The Consult
I want you to be as comfortable as possible with this process. It’s not enough for me to just give you excellent results.
Here are some ways I make a labiaplasty exam simple and comfortable:
- There is no speculum
- We won’t use stirrups
- It is a looking only exam, guided by you with a mirror
- The exam takes 5-10 seconds.
The Pre-op Visit
The pre-operative visit is a chance to go over your aftercare instructions, and to have any questions answered that you may have about labiaplasty. Arissa and Andrea, my clinical nurses, will also take photographs for our records. Please know that your privacy is hugely important to me and my staff. We don’t save your name with your photographs EVER, and we NEVER post or share photos without your direct written and verbal approval. That includes on this very website, and of course on social media. We use this infographic to go over the details of your care and the timeline of your labiaplasty healing, return to work, and other life highlights, including when you can have sex (6 weeks until intercourse please).
Type of anesthesia: It’s up to you
There are three options for anesthesia with a labiaplasty, and I offer them all:
- Local and topical anesthesia (numbing cream): You are awake
- Local and topical anesthesia with valium: You are a little sleepy
- Local and topical anesthesia with IV sedation (“twilight anesthesia”): You are asleep
This part is entirely up to you. Some women feel that they want to be awake for the entire process, perhaps because they are nervous about anesthesia. Other women want to be asleep for the entire process, perhaps because they are nervous about surgery! It’s up to you, but either way, I will make sure you are comfortable. Many of the videos on my website, including the video HERE were performed wide awake under option 1. I am very gentle with the needle and thread!
The Day of your Labiaplasty
Depending on your choice of anesthesia, you will either drive yourself or take an Uber (option 1), or you will have a family member, friend or spouse accompany you (options 2 and 3). You’ll arrive to our private surgery center, the same place where you had your consult, and we will put you in a gown. You’ll have topical numbing cream applied, as well as a urine pregnancy test. From there, we’ll give you some oral medications or an IV if you’re having twilight anesthesia for your labiaplasty. We will handle the rest! The surgery takes about 1.5 hours, and adding another half an hour of recovery, you’ll be on your way!
“Gentleness in all things.”
-Dr. Opp
A Step-by-Step Guide to the Labiaplasty Procedure
The most critical aspect of the labiaplasty is being gentle. That’s it. Gentleness to tissues. Because I have a very delicate touch, you’ll see that there is very little swelling and bruising during the procedure.
Step by step in photos
To get a sense of how little bleeding there is during my labiaplasty procedure…
How much tissue should be removed during a labiaplasty? The right amount!
The Labiaplasty Recovery
While it seems hard to believe, there’s really only one tough day in the labiaplasty recovery: the first night. We often hear from patients that once the numbing medicine wears off, approximately 3-6 hours after the surgery, there is a stinging, throbbing or burning pain. Much like a burn on the roof of your mouth, or a bite on the inside of your cheek, this can be a miserable feeling. ICE IS THE KEY. Icing the area with our ice packs is the best way to provide both analgesia (pain relief) as well as swelling reduction (which in turn will also decrease pain). Most women can resume normal activities and return to work in 3-5 days, depending on the rigors of your job. Exercise can resume in 3 weeks and intercourse in 6 weeks after your procedure.
We are on call 24/7 for you
In over 300 labiaplasty surgeries, I’ve only had one emergency which was a hematoma: that’s bleeding in the incision. While stressful for the patient, it was a very quick fix: we went right back into surgery and stopped the bleeding. The patient did great and had no adverse problems whatsoever. I’m along for the journey, not just the surgery. Every one of my patients gets a special “medic-alert” bracelet with our on call hotline number. My nurses will pick up the phone to answer. We are here for you! Ready to schedule?
