Why people ask about it
Women look into labiaplasty for practical reasons and for how they feel. The practical ones are real: inner lips that rub, twist or get pinched in jeans, leggings or swimwear, that get sore when cycling, running or riding a horse, or that tug or get in the way during sex. Others feel self-conscious about how they look, or notice one side is longer than the other.
Labia vary a lot from woman to woman, in length, shape, colour and how much they show. One side is often longer than the other. Inner lips that hang below the outer lips are common and normal. The operation changes size and shape. It doesn't change anything inside the vagina.
The trim technique
The edge of each inner lip is trimmed along its length and stitched. It's the original and most common technique. It removes the darker, often irregular edge, so the new edge is usually smoother and lighter in colour. Ask to see how the surgeon would mark it, because removing too much is hard to put back.
The wedge technique
A V-shaped wedge is taken from the thickest part of the lip and the two sides are brought together, so the natural edge is kept. It suits women who want to keep their own edge and colour. The join can separate as it heals; in a large review of studies, this happened after about 8 in every 100 wedge operations.
Clitoral hood reduction
The clitoral hood is the fold of skin above the clitoris. If the inner lips are reduced and the hood isn't, the hood can look larger by comparison, so surgeons often check it and sometimes reduce it in the same operation. Hood reduction is more delicate work, close to the nerves of the clitoris. Ask whether you need it, why, and whether it's in the price.
The outer lips
Some women ask about the outer lips (the labia majora). Reducing them is a different, less common operation; adding volume with your own fat or a filler is another. Ask the surgeon what they'd suggest and how often they do it.
On the day
Many Irish clinics do labiaplasty under a local anaesthetic, sometimes with sedation, in a day clinic. Others use a general anaesthetic in a hospital. Either way it takes about one to two hours. The stitches are fine and dissolve by themselves. If you have a general anaesthetic, you'll need an adult to bring you home and stay with you that night.
Who it suits, and who it doesn't
It suits adults whose labia cause them real discomfort or distress, who have had any skin or infection problem checked first, and who have realistic expectations.
Labiaplasty isn't for you yet if:
- you're under 18
- you're pregnant, had a baby in the last six months or are still breastfeeding
- you have itching, soreness or a skin change that hasn't been checked by a GP
- you're being pushed into it by a partner or anyone else
- you expect it to fix how you feel about your body on its own
Choosing a surgeon
Every doctor practising in Ireland must be registered with the Medical Council, and only a doctor with specialist registration can practise independently as a specialist. For labiaplasty, look for a surgeon on the Specialist Division in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, or a gynaecologist on the Specialist Division in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, using the Medical Council's online register.
Nobody needs an urgent labiaplasty. If a clinic pushes you to book or pay a deposit on the day, walk away and take your time.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between trim and wedge labiaplasty?
A trim removes the edge of the inner lip along its length. A wedge takes a V-shaped piece from the middle and keeps the natural edge. Each has its own trade-offs.
What is clitoral hood reduction?
Removing extra skin from the fold above the clitoris. It's often done in the same operation as a labiaplasty, when the hood would otherwise look larger by comparison.
Is labiaplasty the same as vaginoplasty?
No. Labiaplasty reduces the outer folds, the labia. Vaginoplasty tightens the vagina itself, a different and bigger operation, at about €6,000 to €7,500 in Ireland.
How long does labiaplasty take?
About one to two hours, and most people go home the same day.