Female Genital Surgery

Female genital surgery is an umbrella term for a set of procedures designed to reshape or tighten different parts of the internal and external female genitalia and the surrounding area. 

Various factors determine and alter the shape, size and tone of the female genitalia, including genetics, age and childbirth. Surgery is undertaken for medical, functional and/or aesthetic reasons.

Different procedures treat different areas, for example:

• Labiaplasty (sometimes spelt labioplasty) changes the shape or size of the inner and/or outer labia. The labia are commonly known as the lips of the vagina. It can reduce large labia and correct misshapenness or irregularities.
  
  
• Vaginoplasty tightens the vaginal canal by removing excess lining and tightening the muscle and supporting tissue. It can correct the problem of loose or weak vaginal muscles, which do not respond to exercise (kegal). 
  
  
• Clitoral Unhooding (Hoodectomy) better exposes the clitoris by removing excess tissue that “hoods” or covers the clitoris node. (It should not be confused with Clitoridectomy, which completely removes the clitoral node and is a form of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Clitoral unhooding is not a form of FGM.)
  
  
• Pubic Mound Reduction (or Mons Pubis Reduction) removes unwanted fatty deposits of the pubis mound (“mons”) just above the vulva. The mons is the prominent pad of fatty tissue that lies over the pubic bone and is covered with hair.

The surgical technique varies depending on the particular procedure and will be discussed with you as part of your consultation. 

What are the risks?

As with any surgical procedure there are risks involved. There are general risks associated with surgery as well as specific risks depending on the procedure. Your surgeon will discuss these with you as part of your consultation. Overall female genital surgery is a safe operation and complications are rare. These include bleeding, infection, scarring and reaction to anaesthesia. Depending on the procedure, there is also the possibility of skin discolouration, asymmetry, changes in sensation and over tightening of the vagina leading to urine retention. In all cases a high standard of hygiene is important during the recovery period.