Get the real deal on beauty treatments—real doctors, real reviews, and real photos with real results.Here's how we earn your trust.

POSTED UNDER Labiaplasty REVIEWS

Glad That I Did It, Everything Considered - Manhattan, NY

ORIGINAL POST

Scheduling a surgery with doctor Alter is not easy...

Bee101
WORTH IT$6,500
Scheduling a surgery with doctor Alter is not easy since he is expensive, famous and in very high demand. That said, and with results in mind, I have to say that I expected to be treated with a little more consideration throughout the process of my surgery.
I'll start with the bad:
Pre-op scheduling is difficult and Zena unaccommodating. The other secretaries are much nicer. Doctor alter is friendly in the most superficial way. He is dismissive, a bit condescending and VERY speedy. (Speed I understand since he is an adept surgeon.) I have a feeling he wouldn't remember my name 1 week after the surgery if he didn't have a memo. He casually insulted my degree by laughing and questing its value after asking about it which Is a pretty unprofessional way to interact with a patient and made me worry that maybe I wasn't an 'important/impressive' enough patient to deserve his 'best work.' Even if these fears are unreasonable I think that it is important for surgeons of this stature/ who deal with such personal issues to be a little more sensitive.
On surgery day doctor Alter basically would have nothing to do with me until I was properly drugged and on the table.The worst thing is that I was STRONGLY pressured to accept general anesthesia on the grounds that 'if I started to move during the surgery doctor alter would get FURIOUS.' Despite the pressure (which was horrible) the anesthesiologist was extremely sweet and understanding of my anxiety/ pleasant (not something I can say of doctor alter.) I accepted general against my better judgement (In a private non-hospital facility no less!) and I regret it. Honestly, if you are being paid 8000$ for two hours of your time you can deal with asking a patient to stop moving a couple of times. Alter's convenience was not worth my safety. If you see this surgeon do not let yourself be coerced into doing anything you aren't comfortable doing! (This includes potentially rebuffing doctor Alter's not-so-subtle nudges for you to undergo his additional surgery which involves re-attaching the clitoris higher up on the vagina. COINCIDENTALLY an extra 2 - 3000$!)
The good: The most important thing, my results, are VERY good. My confidence has skyrocketed since the surgery. Doctor Alter removed a lot of tissue while still maintaining a very natural look. The labia does not protrude from the labia majora but rather sits on the same level. It is also much thinner. My right labia is now a tiny bit larger which I suppose cannot be helped since the right has always been quite a bit larger. It still looks very natural and I am not bothered by it. For all of his shortcomings Doctor Alter is good where it matters.
I am glad that I chose him for the surgery and I would do it again, though I would definitely be more stubborn when dealing with the anesthesia.

Bee101's provider

Gary J. Alter, MD

Gary J. Alter, MD

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

4.7 | 68 Reviews
PROFILE

Bee101 rating for Dr. Alter:

Overall rating
Doctor's bedside manner
Answered my questions
After care follow-up
Time spent with me
Phone or email responsiveness
Staff professionalism & courtesy
Payment process
Wait times

Replies (6)

User Avatar
August 30, 2014
Thank you for sharing your experience, glad you had a good end result. I can't imagine doing this surgery without a general anesthetic, I didn't even have the option for a local (This was years ago) but I understand it's your choice and you should not be swayed one way or the other. Do you feel comfortable posting photos? I realize it's very personal but many ladies do share...totally up to you. 
September 6, 2014
That's why he's the best vag doctor! Don't take it personally he did a great job u say... If ur not happy make him do it over! lol no pics?? post pics I want to see his work...
November 3, 2014
April 2, 2015
Please don't try to invalidate my experience because you disagree with my perceptions of doctor Alter's office and staff. Sounds like you have had an entirely different experience and that is also valid. For the record, I'd talked to plenty of people who had undergone labiaplasty under local anesthesia with fine results. There was actually a woman featured in a youtube interview with Doctor Alter who chose him specifically because of his willingness to perform the procedure under local instead of general anesthetic. So yeah, I was and still am surprised by how pushy Alter's staff was about the anesthesia and maintain that his primary concern was his own annoyance above all else. The bottom line is this: As a person, (I found that) doctor Alter came off as superficial and utterly disinterested as does most of his staff. Do I care if some surgeon thinks my degree is silly? Not really. But listen, when you are on a surgeon's table with your pants down, talking about your greatest insecurity, you are in a position of extreme vulnerability. All I'm saying is that it is unpleasant and unnecessary to have someone casually probe into and then undermine your work while you're spread eagle on a metal table. Poor bedside manner. End of story. Not trying to drag anyone's name through the mud here. Alter's surgical work is great and that's what matters. I'm just trying to talk about what I went through so people """like me""" (You know, Neurotic Immature New Yorkers!) might have a better idea of what to expect going into this.
November 26, 2016
Hey bee101 did you have the procedure which involved moving the clitoris? And was everything ok?!
December 29, 2018
right ?!?! idfk