Which areas can be treated with vulvoplasty ?
Vulvoplasty may mainly concern the labia minora or labia majora, depending on the anatomical structure to be changed.
The vulva comprises all the female external genital organs. It includes, in particular, the labia majora, labia minora, clitoris and vaginal vestibule.
The labia minora naturally show considerable diversity in shape, length and asymmetry. They may extend beyond the labia majora without this constituting an abnormality.
The labia majora contain more fatty tissue. Their volume may be naturally low or decrease with age, weight fluctuations or hormonal changes.
Before vulvoplasty is considered, it is therefore necessary to identify the structure concerned and the origin of discomfort precisely.
What is the difference between vulvoplasty, labiaplasty and nymphoplasty ?
Vulvoplasty is a general term for surgical procedures performed to change vulval anatomy. Labiaplasty and nymphoplasty refer more specifically to procedures involving the vulval labia.
Nymphoplasty generally means surgical reduction of the labia minora. The term labiaplasty is often used in the same sense, although it may sometimes refer more broadly to surgery on the vulval labia.
The procedure removes part of the labia minora tissue to reduce their size or change their shape. It may be considered for functional discomfort or to address an aesthetic request, following medical assessment.
Nymphoplasty is therefore surgery on the labia minora. It must not be confused with hyaluronic acid injections into the labia majora, which aim to restore their volume without surgery.
What is labia majora surgery ?
Labia majora surgery is a procedure intended to change their volume or shape, either by restoring insufficient volume or reducing excess volume.
With age or after weight loss, the labia majora may lose some of their fatty tissue. They then become less contoured and the labia minora may be more visible.
Conversely, some women have naturally voluminous labia majora and may wish to reduce their volume surgically.
Treatment therefore depends on the desired change : restoring the contours of the labia majora when they have lost volume or surgically reducing their volume when considered excessive.
Can labia majora volume be increased without surgery ?
Yes. Loss of labia majora volume can be corrected without surgery through hyaluronic acid injections.
Hyaluronic acid is injected into the labia majora to increase their volume and restore their contours. This approach may be offered when the labia majora are naturally low in volume or have thinned over time.
The aim differs from nymphoplasty : injection increases labia majora volume, but does not reduce the size of the labia minora.
This distinction is particularly important when a patient consults because she finds her labia minora too visible. In some cases, their visibility is actually accentuated by low labia majora volume.
Can a labia majora injection replace nymphoplasty ?
No. A labia majora injection and nymphoplasty do not act on the same anatomical structure or address the same indication.
Nymphoplasty surgically reduces the size of the labia minora. Hyaluronic acid injection, by contrast, aims to restore or increase labia majora volume.
When large labia minora cause discomfort, injecting the labia majora cannot reduce their size.
When the request mainly concerns loss of labia majora volume, a hyaluronic acid injection can restore their contours without surgery on the labia minora.
Examination of the vulva therefore identifies the structure underlying the request and determines the corresponding treatment.
Is vulvoplasty purely aesthetic ?
No. A procedure on the vulva may address an aesthetic request, a functional request or both.
One woman may consult because of friction or discomfort during certain activities or sexual intercourse. Another may be concerned solely by the appearance of her labia.
However, the presence of pain requires particular attention. Vulval pain or pain during intercourse is not necessarily caused by the shape of the labia. A vulval dermatosis, infection, a scar or a pelvic floor disorder may, in particular, be responsible.
Vulvoplasty or non-surgical treatment : how do you choose ?
The choice depends above all on the structure the patient wishes to change.
When the request concerns labia minora reduction, the solution is surgical and involves nymphoplasty.
When discomfort is associated with loss or insufficient volume of the labia majora, volume restoration with hyaluronic acid may be considered without surgery.
Vaginal dryness, vaginal laxity, pain or incontinence represent still other problems and must not be equated with vulvoplasty.
In Geneva, the consultation assesses, in particular, loss of labia majora volume or asymmetry and determines whether a hyaluronic acid injection is appropriate. When genuine surgical correction of the labia minora is indicated, this requires specific surgical care.
Article written by Dr Valeria Romano
Dr Valeria Romano supports each patient with a comprehensive approach to the aesthetics of the face, body and intimate areas, and to skin and hair quality. Every treatment is based on a personalised medical assessment.
Learn more about