Labia Majoraplasty Sydney

Labia Majoraplasty

Labia majoraplasty is surgery to alter the labia majora, the outer lips of the vulva. It can reduce excess skin and volume where tissue is bulky or loose, or add volume with a fat graft where tissue has deflated. Dr Maryam Seyedabadi, Specialist Plastic Surgeon, performs both approaches under general anaesthetic at accredited hospitals in Sydney, usually as day surgery.

Disproportion, asymmetry or discomfort involving the labia majora can be congenital, present from puberty, or acquired later after fluctuations in weight, pregnancy, or treatment for cancer. The effect may be bulk that chafes, traps moisture or shows under fitted clothing, or loose and deflated tissue that leaves the labia minora prominent and exposed to friction. Asymmetry between the two sides is also common, and complete symmetry is not a realistic aim.

Some patients come in expecting surgery and leave without booking it. Dr Maryam may advise that your anatomy is within a normal range and that an operation is not the right option, and she will explain plainly why rather than proposing something you do not need.

Who it may suit

• Bulky labia majora that chafe, rub or are noticeable in swimwear, activewear or fitted clothing
• Loose or sagging outer labia following significant weight loss, pregnancy or ageing
• Deflated labia majora that leave the labia minora exposed to friction, including after cancer treatment
• Asymmetry between the two sides, whether present since puberty or developed later
• Discomfort with exercise, cycling or sex related to excess skin or volume
• Patients considering labiaplasty who also want the outer labia assessed at the same time

What labia majoraplasty involves

Surgery is performed under general anaesthetic and often takes around an hour, depending on whether tissue is being reduced, added, or both, and whether it is combined with labiaplasty.

1. Dr Maryam marks the planned change with you awake, so the plan reflects what bothers you rather than a template.
2. For reduction, a strip of excess skin, with underlying fat where needed, is removed from the inner surface of each labium majus so the scar sits within the natural crease.
3. For augmentation, fat is taken by liposuction from a donor site such as the abdomen or thighs, processed, and injected in small amounts to build volume gradually.
4. Both sides are compared against your markings during surgery, working towards balance rather than an identical match.
5. Wounds are closed in layers with dissolving sutures, and you are discharged the same day with pain relief and written aftercare instructions.

Recovery

Recovery depends on whether tissue was removed or grafted, how much was involved, and whether other procedures were done at the same time. Treat the following as a general guide.

• Swelling, bruising and oedema are expected for roughly the first one to two weeks, with residual swelling settling over several weeks to months.
• Many patients take about a week away from desk-based work, and longer for physically demanding jobs or where fat was harvested from another site.
• Loose clothing, cotton underwear, ice and careful hygiene are usually advised in the early period.
• Exercise, cycling, swimming, tampons and sexual activity are generally restricted for around four to six weeks, on Dr Maryam’s advice.
• Where fat grafting was used, some of the graft is reabsorbed over the first months, so volume is judged at around six months and a second session is sometimes discussed.

Risks and considerations

Risks include bleeding, haematoma, infection, delayed healing or separation of the wound, scarring that may be firm or tender for a period, and altered sensation that is usually temporary but occasionally persistent. Reducing too much or too little tissue, contour irregularity and residual asymmetry can occur, and revision surgery is sometimes needed. Fat grafting adds the possibility of unpredictable graft survival, lumps, oil cysts or fat necrosis, along with bruising and contour change at the donor site.

General anaesthetic carries its own risks, including nausea, and less commonly clotting or chest complications, which increase with smoking, higher body weight, longer procedures and certain medical conditions. Dr Maryam will discuss your individual risks, how a complication would be managed, and what this surgery can and cannot change. No outcome can be promised.

Your consultation with Dr Maryam

Consultations are held privately at the rooms at 2c Heeley Street, Paddington NSW 2021. Dr Maryam Seyedabadi is a female Specialist Plastic Surgeon, MBBS FRACS, AHPRA registration MED0001341746, which many patients seeking genital surgery specifically look for. A chaperone is available for any examination, you may bring a support person, and photographs are taken for your medical record as part of planning.

Australian rules require a referral from a registered medical practitioner before your consultation, and a GP referral is preferred because your general practitioner knows your history. A cooling-off period of at least seven days applies between giving consent and having surgery, and at least three months for patients under 18, who must also be assessed by an appropriate registered health practitioner. Fees are quoted after your consultation. To arrange an appointment, call 1300 067 668.