The skin of the labia minora is very stretchy. In some women this skin stretches so much that the labia minora protrude excessively. This may be uncomfortable when wearing skimpy underwear, g-strings or tight trousers. Some women find the appearance of their labia embarrassing. Some women may have normal sized labia that may be visible because of pubic hair removal. Some women may suffer repeated thrush infections, or herpes outbreaks exacerbating their discomfort. Some women experience discomfort during or after sexual intercourse.
Choosing to have an operation to reduce the size of the labia minora is becoming more common. The operation can be performed as a day procedure usually under general anaesthesia. Occasionally it is done under local anaesthesia at the patient’s request.
The operation takes about one hour. Rest after the operation is the MOST IMPORTANT part of the recovery. One to two weeks off work is necessary. During the first week, rest in the horizontal position is important to prevent the wounds swelling, throbbing and bursting open. No stitches need to be removed. They all dissovle in the first 7-10 days.
By three months, everything is back to normal. The labia usually heal without any tell-tale scars and give a good long term result. It is theoretically possible for the skin to stretch again, but this is not common.
A special surgical technique (interdigitating flaps which avoids tightness in the scars) is used making future childbirth uncomplicated.