Labiaplasty with Clitoral Hood Reduction Journey

I chose to fly from CA to CO to see Dr. Aguirre specifically for this surgery. I did this because I had prior consultations with two different doctors who were local to my area that I also found through the RealSelf website. Unfortunately, with both of those doctors I didn’t get a good vibe and I also felt like I was being pressured to do additional procedures that I was not at all interested in doing. These doctors also had far less before/after photos that are published publicly and in addition to that, their photos were not showing my desired results. Many other doctors who are preforming this kind of surgery have photos of inner labia that appear amputated, unnaturally mis-shapen or scalloped, after surgery. 

Dr. Aguirre’s before/after photos were much more in alignment with the look I am hoping to achieve. In addition to that, his quoted price for surgery was much more reasonable than the quotes I was given by these other Doctors. Dr. Aguirre was also kind enough to offer me a $500 travel credit because I was flying in from another state and would be staying in a hotel for the duration of my recovery. There was also a discount applied for getting multiple procedures done at once, how cool is that ?

Here’s how it went:

I flew to Colorado this morning for my Labiaplasty appointment that is scheduled for tomorrow morning. I am really really excited and truthfully a little bit anxious. I had already spoken with Dr. Aguirre and his lovely staff while I was still in California and was also able to have a virtual consultation with him. All of my questions were answered with the upmost professionalism but more importantly, my gut was telling me ‘yes!’ I got great vibes from my talk with Dr Aguirre and it didn’t hurt that everyone on his staff was extremely helpful and kind. 

This morning I had my pre-op in-person appointment and it really put me at ease. His office is new, clean and beautiful and I am looking forward to beginning this journey tomorrow morning! Wish me luck and I will try my best to stay up to date on RealSelf with my process of recovery.

I wanted to update the RealSelf community about how my surgery went this morning. I woke up early because I was a bit anxious and followed the directions and suggestions that were given to me during my pre-op appointment yesterday. I applied some topical numbing cream and by the time I made it to the office I was effectively numb.
Dr. Aguirre came to chat with me and check on me about how I felt right before I went in to the sterilization and preparation for my surgery. He thoroughly went over the details for the operation and was able to be very kind, attentive and present while listening to me voice my last minute questions, concerns and anxieties. I opted out of any sedation so it was my decision to be completely awake for the entire duration of the surgery which is not uncommon in his practice. He administered a pelvic block and despite this not being the most comfortable injection, Dr. Aguirre and his staff made sure that I was calm and that I was doing alright. At no time during any of this process did I feel like anything was being pressured or forced on me, I sincerely felt as though my concerns and fears were being heard.
The pelvic block, which took roughly 30 minutes to kick in, was extremely effective. I felt some bizarre pressure and pulling sensations at first but then nothing at all, which was amazing! Within minutes of the surgery beginning all of my worries and anxieties about being in pain were completely satiated. The operation itself took roughly 3 hours and for most of it I was delighted in conversation with Dr. Aguirre and his nurses. Aside from being a highly skilled surgeon, Dr. Aguirre also has a magnificent bedside manner and wonderful sense of humor. I never expected that an operating room could be such a fun place. I really appreciated being able to laugh as it kept me in high spirits throughout the procedure.
Once the surgery was completed I was able to look at myself with a mirror. I was already quite swollen for obvious reasons but everything looked really good and I'm so excited to track my recovery process. I was able to stand up, go to the restroom and get dressed without any assistance. I was given an ice pack to wear immediately and a 'goodie bag' of things to take with me as well as instructions for how and when to take my antibiotics and pain management medicine for the next few days. I'm really grateful that Dr. Aguirre is confident that I'll be able to utilize Tylenol and Motrin for my pain and that this procedure does not necessitate any narcotics or prescription painkillers. I'm sober so this is extremely important to me!
I have been back at my hotel for several hours now and the pelvic block and numbness have definitely dissipated but to my surprise I'm not nearly as uncomfortable or in pain as I had anticipated being. I'm icing for 20 minutes every hour and so far Tylenol has been extremely effective for my discomfort level.
I can't believe the procedure is all said and done and now my recovery journey begins! I'll be posting a photo probably around the end of week one or two, once the swelling has subsided a bit.

Okay, I know this probably sounds crazy weird but I woke up this morning without any pain whatsoever. The only pain medication I took before bed was 1000mg of Tylenol. I have very small amounts of blood spotting so I slept with a pad on. I put a little Aquaphor on the pad so that my fresh sutures wouldn't stick and that worked pretty well. I also slept on a little 'puppy pad' so that I wouldn't get any blood on these white hotel sheets ha ha! I am obviously still tender to the touch and quite swollen but I was able to take a shower and use a gentle cleanser for my vagina without experiencing much discomfort at all.
Jackie, one of Dr. Aguirre's nurses, called me this morning to see how I was feeling and how things went on my first night. It felt really nice to have her check in on me and it felt even better to report that I had no pain whatsoever. So far I am so pleased with my decision to come out here and have this surgery done by Dr. Aguirre. I know this procedure will make me more comfortable in certain clothes and also enhance my comfort and confidence in the bedroom.
Having said that, I am hesitant to post pictures until I get my stitches out in 3 more days because things are looking purple and swollen, which is expected, but I don't want to discourage anyone from going through with this surgery based on those photos. I promise to post a photo when I get my stitches out and every couple weeks after that so that everyone can track my progress with me.