Although labiaplasty surgeries are not relatively difficult, it is an aesthetic intervention that contains many fine techniques and tips. As with any surgery, labiaplasty surgery also has some risks. In this section, the risks that may arise in the early, middle, and late periods after labiaplasty are discussed in detail.
It is important to clearly express your expectations before the labiaplasty operation, establish a strong relationship of trust with your doctor, and get appropriate answers to all your questions.
Especially in recent years, increasing patient demands and the fact that physicians do not receive training have brought about the victimization of many patients. The groups and negative posts in the form of 'labiaplasty victims' that we see on social media are generally related to the inaccuracy of the applied techniques rather than the difficulty of the surgery. The patients should have follow up the recommendations of their doctors after labiaplasty.
Early Term Risks After Labiaplasty
Acute complications that can be seen in the early period of labiaplasty operations include bleeding, hematoma, allergic reactions to drugs or anesthetics used. If the procedure is performed in the office environment and accompanied by local anesthesia, a decrease in blood pressure due to the vasovagal reflex and temporary loss of consciousness can also be observed.
Bleeding prevention measures in labiaplasty
There is a risk of bleeding in the early period, and to prevent this, some anti-bleeding measures are applied by your doctor. Some physicians also recommend PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) injection after the operation to accelerate wound healing. PRP and PRF can also be performed during the operation to reduce bleeding.
Mid-Term Risks After Labiaplasty
Complications such as excessive edema, wound infection, and opening of sutures (wound detachment) may occur in the middle period (usually on the 3rd-5th days) after labiaplasty. Skin/subcutaneous bleeding, sometimes in the form of leakage, may continue up to 7-10 days after the operation. Wound infections usually develop due to previously undiagnosed vaginal infections. Vaginal infections can cause wound infections, and wound infections can cause sutures to open. For this reason, it is of great importance to perform a detailed vaginal examination before labiaplasty surgery.
Opening surgical sutures after labiaplasty
The opening of the sutures or wound detachment in the operation area may occur due to the following reasons, apart from the surgical technique applied;
- Inflammation of the stitches (especially improper dressings)
- Lack of attention to hygiene
- Returning to activities in the early period after the operation
- Presence of subcutaneous bleeding (hematoma)
- Disruption of vascular circulation
The sutures may open due to circulation problems caused by the tight closure of the tissue, especially when the wedge removal technique (V-Plasty) is applied, or as a result of the wound edge layers not coming entirely end to end while suturing.
Long-Term Risks After Labiaplasty
If the labiaplasty operation is not performed following its technique, it may cause some problems in the long term. These may appear as complaints such as the following;
- Scar formation
- Abscess formation
- Fenestration (windowing)
- Asymmetry (symmetry disorder)
- Prolonged edema
- Urine going in different directions in the bowl
- Sensation changes
- Dyspareunia (pain during sexual intercourse)
- Complaints such as sawtooth appearance (scalloping*) may occur on the lip edges.
(* Scallop: It is the name given to the ‘clam’ animal in English. This appearance is given this name because the shells of the scallops are indented like a sawtooth.)
Fenestration due to tissue necrosis after labiaplasty (wedge resection technique).
Asymmetry after labiaplasty
Asymmetry after labiaplasty is one of the most common problems. Asymmetry can cause physiological problems such as urine flowing in different directions and negatively affect patients psychologically. Especially in patients with symmetry obsession, psychological effects are quite high, even in mild asymmetry situations. Revision operations may be necessary in cases of asymmetry after labiaplasty.
Completely removal of genital lips in labiaplasty operation
One of the most common mistakes is the complete removal of the inner (smaller) genital lips. This is a 'labiectomy' procedure, not a labiaplasty!
Labiectomy is a cause of poor aesthetic appearance and may cause problems such as vaginal dryness and sexual intercourse pain. In this case, it is not easy to make lips again.
Inadequate surgery
An undesirable view for patients is that the reduction process is not in the desired amount. In general, most of the patients in our country desire the maximum possible tissue removal.
Another problem is that the skin folds on the clitoral hood are not interfered with, despite the shortening of the inner lips. As a result of this situation, the clitoral hood (bump on the clitoris) takes on the appearance of a 'child penis' or ’micro penis’, which is much more disturbing for many patients than before. In this case, labiaplasty revision surgeries can be performed frequently.
Short and thick remaining lips (stumping)
In patients with thick inner lips, the short and thick appearance of the new edges formed after the incision is made with scissors can be aesthetically disturbing. This condition is known as “stumping”. If the stump is not considered a pleasant appearance, labiaplasty revision, that is, a corrective operation can be applied.
When can revision operation be performed after an undesirable labiaplasty surgery?
When undesirable appearances occur after labiaplasty surgery, at least three months should be waited for revision, that is, corrective surgery. However, the aesthetic results obtained after labiaplasty revision surgeries will never be as successful as the first operation. For this reason, the first operation should be performed with great care and meticulousness.
Labiaplasty surgery risks are minimum in experienced hands
Those who have genital aesthetic and labiaplasty surgery are mostly quite satisfied with the results after the operation. Nevertheless labiaplasty surgeries require patience, meticulousness, and experience. Although the operation is seen as a simple surgical procedure, it contains many tips and tricks. For this reason, the knowledge and experience of the physician operating are critical.In experienced hands, the risks and complications that may develop due to labiaplasty surgery are much less.
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