We recently sat down with Stephanie, WAXON’s Trainer & Educator. Before being promoted to lead trainer, Stephanie spent many years as a Waxologist providing thousands of below the belt services to her clients. But she also felt self-conscious about her own vulva, and had wanted a labiaplasty from a young age. She was able to have the procedure done when she was 25, and was kind enough to answer all of our questions!
First off … what is labiaplasty?
Labiaplasty is a cosmetic surgery that focuses on reconstructing the labia minora, the inner lips of the vulva. Unlike vaginoplasty this surgery does not “tighten” the vagina, and focuses only on the external vulva. It is most often performed on women who experience pain or discomfort because their labia minora hangs below the labia majora, often finding that the excess skin gets stuck during sex and exercise or painfully pulls while wearing tight fitting underwear or bathing suits. Some women opt for labiaplasty for aesthetic reasons, like Stephanie.
Is it an expensive procedure?
Since the surgery is optional and cosmetic, it’s generally not covered by health insurance. If it’s been prescribed by a doctor for medical reasons then it’s more likely to be covered. Stephanie’s surgery wasn’t covered, and it ended up costing her around $5,000 CAD. Depending on the complexity of the reconstruction, the costs can differ.
Where can you get this done?
Stephanie found a private clinic in Toronto. The clinic specializes specifically in labiaplasty,which is the route Stephanie recommends. Finding a reputable doctor who has performed the procedure countless times will give you piece of mind that your lady bits are in good hands!
Is it an invasive procedure? What’s the recovery like?
Performed under local anesthesia, Stephanie found that the most painful part of the procedure was just getting numbed! Once the local anesthesia took effect she couldn’t feel anything, and was even able to take a cab home by herself. The immediate recovery time is 48 hours but Stephanie still found that she was tender for a few weeks and noted that the stitches were uncomfortable at best.
What kind of results can be expected?
After the swelling subsided, Stephanie was very happy. “It was exactly what I was hoping for!”, she said. She even had nude photos taken of herself after and generally loved being naked all the time. The procedure spiked her confidence leaving her feeling happier and with a very healthy libido. “I had lots of fun being single with my gorgeous symmetrical vulva!” she told us, which is a wonderful thing.
Is there anything else people should know?
Stephanie’s biggest piece of advice is to not be embarrassed to talk about wanting to get the procedure done, but to make sure you do your due diligence. If you’re self-conscious about your vulva, Stephanie recommends at least going in for a free consultation to learn even more about the procedure from a reputable doctor. The doctor will also likely inform you about the risks associated with labiaplasty, most of which are the same as any surgical procedure; bleeding, hematoma, and infection are all possible. Specific to the labiaplasty procedure is over-resection which essentially means that too much skin is removed, making the vagina chronically dry or resulting in pain during sex due to the scarring. Making sure you are fully informed about the decision is a super crucial step!
At the end of the day, all vulvas are unique and there is no such thing as a perfect vagina. If you’re feeling self-conscious about the look of your vulva, but aren’t sure if a labiaplasty is right for you, I recommend taking a look at The Great Wall Of Vagina.It’s an art installation featuring plaster casts of 400 different women’s genitals, normalizing all shapes and sizes of vulvas. You’ll probably see something that looks familiar and can make you feel a little less alone!