The vulva or the outer female reproductive organ is composed of two pairs of lips. The outer lips called the labia majora (hairy) and the inner lips, or labia minora, which are smooth and covered with mucous membrane.
A correction of the labia majora is very rare. If they have lost too much volume, it is possible to correct this with an injection of fatty tissue (fat) or fillers.
Most corrections are performed on the inner labia. They may have collapsed due to one or more childbirths or may be too large. The discomfort can be aesthetic, but also functional. Irritation occurs when riding a bicycle for example or during sexual intercourse. These situations are often very embarrassing and women can take a long time before consulting a plastic surgeon. This is however a very common problem and easy to correct.
The labia can be corrected under local or general anaesthesia. The surgeon makes a zigzag incision to obtain a flexible scar (a straight scar often tends to contract). He will be careful to stay as far as possible from the clitoris in order to avoid any discomfort caused by scarring. The sutures are absorbable and therefore do not be removed.
Due to the fact that the vulva is a warm and humid area, it can sometimes take a long time to heal. Bruising is very frequent because it is a highly vascularized area. This may cause some sensitivity or pain in the first few days.