Vaginal Rejuvenation – 4 Questions to Ask Your Surgeon

Whether as a result of genetics, injury, childbirth or the aging process, some women are unhappy with the appearance or discomfort of their vaginal area. Some of these issues can affect daily life including physical activity, inability to wear certain clothing, and sexual pleasure. Stress or urge incontinence is another common issue for women after childbirth or with age.

Vaginal rejuvenation is the umbrella term for various surgical and non-surgical plastic surgery procedures which address a woman’s most intimate area. These procedures can help tighten the vaginal canal as well as reshape or plump the outer vulva area.

Vaginal rejuvenation procedures offered at Pacific Center for Plastic Surgery & BioSpa:

Surgical

• Labiaplasty: Reduction of the inner labia minora
• Vaginoplasty: Repair of vaginal laxity by removing excess skin and reconstructing and tightening the vaginal wall
• Clitorial Hood Reduction: Removal of excess skin surrounding the clitoral hood
• Labia Majoraplasty: Reduction of the outer labia majora
• Monsplatsy: Reduction of excess skin and fat in the frontal part of the vulva where hair grows
• Fat Transfer: Fat harvested from an area of the body such as the abdomen or hips can be used to restore volume back to the labia for a more youthful look.

Nonsurgical

Viveve®

Viveve is an in-office radio-frequency treatment that delivers controlled volumetric heating to safely stimulate and rejuvenate vaginal tissue and muscles resulting in improved vaginal laxity, improved sensation, improved sexual climax, a decrease in painful intercourse, and an improvement in stress or urge incontinence.

BI-O! Shot

By injecting your own blood into the outer vagina with a BI-O! Shot, women can experience more intense and/or frequent orgasms, increase in sex drive, improved arousal of the G-Spot, and relief from discomfort during intercourse.

Dermal Filler

Popular dermal fillers such as Juvederm or Restylane can be used to add volume to the outer labia to restore a youthful appearance.

Determining which procedure is right for you requires an evaluation by a board-certified plastic surgeon experienced in vaginal rejuvenation procedures. The doctors at Pacific Center for Plastic Surgery have been specializing in feminine wellness for over 25 years and offer one of the comprehensive menu of treatments available anywhere.

Regardless of which board-certified surgeon you choose to visit, there are 4 main questions to ask at your vaginal rejuvenation consultation.

1) Am I a candidate?

Not every woman is a good candidate for vaginal rejuvenation. There are some medical issues and conditions which may cause you to be ineligible for treatment. Your medical history should be fully reviewed and discussed during your consultation. For most healthy women, if your vagina is loose and the laxity is affecting your sex life, you are likely a good candidate for a vaginal tightening procedure. If you do not like the appearance of your genitalia or an enlarged labia is affecting your sex life, confidence, ability to wear certain clothing or causes pain during exercise, you may be an ideal candidate for treatment. If you are suffering from mild to moderate stress or urge incontinence, vaginal rejuvenation may provide you some relief.

2) How is the procedure performed?

The idea of having surgery can cause anxiety and worry, but understanding what to expect both during the procedure and throughout recovery should ease any fears you may have. Once your surgeon determines which procedure is best for you, he/she should walk you step-by-step through the process and answer any questions you have. It is a good idea to start making a list of questions before you go to our consultation appointment and take notes when you are there.

The non-surgical Viveve treatment is performed in-office and typically takes between 30 minutes to one hour with no downtime. A surgical procedure such as a labiaplasty can take 1 to 1.5 hours and may require 5-7 days for the initial recovery period. Most surgical vaginal rejuvenation procedures performed by the doctors at Pacific Center for Plastic Surgery are done so in their in-office surgical suite under a local anesthetic. A driver will be required to get you home after surgery due to an oral sedative given prior to beginning surgery. The only time a vaginal rejuvenation procedure is performed at an outpatient surgery center under general anesthesia is when the patient requests it or when the procedure is added-on to something else such as a tummy tuck, liposuction, breast augmentation, or Brazilian Butt Lift.

3) What are the risks and complications?

With any surgical procedure, there are always risks and complications, however with today’s advancements in plastic surgery procedures are much safer. When vaginal rejuvenation is performed under a local anesthetic, the risks are greatly diminished. However, every medical procedure has some degree of risk. Who you choose to perform your procedure will also impact the degree of risks or complications. Many women believe they are in the best hands by having their OB/GYN perform their procedure, but this is not the case. They do not have the same education, training, or experience as board-certified plastic surgeons who specialize in feminine wellness. You should discuss the risks during your consultation so you can make a well-informed confident decision.

4) Will I get the results I want?

This is a very important question to ask your plastic surgeon and will be a determining factor in whether or not you should have surgery. What you may want out of surgery may not be what is possible. It is important to be realistic and understand what can and cannot be achieved. After surgery, you need to be aware of the time frame in which you may see results and how long they will last. Depending on the vaginal rejuvenation procedure, results can be immediate or may take three months or longer to see the final outcome. Results will also depend on genetics, the specific procedure, and your commitment to follow-up care. It’s important to discuss all of this with your surgeon so that you have realistic expectations.

While these are the 4 main questions you should ask during your vaginal rejuvenation consultation, you will certainly have many more. As mentioned earlier, jot down any questions you think of prior to your visit and take notes at your meeting so you remember everything that was covered. A clear line of communication will help you make an educated decision and help you achieve your goals.