Postoperative Cosmetic Expectations for Patients Considering Labiaplasty Surgery: Our Experience with 550 Patients

Abstract

Vulvar cosmetic surgery is becoming an increasingly requested and performed surgical procedure in women. Though there are many beliefs as to the desires of the patient's postoperative expectations, scientific research is lacking. The current paper evaluates patients' preoperative perceptions and postoperative expectations of cosmetic vulvar surgery. This is a retrospective analysis of 550 patients who are considering labia minora reduction. Preoperative questionnaires that address patients' preoperative perceptions of their labia as well as their postoperative expectations were reviewed and analyzed. Mean age was 36 (range 12 to 65) and parity 1.52 (range 0 to 8). On examination, 99.5% (547/550) of patients had labia minora protruding beyond the distal edge of the majora. Patients' postoperative desires included: 97.8% preferred the labia minora to be "at" or "below" the level of the labia majora compared with 2.2% preferring it to be "at" or "just above" the labia majora; 96.9% preferred "pink" edges compared with 3.1% desiring "dark" edges. Women presenting for vulvar cosmetic surgery have preoperative perceptions and postoperative expectations that should be considered with regard to surgery. Understanding a patient's postoperative labiaplasty expectations should be considered prior to engaging in surgery. Doing so could possibly alter the surgeon's labiaplasty technique and reduce the need for subsequent revision surgeries.