Both men and women occasionally wish to have their genitals altered through surgical means. In women it is usually vaginal surgery, surgery of labia minora or majora or hymen reconstruction surgery. Men usually wish to have the size and volume of their penis changed, or perhaps circumcision.
Generally speaking vaginoplasty is the modification of the female vagina. The most frequent procedure is the narrowing of the vaginal opening. This specific narrowing of the vagina can lead to it becoming more firm.
The goal of this surgical procedure is to provide the patient with a better sex life.
This surgery is usually performed in middle-aged women who have given birth. The vagina and vaginal opening has loosened because of the birthing process and increasing age.
The procedure is performed under general anesthesia and usually lasts 45 minutes. It is performed using the following technique: In the area of the vaginal opening, on its back side, an excision of tissue in various sizes (according to the wish of the patient, anatomical findings, etc.) is made. Then the wound is sutured. It is better to make the extent of the excision bigger and therefore narrow the opening more because it is common that the vaginal opening will widen slightly again.
If the incision is expanded even to the back of the vaginal wall and in different lengths, we can contract the whole vagina in this way. This surgery is also performed under general anesthesia, it takes about 1.5 hours.
The surgery does not only involve the mucosa, but it enters into the muscular layer of the vaginal wall. First, the vaginal mucosa is excided in the needed (chosen) extent; next, the muscular layer of the vagina is firmed and shortened. The last phase of the surgery is to suture the vaginal mucosa. The same procedure is valid regarding the extent of the excision as is mentioned in the correction of the vaginal opening. During this surgery, the prudence and experience of the surgeon is critical because of the vagina’s proximity to the terminal part of colon. This is necessary to prevent the creation of a so-called rectovaginal pouch.
Both methods of surgeries use absorbable suturing material. Following the surgery, it is recommended to avoid sexual intercourse for up to six weeks. More information about vaginoplasty abroad can be found here.
This term refers to the surgical modification of the inner and outer lips of a woman’s vagina.
The labia minora in women often protrudes between the labia majora and may reach an unbelievable size. The goal of this surgery is to reduce the protruding inner lips, and in severe cases, sometimes even almost completely remove them. Because of their function we do not recommend their total removal.
The surgery is not especially difficult; it can be performed under local anesthesia, analgosedation, or if needed, under general anesthesia. We use absorbable material for the sutures and don’t recommend sexual intercourse for about one month.
There are several solutions:
It is possible to perform all the above surgeries under local anesthesia, although it is better under analgosedation or general anesthesia. More information about labiaplasty abroad can be found here.
This most often occurs in young women. There are also several solutions:
Much could be written about the reasons women decide to undergo this surgery.
There are several methods, although it is impossible to fully reconstruct the real hymen. The only goal of this surgery is bleeding during sexual intercourse so the man believes he was the first man for his partner.
Usually, a thin, short and small flap of mucosa is separated from the vaginal wall (approximately 1/3 of vaginal width.) It is then sewed very gently to the opposite vaginal wall. In this way, the vagina is not blocked too much to interfere with menstruation; but at the same time, the woman will bleed during sexual intercourse.
The surgery is not difficult for an experienced surgeon. It is better to perform the surgery under general anesthesia. More information about hymenoplasty abroad can be found here.
– Total (complete) removal of the penis’ foreskin; the foreskin is removed to the extent that the glans penis is uncovered. The sutured surgical wound is under the glans penis. More information about circumcision abroad can be found here.
Common reasons for this surgery include:
– An incomplete foreskin removal that is combined with the enlargement of the opening of the foreskin flap for the glans penis.
This type of procedure is usually done for medical reasons:
It is possible to perform both types of surgeries under general anesthesia with several hours or a one day stay in hospital. It can also be performed under local anesthesia as an out-patient procedure, when the patient goes home after surgery. The sutures are not removed as they are from an absorbable material. Sexual abstinence is necessary for approximately 3 to 4 weeks.
Many men have questions relating to the possibility of a penis enlargement or extension. It is necessary to keep in mind that this surgical procedure has its difficulties; and the risk for complications is great. If complications do occur, they can lead to irredeemable penis damage, not only anatomically but also functionally (penis deformation, erection defects, etc.)
– And perhaps even enlargement of the penis in volume. It involves several procedures; usually a combination is best.
It is necessary to wear a special weighted bandage to retain the achieved state for several weeks after this procedure. If this bandage is not worn, the penis could shorten back to its original size during the healing process.
The most advantageous method is to use one’s own tissue – usually a fat tissue:
The tissue is taken from the lower abdomen (for example) and is injected with subcutaneous injections into the penis.
