Cosmetic surgery is also available to reduce, enlarge and tighten certain parts of the vagina. While these operations are often requested on purely aesthetic grounds, they may also relate to sexual dysfunction and general discomfort. However, vaginal surgery carried out for no other reason than to enhance appearance is only available privately.
Labiaplasty
A labiaplasty is a surgical procedure to reduce the size of the inner lips of the vagina, known as the labia minora. This operation is often requested on cosmetic grounds, but also for functional reasons. Some women find that oversized or elongated labia can prolapse into the vagina during sexual intercourse, while others report discomfort in certain articles of clothing.
During the operation, a surgeon will remove a wedge from the labia minora and use a local tissue flap to repair the wound that is created. It is a relatively straightforward procedure that usually yields good results. Most patients find that the area is well healed after two weeks, and is fully back to normal after six weeks.
Vaginal tightening
Following childbirth some women find that their vagina has loosened, in some cases becoming so lax and splayed as to cause major sexual dysfunction. Women may request vaginal tightening with the aim of restoring their genital area to functional and visual normality. In such cases, surgeons carry out a procedure known as posterior repair, whereby the vagina is separated from the rectum and the muscles pulled together to tighten the vaginal structures.
Augmentation of the labia majora
In cases where the outer lips of the vagina (labia majora) are considered to be too small, surgeons can augment this area using fat transfers, grafts and injections into the labia.
Hitching and recontouring of the mons pubis
In women of a certain age, the mons pubis (the mound about the vagina) can drop, causing what some patients find to be an aesthetically unappealing bulge. This can be treated by a surgical hitching up of the loose abdominal skin around the mons pubis.