Congratulations on your weight loss success! Similar to other areas of the skin that change with weight gain and weight loss, your labia may have also undergone changes. Pregnancy and menopause may also contribute to these changes. Fortunately, these changes can be addressed through a procedure called labiaplasty.
The labia refer to the folds of skin around the vagina. The labia minora are the inner folds of vaginal skin that lead directly into the vaginal canal. The labia majora are the larger folds of skin on the outside of the vagina. Weight loss patients can have changes that involve both the labia majora and the labia minora, as well as to the entire mons pubis (pubic) region.
Enlarged and elongated labia minora can be a source of embarrassment for many women. This enlargement can cause a bulge in certain clothing and can make a woman feel self-conscious during sexual intercourse. This, in turn, can lead to low self-esteem and loss of libido. Labiaplasty is a surgical procedure to reduce the size of the labia minora. It is performed on an outpatient basis, and has a very high patient satisfaction rate.
Some patients are concerned with the width of the labia majora. A labia majora or mons reduction is a procedure performed to reduce the width and fullness of the labia majora. This procedure can safely be combined with reduction of the labia minora, if necessary.
Before and After Photos
In addition to a labiaplasty, some patients may also require mons rejuvenation. During this procedure, the entire pubic region is recontoured and lifted. Dr. Michaels includes a mons lift (pubic lift) as part of his tummy tuck procedure for weight loss patients.
Dr. Michaels is a board-certified plastic surgeon and is highly experienced in body contouring after significant weight loss. He is one of a few plastic surgeons to have completed a fellowship specifically dedicated to body contouring after weight loss. During your consultation, Dr. Michaels will carefully listen to your goals and concerns, and a treatment plan will be tailored specifically to your needs.
When performed alone, procedures on the labia are most often performed on an outpatient basis. Given that many post-weight loss patients have more than one area that they would like to correct, it is not uncommon to combine labiaplasty with another body contouring procedure such as breast lift. This option will be discussed with you during your consultation.
Quick Facts
Length
1-2 hours
Anesthesia
Local anesthesia or general
In/outpatient
Outpatient
Side effects
Temporary swelling, bruising, and some pain
Risks
Pain, bleeding, infection, asymmetry, incomplete improvement, decreased sensation, painful intercourse
Recovery
1 week back at work. 2 weeks light exercise. 3 weeks more strenuous activity. 6-8 weeks for swelling to resolve. 6-10 weeks resume sexual intercourse.
Duration of results
Individual results may vary.
If you would like to learn more about labiaplasty and mons rejuvenation, click here or call 301.468.5991 to schedule a consultation.