This tissue is taken from the area of the lower border of the buttocks – elliptic tissue excision from both sides. The wound is sewn; the resulting scar is hidden in the fold under the buttocks.
This method comes with a high risk of necrosis of implanted tissue, purulence and so on; on one or both sides. An adequate cool and calm mode is necessary for 4 to 8 weeks. The effect is more visible and longer lasting. More information about penis enlargement abroad can be found here.
It is always necessary for doctors to know precisely what the patient has in mind; regarding both the result and the reasons for the desired surgery. Knowing this, we can hopefully meet the patient’s expectations; or inform them of the true possibilities. This is true for all cosmetic procedures.
Temporary trend – an effort for perfect body – forces women to pay attention also to parts of their bodies that are mainly fully hidden from the eyes of public. For last few years the plastic surgeons have come up with aesthetic modifications even in the most intimate places – external part of female genitalia.
The female external genitalia consists of vaginal opening, urinary opening and a peak with many sensitive nervous endings – clitoris. This whole part is on sides covered with gentle skin folds of tissue – the inner lips (labia minora) that come together right in the area of clitoris. The female external genitalia is on sides covered with bigger skin folds with fat cushions – the outer lips (labia majora). The outer lips usually cover and close the external genitalia. Sometimes it happens that the labia minora grows into bigger size or length and thus they can protrude between the labia majora. Mostly this overlap is not too big so it doesn‘t cause any discomfort neither aesthetically nor functionally.
If the inner lips protrude too much they can cause discomfort in aesthetic way and also in everyday life. Sometimes it is difficult to fit this abnormally enlarged labis into tight underwear or swimsuit, not even mentioning underwear of “tanga“ type, sometimes it can cause discomfort by sport activities – for example bicycle riding. It can also cause some problems with intimate hygiene and this “defect” can represent also a psychic obstacle during the intercourse. The labiaplasty is then effective with good results. Sometimes the plastic surgeon can meet the request for modification or reduction of outer lips, although these procedures are performed relatively rarely. Sometimes there is even request for hymen reconstruction surgery that can also be performed.
Relatively frequent request for modification or reduction of vagina is although already part of gynecological procedures.
As a necessary condition for the procedure is an adult patient. Another necessity is thorough consultative examination with plastic surgeon when the patient gets not only the examination itself but also detailed instruction how the surgery will be performed and what is to be expected. In most cases the patient can agree on her requirements for size or shape of the operated area with the plastic surgeon. The date of the surgery should be then scheduled so that the patient will be operated shortly after the ended menstruation. The plastic surgeon has to instruct the patient also about the need of right intimate hygiene in the period after the surgery.
The labiaplasty is performed almost always under general anaesthesia, on the operational table in gynecological position. The surgeon measures precisely the direction of surgical incisions before the surgery so that the final scars will not be visible and mainly that they will not make any discomfort to the patient. Great attention should be paid to the area of clitoris so the gentle nerves that give special sensitivity to this area will not be corrupted.
Beside very gentle and careful work it is very necessary to cease the bleeding during the surgery. After the modification very tight and also gentle suturing of surgical wound is necessary. To stitch the wound various types of suturing material are used, sometimes absorbable othertimes nonabsorbable (such sutures have to be removed after the wound is healed). Which suturing material is used depends always on the plastic surgeon and his/her experiences. The surgery takes according to the size of the procedure around one hour and is not especially difficult to the patient. Also soreness after the procedure is normally not big, the patients mention only unpleasant but not that strong burning in this area.
The patients after the labiaplasty usually go home next day after the surgery. It is good to stay calm in the next period for about one week, to avoid long sitting, including long car drive and to have the opportunity of perfect hygiene several times a day. We recommend showering and washing with a soup for intimate hygiene or with good and gentle antiseptic soup after each visit of the toilet and to cover the area with pad.
Although some patients heal better if the wound is left on countrary totally uncovered or “free“. The operated area get relatively often quite swelled, but usually the swelling disappears after several days. It is better if you are regularly checked by your surgeon. In any case you should know that the healing process takes minimum 10 but mostly 14 days, sometimes even more. Smaller swelling can stay even for longer time and the operated place gets its final shape approximately after 6 weeks, after this period the patient can start with her sexual life again.
The labiaplasty brings almost always very satisfactory results to the patients. Of course it very much depends on the experiences of the plastic surgeon, so that he/she is able to avoid possible complications that are nevertheless not too common. It also depends very much on the cooperation and discipline of the patient so that she can fulfill all the recommendation in the period after the surgery.
Some doctors – sexologists – don’t like these surgeries too much, they are afraid of possible reduction of sexual sensation in operated women. The experience of last years, when labiaplasty has been performed here, the opposite has been seen. Women who undertook the surgery mention mostly improved sensation during sexual intercourse. Also that by the surgery their psychic problem of their genitalia appearance is removed contributes to global relaxed and improved experiences in their sexual life.
