Vaginoplasty : Indications and Complications

Vaginoplasty is a surgery to tighten the pelvic muscles present around the vagina. This surgery can be performed for medical and cosmetic purposes. There has been a gradual rise in the number of cosmetic vaginoplasty over the years. Vaginoplasty, also called vaginal rejuvenation, is sometimes performed with other cosmetic procedures like perinioplasty, labiaplasty or G spot amplification.

Procedure of Vaginoplasty

Vaginoplasty is performed under general anaesthesia. You will be unconscious throughout the procedure and will not feel any pain. After the effects of anaesthesia set in, your surgeon will put an incision on your skin to tighten the pelvic floor muscles. Extra skin and scar tissue are also removed during the surgery for better cosmetic results. The surgery generally takes two hours. Scaring might develop after the surgery, but it resolves with time.

Indications for Vaginoplasty

Vaginoplasty was intended to be a method to reconstruct the vagina for women born with genetic defects and women having vaginal stretching and tears due to childbirth. Now it is provided as a part of cosmetic procedures for women who wish to enhance their sexual pleasure. It is essential to realise that

Preparation for Vaginoplasty

To prepare for the surgery your doctor will like to record your medical history. You might be asked to stop taking blood thinning medication. If you plan to have children in the future, inform your doctor about it; you might be advised to postpone the surgery until you have a complete family. Talk to your doctor about your reasons for getting the surgery; it is important that your doctor understands your expectations from the surgery. Your doctor will perform a vaginal examination to decide on the course of your surgery.

Complications of Vaginoplasty

The complications associated with vaginoplasty are:

• Bleeding at site of surgery
• Infection of surgical wound
• Vaginal prolapse
• Nerve damage.

Some patients are unsatisfied with the surgery when they discover that their vagina is not as tight as they expected. On the other hand for some patients, the vagina becomes so tight that it causes pain to the patient and her partner during intercourse and also prevents the patient from using tampons. Hence it is important to carefully plan your surgery with your surgeon. It is essential that you understand your reasons for the surgery and decide whether surgery will solve your problem or not. Media influences many of us to have unrealistic expectations about our body, it is important to learn to love our bodies the way they are.

Recovery after Vaginoplasty

After the surgery you will be monitored as the effects of anaesthesia wear off. You will be allowed to go home a day after the surgery. It is advisable to arrange for someone to drive you home. You will notice bruising and swelling at the site of surgery for a week or two after the surgery; this will resolve on its own. The pain and discomfort felt after the surgery can be managed with the help of pain medications prescribed by your doctor. Within a week of the surgery, you will be allowed to return to normal day activities, provided you avoid strenuous tasks. Complete healing requires about three months. You be requested to abstain from actions that cause vaginal penetration, like using tampons and sex for four to six weeks after the surgery.

Resources 

• Vaginoplasty. Labiaplastysurgeon.com, n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2015
• “Women’s Health Care Physicians.” Vaginal “Rejuvenation” and Cosmetic Vaginal Procedures. American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists