Labia surgery is now one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures besides breast augmentation, rhinoplasty and abdominoplasty in number terms. Demand for it has more than doubled in this past decade with over 71,000 procedures recorded between 2012 and 2022.
Besides some functional considerations (e.g. irritation caused by tight-fitting clothes, discomfort while doing certain sports), rise in labia surgery has mainly been influenced by social media and adult content.
In response to this demand, a number of techniques have been developed: surgery and laser, allo- and autologous fillers, hyaluronic acid and fat grafting, and radiofrequency. However, no guideline has so far been set as to which procedure is the safest and brings optimal results.
In the most comprehensive study on labia surgery so far, the Semmelweis researchers have looked at existing and emerging surgical techniques and tools used for female genital beautification and assessed them based on patient satisfaction and common complications.
Having reviewed the data of nearly 3,600 women they found that,
regardless of the technique applied, labia surgery is in general a safe procedure with very low complication rates (0,5%), also in comparison with other cosmetic surgery procedures.
Of all tools assessed, laser has been associated with lower number of complications (e.g. bleeding, swelling, haematoma), the study points out. Classic surgery methods such as composite reduction and wedge resection (both using scapel) have a higher overall complication rate. Radiofrequency, used less at this point due to availability and price have the lowest rate of complications and highest potential in future, the authors note.
Satisfaction rates were high across all techniques (overall 95%), findings show.
“Our results demonstrate that labiaplasty is generally safe and ends up with high patient satisfaction rates,” says Mihály András Géczi of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Semmelweis University, first author of the study.
Women’s self-image is increasingly tied to perceptions of their genitalia, a trend that significantly influences relationship dynamics and psychological health.
Whether or not a labia surgery is justified on medical grounds is subjective. There is no consensus on what precisely constitutes labial hypertrophy, nor are thresholds defined for „normal” labia size – it may not be clinically useful, the writers note.
“Considering the extent to which the procedure enhances self-image and sexual life, physicians may decide on psychological grounds as well,” says corresponding author Levente Sára, associate professor at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Semmelweis University.
Another aim of the study is to avoid unjustified procedures we see many examples of in other areas such as lip filling or breast augmentation, Géczi says.
Many women, especially the young, choose to undergo the procedure at their partner’s suggestion
, Sára says.
As the demand for the procedure is expected to rise exponentially, psychologists may be involved to ensure patients decide for the right reasons, he adds.
The study’s findings can also serve as a resource for specialized training and continuing medical education for gynaecologists and other surgeons who may be performing labia surgery. Today, many gynaecologists lack the specialized training for this procedure, which can often lead to sub-optimal outcomes. “It is a simple surgery, with short operation time depending on the technique, but acquiring the skills to perform it properly takes time,” Sára says.
