After labiaplasty swelling is to be expected, as is some soreness, bruising, discoloration, and potential changes in sensation. Patients may become anxious about these symptoms, but rest assured, they are normal side effects.
Ahead, we’ll discuss more about post-labiaplasty recovery and swelling, including how long it generally lasts. We’ll also go over when you should contact your surgeon if you are concerned about your recovery progress after labiaplasty Las Vegas.
What Is Labiaplasty Surgery?
Labiaplasty is a type of vaginal rejuvenation surgery. The goal of most of these procedures is to reduce vaginal dryness, improve the appearance of the vaginal lips, improve vaginal tightening, or reduce incontinence.
However, the labiaplasty procedure aims to reduce excess skin and the size of the labia minora (inner labia or inner vaginal lips) by removing excess labia tissue.
Labiaplasty surgery is often performed after a patient has been through pregnancy and childbirth, although it may be performed on any woman who seeks to reduce the size of their labia minora — either for comfort reasons, aesthetic reasons, or both.
How Long Is The Labiaplasty Recovery Period?
If you include residual swelling, recovering from labiaplasty can last up to six months. However, patients typically feel much better and are able to carry out their normal activities after four to six weeks.
During your recovery time, be sure to get plenty of rest, keep your treatment area clean and dry, and follow your surgeon’s instructions for the healing process. Eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, and get quality sleep each night.
How Long Does Swelling After Labiaplasty Last?
For most who undergo labiaplasty swelling 2 weeks to 6 weeks is normal. You can reduce swelling at the surgical site by using a cold compress and drinking plenty of water each day.
Also, be sure to avoid strenuous exercise, heavy lifting, and consuming too much salt.
Warning Signs After Labiaplasty
Complications following labiaplasty are rare. However, there are risks to any type of plastic surgery. If you experience any of the following, please contact your surgeon right away to ensure you are healing well:
- High fever that won’t go away
- Persistent pain that won’t go away even with pain medication
- Excessive swelling
- Labiaplasty swelling on one side only (uneven swelling)
- Intense redness radiating from the treatment area
How Can I Speed Up My Recovery After Labiaplasty?
There’s really no way to make recovery after labiaplasty go faster. However, you can optimize your recovery and ensure that you heal in a timely manner. Here are some tips:
1. Reduce swelling.
A plastic surgeon will often recommend using a cold compress after labiaplasty. This can reduce labiaplasty swelling and improve your comfort.
Just be sure to follow your surgeon’s instructions for their use. Using cold compresses incorrectly can cause more harm than good.
2. Give your body time to rest.
This means going to bed early and making sure you sleep well each night. During the day, don’t put too much on your plate, especially in the days immediately following your surgery.
3. Treat pain correctly.
If you experience severe pain in the days following labiaplasty, be sure to use the correct pain control. Plastic surgeons are typically happy to prescribe pain medication to help you feel more comfortable during the recovery period.
Most prescription pain pills can be switched to OTC pain medications after a few days. Cold compresses and general rest will also help to keep the incision sites from flaring up.
4. Attend your follow-up appointments.
Finally, be sure that everything is on track with your recovery by maintaining all of your followup appointments. Your surgeon will want to see you periodically to track how you are healing and your labiaplasty results.
FAQ: Labiaplasty Recovery
What does labiaplasty look like when healing?
The inner labia, outer labia( labia majora), and the surrounding area may be swollen, bruised, and red following surgery.
The area will be bandaged, and labiaplasty stitches or sutures will be present to keep the incisions closed.
Remember that every patient’s labiaplasty recovery timeline is unique to their body and surgical experience. If you have questions about the healing process or side effects from surgery, do not hesitate to reach out to your surgeon. Follow their instructions closely to not delay healing.
Will I Have A Labiaplasty Scar?
Like many surgeries, incisions may result in labiaplasty scars, influenced by factors like your plastic surgeons expertise, technique, and scar tissue response.
Is labiaplasty painful?
Anesthesia will be used during the procedure, so this portion will not be painful. Post-surgery, using pain meds and/or a cold compress can help to reduce discomfort and pain.
Also remember to avoid sexual intercourse, heavy lifting, and physical activity until you are cleared for these activities by your surgeon. Follow cold compress use instructions closely.
What if swelling doesn’t go away after labiaplasty?
Initial swelling occurs as a result of the trauma of surgery and is a completely normal response of the body. Every patient’s labiaplasty swelling timeline will be different. However, most patients see only minor swelling and their swelling slowly disappears after a few weeks.
How long swelling lasts is normally about six weeks, but some residual swelling may last for up to six months. If swelling persists past this point, we recommend contacting your surgeon.
Will health insurance cover labiaplasty surgery?
In most cases, health insurance for labiaplasty surgery does not pay as it’s typically considered a cosmetic procedure. However, coverage may vary depending on medical necessity and individual insurance policies.
Call Today to Set Up Your Consultation Appointment
Labiaplasty is a surgical procedure that can significantly improve your life. If you have pain and discomfort because of your inner labia or if you feel self-conscious wearing tight clothing or in intimate situations, this cosmetic surgery could benefit you.
Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Rachel Mason performs labiaplasty at her Las Vegas practice. Please call today to schedule your consultation appointment with Dr. Mason.
Our team would be happy to explain more about the recovery timeline after your procedure and show you labiaplasty before and after images, which can be difficult to find online.
Call today to set up your consultation appointment.
References
https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/can-you-speed-up-your-recovery-after-plastic-surgery