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Some people may or may not have heard of this procedure, but labiaplasty has gained much recognition from their Hollywood counterparts and their reputation for being able to create the ‘designer vagina’. A surgery like this does not always come cheap and is not about aesthetics in the conventional Hollywood sense. This is in fact something that many women opt for due to circumstances beyond their control.

Labiaplasty is not simply a ‘tidy up’ or ‘cosmetic solution’, but a necessary procedure for women who have oversized or asymmetrical labia minora. This can cause discomfort and irritation especially when wearing items of clothing, going horse riding, bicycle riding or during intercourse. Some women can be born with this; however, most women can develop this as a result of childbirth or through age.

For some women pelvic floor muscle exercises are not enough to help bring that particular area into shape again. Multiple childbirth can cause weakening of the muscles, stretching and elongating the labia skin, causing pain and irritation on everyday activities. In this case, surgery would be the only option to reshape the area back to the way it used to be. Usually the results are permanent, meaning that all that would be required is for the patient to take plenty of time out relaxing and refraining from taking part in any strenuous activities.

Those looking to undergo labiaplasty purely for cosmetic appeal, but is not necessary will be refused. Unless the reasons for going through the procedure are medical then it is highly likely that the consultant will refuse to do surgery on you. This is not a ‘touch up’ or ‘make-over’, it is directed towards women who have suffered the above issues and find it difficult to manoeuvre without feeling pain.

Prior to going through this, a lengthy consultation is completed followed by a medical assessment. There may be a number of different reasons why one should not go through this, in some cases the patient may feel uncomfortable or nervous. All patients are perfectly within their rights to ask as many questions as they desire, as it is better to be a hundred percent certain that you want to go through the surgery and be completely knowledgeable about what to expect before, during and after.

The surgery is usually done under a general anaesthetic, or in special circumstances it can be preceded under sedation or via a local anaesthetic. This usually takes approximately 1 - 2 hours, depending on the severity of the condition. The patient is usually required to rest in hospital for a few hours or for twenty four hours. Patients are asked to take between five days to a month off work, depending on the individual’s rate of recovery.

It is always recommended that women are left to do any of the daily activities after two weeks from receiving the surgery, which will mean complete bed rest for the next two weeks. It is also recommended that women should not have intercourse for at least four weeks, as the area will still be supple and sore. They will expect there to be discomfort when going to the toilet or walking, there is no miracle cure apart from pain killers and complete rest.

Anna Stenning has researched extensively on labiaplasty seeing how it has become more common for women to go through.