Many patients are indeed embarrassed by the size of their labia minora. Hypertrophic labia minora is defined when their size is excessive compared to that of the labia majora. When the patient is standing, the labia minora may protrude and give a “drooping labia minora” appearance.
The labia minora can bother the patient:
during the practice of certain sports (example: horse riding, cycling, etc.) by creating irritation or pain. Aesthetically, hypertrophic labia minora can make the patient uncomfortable in tight clothing (jeans, thongs, etc.), in a bathing suit or when she is naked.
The labia minora can also cause pain during the sexual act (compression of the labia minora during penetration). The embarrassment can be physical and/or psychological (the patient may be embarrassed to show herself naked in front of her partner). Labia minora reduction (reduction nymphoplasty) is a surgical procedure that reduces the size of the labia minora. This operation is performed under local anesthesia.
After having performed the injection which allows the area of the labia minora to be put to sleep, the reduction nymphoplasty can be performed without pain. If the patient requests it, the reduction of the labia minora can however be performed under general anesthesia. Reduction nymphoplasty consists in reducing a triangle of mucous membrane of the labia minora so as to obtain prettier labia minora, which no longer protrude beyond the labia majora. Different techniques can be used to achieve the desired result. The sutures are all absorbable and therefore do not need to be removed.
The patient can return home on the day of the operation. Simple local care should be performed daily to allow optimal healing. Postoperative pain is relatively low. The patient can return to work 3 to 4 days after the operation if it is not physically heavy work.
The result is evaluated 2 to 3 months after the operation.