Women desire to look beautiful, is what we have been hearing since centuries. But how often we get to hear that they even wish to look beautiful at the most intimate area of their body? It might come as a surprise to you the way it came to me when I got to know a recent term in the surgical arena of cosmetology 'designer vagina'. Our mums might faint but the trend is so much in that you will surely like to know what it is all about!

 

 

Vaginal Rejuvenation

Labiaplasty, the medical term for this kind of surgery is done to either the labia majora or the labia minora around the vaginal area. It is also spelled labioplasty and sometimes referred to as labia minor reduction or labial reduction. The procedure involves reducing elongated labia which is not appealing (lookwise). Sometimes even labia has to be created where there is none; in this case, the process becomes the part of vaginoplasty. Obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr. Sejal Desai explains, "Labia are what we the mouth or the opening of the vagina. There are two of them - labia majora are the outer portion, which contains the fat and labia minora, which is the inner part." During childbirth damage takes place in the labia, because a pair of larger labia can cause pain or discomfort. Dr. Desai further adds, "There are many women who are not happy with the shape of their labia. And I am not just talking about the married one who has undergone child birth, even the young girls who have experienced physical relation wish for sculpted vaginal look. Your labia might be enlarged or one may be bigger than the other. So we do shaping up of the labia and it is called labial rejuvenation. Sometimes even the upper part of the vulva could be associated."

 

 

Why is it Done

Labiaplasty reduces the size of one or both sets of labia. It can be performed to repair the labia following disease or injury, or especially after childbirth. Dr. Sejal says, "It is done mainly as a cosmetic procedure, primarily for labia minora, where they could be too long or come in the way. Sometimes, one lip is bigger than the other. Then it is done to make both the same size. In labia majora, the fat could be excess only on the top part, so we remove the fat by liposuction."

 

 

Surgical Only

To shape the labia majora or minora, it is a short surgical procedure. Dr. Sejal says, "It is done under very short anaesthesia. Usually we do it in combination with the other procedures, whatever the patient is coming in for like tummy tucks and liposuction. Some are done even with hysterectomies and with vaginal tightening. It could be done with any procedure. By itself it is a very short 10-15 minutes outpatient job. Although, there are no such non surgical ways but fillers, or fat removal from that are can be done non surgically." After surgery, patients may experience some mild discomfort and variable swelling, which usually disappears in one or two weeks. Surgeons suggest a recovery period of three days to two weeks. Asked whether there any specific patients on whom this surgery is done, Dr. Sejal replies, "No, it is done on demand. It is a cosmetic procedure like a tummy tuck or a breast implant or a liposuction. If the patient finds the shape or the look unaesthetic, that is the time we do it." Dr. Sejal Desai is a Well known Opsterician & Gynaecologist, Mumbai