Effectiveness of labiaplasty to achieve “Barbie” style area, and realistic cost estimates? (Photo)

Hello and thank you for your question.
Based on your photos, you appear to have have elongated labia minora (inner lips) and many women tend to feel insecure about the elongated shape and asymmetries, especially when being intimate with their partner. Labiaplasty is a cosmetic procedure that can help achieve a smaller, and more tucked appearance of labia minora (inner lips).
I suggest that you seek an in person consultation with a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon specializing in Labiaplasty to further discuss your options, specific techniques, concerns and expectations. Make sure you specifically look at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery performed by your surgeon and evaluate their results.
Best wishes and good luck.
Best regards,
Dr. Irena KaranetzFellowship-TrainedBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon

If sex is painful because the labia are getting dragged forcefully with penetration, then reducing the size of the labia with a labiaplasty should alleviate the pain. If sex is painful for other reasons, then it probably won't. If you are unsure, your first step should be a visit to your gynecologist for an evaluation of other causes of pelvic pain or a virtual consultation with a cosmetic gynecologist as they too are trained, educated, and experienced in the evaluation and management of other causes of painful sex.

HI Self Conscious,

When one talks about a "Barbie" style labia, one is usually implying an appearance of the labia minora that is essentially invisible. Most patients who feel that their labia minorae are enlarged want to have a reduction so that the labia minora are tucked inside the labia Majora, This is a realistic and safe option.
One should not want to have no labia minora at all as the labia minora do protect the vaginal opening from infection and irritation. From your pictures, I think that you could have a successful reduction that would reduce the size of the labia minora.
I recommend that you visit with several surgeons, whether they are plastic surgeons or urogynecologists, who specialize in this type of surgery. An in person consultation with a physical exam and discussion of your goals is the best way to achieve the results that you would like to have.

Cost will vary depending on the area of the country and with the surgeon. Check out before and after photos and decide who can best fulfill your goals.

Good Luck!

Best,

Dr. Christine Rodgers

Thank you for your question The oversized labia in your photos can be transformed into nice petite labia without amputating all of it with a Barbie There are actually two pair of inner labia: a lower pair that inserts into the clitoris and an upper pair that forms the hood that extends down into the lower pair. Both need to be treated to achieve best results. You need to research well to find a surgeon who knows how to treat both areas. Look at many of their before and after photos as well as reviews The video link below may be helpful

hello, labiaplasty may be suitable for you. In the Barbie procedure, the labia minora are greatly reduced. Normal size labiaplasty is sufficient for you. If the labia cause pain due to friction during sexual intercourse, you will benefit from this procedure. and you do not experience dryness when you do not feel pain during sexual intercourse. However , the cause of the dryness should also be investigated . Labiaplasty will increase your self-confidence, but it will not directly eliminate dryness.

Your labia minora are enlarged but not massively enlarged. Of most importance, they cause you discomfort. In that case, a labiaplasty is a good idea, but it must be performed by a surgeon with experience. One of the two most common 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 labioplasty 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. This can lead to scallops and irregularities. An overly aggressive reduction with a barbie procedure can remove too much labia minora and harm you. 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. Since you have extra tissue on your clitoral hood, it can be reduced it at the same time. 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. About 40% of the female genital cases I perform are revisions of labiaplasties and clitoral hoods botched by other doctors.

Gary J. Alter, M.D.
Beverly Hills, CA - Manhattan, NY

Hello SelfConsciuos94,
You are an excellent candidate for Aesthetic Vulvar Surgery with the goal of creating a natural, youthful, and beautiful result that gives you more confidence and allows for pleasurable sex. The Barbie look does not accomplish any of this.
The issues with your vulva aren't limited to your labia since you also have a very large clitoral hood that needs to be reduced at the time of your labiaplasty. The majority of your work involves expertly reducing the hood and from there begin to sculpt your labia for both structures to look as youthful and aesthetically pleasing as possible.
Go to the link below to see hundreds of before and after photos where you will find many examples that are similar to you. From that link you can schedule a virtual consultation via phone or zoom, at which time we can discuss in depth your anatomy, expectations and concerns. Women from all over the world travel to my Center for their Intimate Makeover.
Best of luck,

Thank you for sharing your question and photographs. Although your vagina falls well within "normal" you do have some of the characteristics that lead many women to pursue a labiaplasty procedure for improved functional and aesthetic outcomes. You look to be a good candidate for clitoral hood/lateral prepuce tissue reduction as well as labia minor and clitoral frenulum tissues. Best to seek in-person consultations to get the best treatment advice.

An examination in person would be required to properly evaluate you, but based on your sorry and photos it appears you would be a suitable candidate for labiaplasty. Please consult with an experienced board certified plastic surgeon or gynecologist who regularly perform labiaplasty surgery. Best of luck to you.

Labioreduction (labioplasty) effectiveness

You asked three questions, and none of the RealSelf company advisors answered them, and only marketing narratives are offered.

Q 1: What is the effectiveness of Barbie labioplasty?

A: No clinical-scientific research on the effectiveness of any surgical method, including Barbie, has ever been done. Therefore, nobody can furnish you with an honest answer.
In my corrective surgical practice, Barbie’s type of labia minora amputation or trimming is the leading cause of severe complications associated with labia minora over-resection and making many women "sexual invalids” due to nerve injury.

Q 2. Is the labia minora responsible for my pain during sexual vaginal intercourse?

A: Very unlikely that your enlarged labia minora is responsible for your dyspareunia (pain during insertion of the penis) since you apply lubricant that helps you. The labia minora can be brought into your vagina, and you can have pain; however, removing the labia minora from entrapment immediately relieves pain. It would help if you consulted with a doctor who can make the appropriate, definitive diagnosis to eradicate your medical problem.

Q 3: Should I be concerned about the size of the labia minora?

A: It is an esthetic problem and not a medical problem unless the enlarged labia minora will be the cause of your pain. Therefore, you decide to have cosmetic surgery; however, not what
Dr. Marco Pelosi III is shown in the video here. This type of surgery (straightforward amputation or trimming) should never be recommended in esthetic surgery for the following reasons:

1. This procedure amputate healthy structure,
2. This procedure changes the rounded natural look of the labia minora to a straight structure,
3. This procedure has a clinical predisposition for over-resection with severe complications and, in some instances, lifetime duration.

With regards,
Prof. Dr. Adam Ostrzenski
USA