What Is a Cosmetic Vulvoplasty?
A vulvoplasty is a surgical procedure performed to reshape or reconstruct the vulva. It’s considered useful for both medical and aesthetic reasons. It takes care of issues arising from excess tissue that could be caused by congenital abnormalities. A vulvoplasty is a gender-affirming surgery for transgenders and non-binary individuals who are assigned male at birth. For people assigned female at birth, you may get vulvoplasty because of vulvar damage due to trauma or multiple births.
Vulvoplasty enhances the appearance of the vulva. Conditions like vaginitis and vulvitis lead to the need for vulvoplasty in some cases. While similar in nature, vulvoplasty and vaginoplasty target different areas. Vaginoplasty focuses on tightening the vagina and is considered for cosmetic or functional reasons. You need a surgeon with experience in cosmetic vulvoplasty for optimum outcomes.
If you think you might need a vulvoplasty, Dr. Felix Cohen at Cohen Medical Practice (CMP) has years of experience in the medical community and extensive training in top-tier hospitals.
His practice offers a wealth of feminine health and reproductive procedures, including other cosmetic vaginal and vulvar procedures, such as:
Am I a Good Candidate for a Vulvoplasty?
For aesthetic reasons, a vulvoplasty improves the appearance of the vulva and may be an ideal choice if you feel your genitals should have a more balanced and natural appearance.
Your surgeon may recommend you undergo a valvuloplasty for several reasons, such as:
- Reducing the size of labia if it interferes with your comfort during sex or when doing everyday activities
- Correcting asymmetries, when you’re uncomfortable with its appearance
- Removing excess tissues for comfort and to reduce and remove pain
- Getting close to a proportionate appearance of the vulva for your own satisfaction as it begins to sag with aging
- Improving self-confidence in intimate relationships
- Providing you with another important step in your gender-affirming process
If you’re experiencing pain or irritation from any injury or from aging, or you have an infection that affects vulvar health, vulvoplasty may fix that. Some congenital conditions or previous surgeries lead to functional issue causing scarring, for which a vulvoplasty is often an ideal solution.
If you’re transgender or non-binary and you were assigned male at birth, then a vulvoplasty helps you change the appearance of your genitals so that they match your idea of your gender better. This helps you live your life confidently and authentically. Your CMP physician in NYC explains what it can do and how it can help you achieve your goals.
What’s the Procedure for a Vulvoplasty?
Vulvoplasty may be done using different techniques and approaches depending on your health and your goals. During the initial consultation, following a medical history and thorough physical exam, your CMP surgeon presents you with different options available so you’re completely aware of what’s going to happen and how.
The next steps for cosmetic vulvoplasty include:
- Receiving general or local anesthesia, depending on the case
- Making precise incisions to reshape the vulva according to your needs
- Removing excess tissue or reshaping tissue so that the desired aesthetic or function is achieved
- Closing incisions with sutures that may dissolve or require removal
- Monitoring you in the recovery room until you’re stable and awake
Due to anesthesia, you won’t feel any pain. The surgery takes about one to three hours depending on how complex the procedure is, and the technique used. Usually after one to two weeks, swelling and pain decrease. It may take four to six weeks to recover fully. Maximum recovery requires regular follow-ups and following all the instructions given by your physician in NYC.
What Can I Expect After a Vulvoplasty?
After the procedure, you experiance an enhanced appearance of the vulva, which boosts your confidence and body image. You may also benefit functionally, as it reduces discomfort during activities like having sex, sitting, exercising or wearing tight-fitted clothes.
To experiance maximum benefits, your CMP physician informs you about after-care, which includes:
- Avoiding physical activity
- Taking painkillers for pain management
- Keeping the area dry and clean to prevent infection
- Attending follow-up appointments properly
It’s important to monitor your recovery closely. Call your physician immediately if you have a fever, redness, swelling around the incision, discharge or an unusual smell.
Are There Any Risks From a Vulvoplasty?
Like any surgery, a vulvoplasty comes with minimal risks and side effects. But all of them are manageable when you have the right team doing the procedure and monitoring the healing process. Infection at the incision site is common, so make sure you follow your physician’s instructions to keep it clean.
The outcome of the vulvoplasty depends on the skill, talent and experience of your surgeon. The right technique and precision are necessary when it comes to removing excess tissue, for both aesthetic and functional procedures. If you think you may need a vulvoplasty, then choose the best doctor for it so that all the risks are reduced. Contact Cohen Medical Practice today to get the best results possible.