To visit a plastic surgeon in order to change intimate parts of your body is not a snap decision. If you’ve gotten to that point you’ve probably done your research and are prepared for the surgery. Some women have genital surgery for esthetic reasons and others for medical reasons. Modern clinics offer many modifications of external female genitalia. Most of the procedures carry minimum risk and only require several days of hospitalization.
The first step should be a consultation with a possible plastic surgeon. An exam will be performed by a gynecologist who specializes in female genital surgeries. The goal of the consultation is to “coordinate” the patient’s esthetic requirements with the surgical possibilities of the procedure. The final effect of the procedure should be a satisfactory one with minimum medical risks. The date for the procedure is set right after the end of menstruation. This is to ensure optimum hygienic conditions of the genitals during the healing process. (Women taking hormonal birth control can postpone their menstruation by not stopping the pill to have it so they are freer to select the date of the procedure.)
It is not necessary to schedule gential surgeries in the fall and winter seasons like for cosmetic and vascular surgeries that are performed on uncovered parts of the body.
The procedure is performed under sterile conditions in the surgical room, under general anesthesia, with the necessary pre-surgical, laboratory and specialized medical (internal) examinations.
After surgery care and the healing process is usually uncomplicated if medical recommendations and hygienic measures are strictly followed. The healing process usually takes five to ten days, depending on the extent of the procedure. Post-surgery pain usually lasts one to two days. Plan on staying in hospital for one to two nights. Medical check-ups and compresses, (eventually iced compresses) are an essential part of the hospitalization, just like controlling pain after the surgery. The patient will receive effective analgesics in the form of inner-muscle injections, pills or suppository applied in the rectum. The patient will change to out-patient check-ups during their home care based on the surgeon’s recommendation.
The above mentioned procedures, pre-surgical consultation, laboratory and internal examination and hospitalization are not covered by health insurance.
Labiaplasty is a cosmetic surgery, mainly the reduction and eventual “reshaping” of the labia minora. An undesirable change in the shape of the labia can be influenced by changes after the birth of a child, an accident, congenital asymmetry or congenital enlargement of this part of the external genitals. The reasons for the surgery might be esthetic or medical. The enlarged lips can cause problems for example during walking, sports, sexual intercourse, etc. Women and young girls of any age can undergo this procedure. The surgical process consists of the removal of extra tissue through a sharp incision. The edges of the incision are consequently cosmetically modified through a suture with absorbable stitches. The absorbance of the stitches takes up to three weeks; the stitches are not removed.
The hymen is a mucous membrane that partially covers the vaginal opening in women that haven’t had sexual intercourse yet. Hymen restoration can be performed through the surgical modification of the mucosa of the vaginal opening. The incision is done with a scalpel around the circumference of the vaginal opening. The reconstruction of the so-called hymen circle is consequently performed with a suture. An absorbable suturing material is again used with minimal irritating (causing irritation) characters on the sensitive mucosa and skin in this area.
This procedure means plastic surgery of vaginal opening and (according to the need and situation) also of the adjacent part of the vagina and perineum. It is mainly performed in women who have an acquired deformation of their external genitalia. The reason might be a vaginal delivery of a large baby or a badly healed perineum cut. Besides esthetic reasons, patients often have problems with pain during sexual intercourse and in extreme cases do not have sex because of the pain. Another group of women that have this surgery are older women with a reduced elasticity of submucous tissue. The vaginal opening is more exposed because of age, hormonal reasons and a congenital disposition. It can lead to a less satisfactory sexual experience for both partners, frequent inflammation of the vaginal or urethra and an uncomfortable feeling when walking or sitting. The surgeon chooses the optimal process based on the deformation of the vaginal opening and the character of the problems. The extra tissue, parts of the vaginal mucosa or the skin folds of vaginal opening and the skin of the perineum are sharply removed and the edges are carefully reformed and sutured with absorbable stitches.
The above mentioned procedures can be combined according to the wishes and needs of the patient and based on recommendations from the surgeon.
Other female genital procedures include the removal of birthmarks, “classic” warts and so on from the area of the genitals or the removal of or the application of piercing. According to the extent and placement of the skin formation it is possible to choose to have a simpler local anesthesia. It is applied through anesthetics in the form of intra-dermal injection or gel on the skin at least 15 to 30 minutes before the disinfection of the treated area. The above mentioned procedures can be performed out-patiently with check-ups after the surgery at the clinic. Unusual skin formations are checked before the procedure by a dermatologist. The removed tissues are subsequently submitted for histological analysis.