enlarged labia can even prevent women from wearing leggings or shape-revealing clothing. This can decrease your overall self-confidence and personal image, ultimately leading to embarrassment in private, intimate situations. 

If this sounds like what you might be experiencing, a labiaplasty performed by an experienced, professional plastic surgeon could play an important role in restoring your image and comfort. Labiaplasty can be completed as a single treatment or as part of a mommy makeover, along with procedures such as a tummy tuck or breast augmentation. Board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Sean Kelishadi of SSK Plastic Surgery in Newport Beach, CA, can help restore your quality of life and bring back your level of comfort that has been missing with labiaplasty.

One of the biggest concerns among patients who undergo labiaplasty by Dr. Kelishadi at SSK Plastic Surgery in Newport Beach, CA is in regard to the recovery process. Below, Dr. Kelishadi details what patients can expect when recovering from labiaplasty and how this procedure can improve a woman’s quality of life. 

Labiaplasty Recovery – What to Expect 

Your body is unique and important to you. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sean Kelishadi of SSK Plastic Surgery wants his patients to feel confident about themselves when going through a labiaplasty procedure. He also cares about safety, which is why patients will be provided with information about post-operative instructions, restrictions, and normal symptoms that they may experience. 

A labiaplasty is an outpatient procedure performed under local anesthesia, where we do everything in our power to minimize your swelling and bruising. A trusted and responsible family member or other adult needs to stay with you for the next 24 hours as the anesthetic may have an effect on your body. This person should continue to stay with you at home to help with daily tasks as needed. Our team can prescribe prescription pain relievers and an oral antibiotic to help you feel more comfortable. As for bed rest, we suggest avoiding placing pressure on the area as it will be tender from the sutures. 

Showering, Bathroom Use, and Hygiene After Labiaplasty

For the best recovery possible from labiaplasty, you should keep the area clean, especially after using the restroom. This will help keep infection at bay. We recommend pouring warm water over the area while urinating to bring you some comfort. However, we ask that patients not submerge their incisions completely in water, such as a bathtub, pool, or ocean until the wounds have healed. Loose underwear and clothing, as well as sanitary napkins, can make you feel more comfortable in between restroom stops. If you are menstruating, please do not insert tampons and use sanitary napkins instead. 

Concerns With Sutures and Scarring

Your wounds should only take a few days to heal. The sutures are dissolvable and will fall off naturally on their own. Dr. Kelishadi uses closures that prevent or minimize scarring on the body. It is suggested that patients avoid scratching the incisions even if they itch. You can use an ointment such as aloe vera or antibiotic cream to keep the sutures soft. If you have other questions about the healing process, please reach out to a member of the SKK Plastic Surgery team. 

Starting Physical Activities After Labiaplasty

For the first few days following surgery, you should spend most of your time resting. Light walking is allowed to prevent blood clots, but do not force yourself if you are tired. Strenuous activities and exercise should be avoided for several days, such as lifting, reaching, and pushing. Do not bend over or try to lift anything over 10 pounds to avoid injury. During this time, you should also avoid driving or operating a vehicle. You will need to wait 4 – 6 weeks before resuming sexual activity. Most patients can return to work in 4 – 10 days, based on the physical demands of their job. 

Labiaplasty Follow-Up 

It is normal to experience swelling, bruising, redness, and other discomfort in the days after your labiaplasty. These symptoms may change based on the complexity of your surgery. Dr. Kelishadi uses state-of-the-art, advanced techniques to keep these effects at a minimum so you can be as comfortable as possible. 

At SSK Plastic Surgery in Newport Beach, CA, we help you schedule a follow-up appointment at our facility within two months following the labiaplasty. This is so we can monitor your progress and symptoms as you recover from labiaplasty as well as check for infection. If you experience a concerning symptom while healing at home, please call our office right away so we can help you address it. 

A labiaplasty is a gratifying procedure with satisfying results. It is our hope that a labiaplasty improves the aesthetic look of your labia and makes the tissue smaller and more comfortable, enabling you to participate in activities that you may have refrained from in the past. Our staff offers compassionate care and an experienced, board-certified staff who can help. To find more information or to see if this option is viable for you, schedule an appointment with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sean Kelishadi at SSK Plastic Surgery in Newport Beach, CA today.