Almost 40 & insecure about labia - would I benefit from labiaplasty? (Photos)

Your labia are completely normal. There is no logical basis for your insecurity. Men will not disapprove of their appearance. If you're scared to have surgery to change the appearance of your labia, then you shouldn't do it. Based on your comments, I would recommend counseling with a therapist before anything else.

Hello there,
While your labial anatomy is completely within normal range (and I do think it's important that this is mentioned), you could have a labiaplasty to reduce the size of the labia to help you feel more comfortable.Make sure you get more than one opinion and feel comfortable with your surgeon and their surgical plan.Best of luck!
Sincerely,Jennifer Adams MD, FRCSC

Labiaplasty can reduce the prominence of your labia minora if you’re concerned about it, but please note that the appearance of your labia is considered “normal”. Your attractiveness is not based on the appearance of your genital area, and if your sexual partner does tell you that it’s “unappealing”, then you may want to reconsider pursuing a relationship with them.

Great questions. As a Female Plastic surgeon I have been performing Labiaplasty for over 25 years. I do not believe there is a definition for a “normal” labia. Labias come in all shapes and sizes and often one side is different than the other. The key question to ask yourself is whether your labia get irritated and sore in your everyday clothes. If they do, then reducing them will solve that issue. The nuances of what procedure to do would be discussed during our in depth consultation. If you get a chance read my Labiaplasty reviews on Realself to see what my patients are saying. I hope this helps. Good luck!

Thank you for your questionLabia come in all shapes and sizes so there is no normal. As a gynecologist, I've seen thousands of women who have larger labia than your's and have good sex lives. The decision really depends on how you perceive yourself and whether surgery would improve your self image. Most men would not know the difference or care. It's you not your labia that will stimulate their desire, but, if you believe, as many of my patients do, that labiaplasty will improve their self confidence, then it may be worth your while.If you do, be careful and do your homework to find the right surgeon.See the video below

Thank you for your question and photograph.  Though your labia fall well within "normal," your appearance is common for those women desiring an improved aesthetic, reduced discomfort, and increased self-esteem with a labiaplasty.  See a labiaplasty specialist in consultation for an in-person evaluation.  

If you have not had a relationship all your life due to being self-conscious of your genitalia, then you really have nothing to lose. If desired, your labia minora and clitoral hood can be reduced to improve the appearance. A labiaplasty with a clitoral hood reduction can reduce your hood size. However, it must be performed by a surgeon with experience. One of the two most common labiaplasty techniques is the central wedge technique, which I invented in 1995 and published in the plastic surgery textbooks. It is also known as the "V" or wedge technique. Gynecologists and most plastic surgeons perform a labiaplasty very differently. They essentially trim the labia minora (inner vaginal lips) and leave a long suture line instead of the normal labial edge. Their technique is the same whether a scalpel or a laser is used. In contrast, the central wedge removes triangles of tissue and bring the normal edges together. Thus, the normal labial edges, normal color, and normal anatomy are preserved, but the darkest labial tissue is usually removed. There is rarely a sign that the woman has had surgery.

Since you have extra tissue on your clitoral hood, it can be reduced at the same time. Your clitoral hood is long and protuberant. It can be decreased somewhat by reducing the sides. I pioneered a clitoropexy with clitoral hood reduction in which the clitoris is pushed closer to the pubic bone and the width, thickness, length, and protuberance of the clitoral hood can be decreased. With this procedure, I lift up the clitoral hood skin, move the clitoris closer to the pubic bone, thin the tissues under the clitoral hood skin, and then remove a large amount of excess skin. This results in a dramatic decrease in the length, thickness, and protuberance of the clitoral hood, so that the hood is now within the labia majora when the woman stands. I have performed this procedure over 350 times with outstanding results. I have not published this technique, so no one does it like me.​

​Your labia majora have stretched which resulted in excess skin and lost of fat to provide fullness. I suggest reducing the excess skin and increasing the fullness with fat injections. The technique I popularized and published in the medical literature leaves a scar on the inside of the majora in the fold between the majora and the minora and clitoral hood. If closed with sutures under the skin and performed meticulously, the scars are difficult to see.

No matter the technique, an inexperienced or unskilled surgeon can lead to a high rate of complications, chronic scar discomfort, labial deformities, and further surgery.​​ Approximately 40% of the female genital surgeries that I perform are reconstructions of other women's botched labiaplasties and hood reductions.


Gary J. Alter, M.D.

Beverly Hills, CA - Manhattan, NYC

HI GoldEd.

First of all, many women who have a labiaplasty feel somewhat insecure about themselves if they perceive that their labia are a bit too long or longer than "normal" which has never been defined for a labia. In most cases, cosmetic surgery, no matter what body part bothers a patient, is done to modify a normal structure so that one feels better and happier about oneself. If you are desirous of a smaller labia, a good surgeon who specializes in this procedure, whether a plastic surgeon or a urogynecologist , can help you reduce the length of the labia. Hopefully, you will feel more confident about this particular area of your body.
To be very honest, most men do not care about this structure too much. It is a very small minority of men who make a comment to their partner about the size of the labia. So you should not focus too much on this one issue. You obviously have waited for the right person with whom to have a sexual relationship. If a man makes a negative comment about your labia which is demeaning to you, then he is the wrong guy for you.
Again, there are many skilled surgeons who can help you with this , so please consult with a Board
certified surgeon in your area in the above mentioned specialties who is sympathetic and skilled in this type of surgery.

Hope this helps a bit.

Best Wishes,

Dr. Christine Rodgers

You both say that you have no complaints and you also say that you complain about the noise.If you do not have any complaints, it is not necessary to have this surgery.
If you want to have this surgery. You should definitely see the before and after pictures of the previous surgeries from the doctor you are going to have the surgery with. You can have surgery where you like pictures.

you are definitely a candidate for a labiaplasty. You will do well and it will be life changing for you. Good luck!