REPAIR OF STRETCHED OR TORN LABIA
One of the least talked about areas of cosmetic plastic surgery is reconstruction of the external genitalia after childbirth. During delivery, tearing and stretching of the genitalia may occur resulting in an abnormal or unattractive appearance. Sometimes an episiotomy is performed which heals poorly, distorting the vaginal entrance.
Many women request labial rejuvenation, or external vaginal cosmetic surgery, despite not having children. For them, the most common reason for requesting labioplasty is to get an improvement in appearance. Almost as common is a functional problem, such as irritation when riding a bicycle or horse. Soreness or pain during intercourse or sexual activity is another common reason to request a labioplasty.
The resultant scar and stretching may make an already difficult problem even worse. Many women complain of pain during sex or sexual intercourse, an unattractive appearance and considerable discomfort and inconveniece during activities like jogging or riding. The photograph on the left shows the extreme stretching that can occur.
Surgical correction depends on accurate diagnosis of the problem. After evaluation the plastic surgeon can give an assessment of the type of surgery needed. In many cases revision of a contracted scar is enough but each case is very different and correction is not easy. In many cases a Labioplasty or labiaplasty corrects the problem by removing excess tissue restoring a more normal appearance.
The labia can be so long that they will cross over each other. This makes any exercise including riding, jogging or even sexual intercourse uncomfortable.
Patients who have pain in scars after delivery may gain some relieve when the scars are released. However in patients who have deep neuromas, or scar tissue around nerve endings, the pain will persist after surgery.
All genital surgery has risks, and when performed for purely cosmetic reasons may raise important questions regarding social attitudes about sex and our bodies.
Alternative names: labiaplasty, labioplasty, genitoplasty, vulvarplasty, vulvaplasty
