5 Things to Avoid During Labiaplasty Recovery

Congratulations on your decision to undergo labiaplasty surgery. Many women are surprised when they discover the difference this procedure can make in their confidence, comfort, and free-spiritedness.

To get the best labiaplasty results, it’s essential to choose a skilled and reputable surgeon with ample experience performing these genital surgeries.

However, your final outcome also depends on compliance with your surgeon’s instructions before surgery and during recovery to help prevent complications that can significantly impact your results.

What to Do After Labiaplasty Surgery

It’s important to have the time and space needed to recover fully after any surgery, and for women who’ve undergone labiaplasty, activities that put stress on their vaginal tissues must be avoided.

First, let’s review what you can do to help ensure a successful recovery:

Relax and Rest

Create a supportive recovery environment by preparing a comfortable and peaceful spot to rest, relax, and focus on taking care of yourself. Labiaplasty is not a major surgery, but you deserve to pamper yourself.

Eat a Healthy Diet and Drink Plenty of Water

Another aspect of your recovery that requires planning is meal prep and stocking up on non-alcoholic beverages, including lots of water. Proper nutrition and hydration are imperative for your body to regenerate cells and tissue during healing.

Follow All Instructions

Take any prescribed or over-the-counter medications as directed, and apply a cold compress according to the provided instructions to help relieve discomfort and swelling.

What Should You Not Do After Labiaplasty Surgery

In addition to what you should do, here are five primary types of activities to refrain from for a few weeks after your labiaplasty.

1. Strenuous Exercise, Running, and Swimming

Running, swimming, and many other exercises involve muscles within and near the vagina/vulva region, and the goal of recovery is to allow this entire area to rest and heal.

Also, it’s best not to submerge incision sites in water (especially chlorinated water) after surgery, so swimming at this time can be harmful on several levels. Even low-impact running will jostle tissues and trigger sweating in the area, which may impede healing.

2. Riding a Bicycle, Horseback, or Motorcycle

Straddling a bike, horse, or motorcycle is a terrible idea after labiaplasty surgery for reasons that are probably pretty obvious. Putting direct and prolonged pressure on your vagina and the friction caused by these activities is a sure way to ruin your labiaplasty results, create complications, and prolong your recovery.

3. Sexual Intercourse

Increased confidence during intimate encounters and sexual intercourse is one of the reasons some women choose to undergo labiaplasty. However, engaging in sexual activity that involves penetration or rubbing vaginal tissues is almost guaranteed to affect your results when resumed too early.

4. Smoke Cigarettes

Any use of tobacco products should be ceased weeks before any surgery and not resumed during recovery. Nicotine causes blood vessels to constrict, which interferes with optimal healing and can lead to complications.

5. Wear Tight Clothing

The friction caused by wearing tight-fitting pants or undergarments can also interfere with the healing process, so choose loose clothing and underwear while you heal.

Avoid the above activities or personal habits for four to six weeks unless cleared by your surgeon to resume sooner.

Which Complication Risks Can Increase During Recovery?

By following your post-surgical instructions and the above tips, you can expect an uneventful and even pleasant recovery period. However, while complications are rare, their risks can be increased by taking a casual attitude toward healing.

Some complications that may be caused by a less-than-ideal healing period after labiaplasty include:

• Bruising or hematoma
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Chronic discomfort
• Painful sex
• Loss of sensitivity
• Scarring

Call your surgeon if you experience any of the following signs or symptoms:

• Fever
• Discharge or pus
• Increased swelling, pain, or bleeding (and blood clumps)
• Severe pain when using the toilet

Immediately addressing these issues may help prevent or reduce adverse effects on your results.

Beverly Hills Labiaplasty Leader, Dr. Gary Alter

Dr. Gary Alter is a world-renowned Beverly Hills surgeon who is double board-certified in plastic surgery and urology. As a pioneer in his field, he specializes in genital surgery, focusing on labiaplasty and labiaplasty revision.

Located in Beverly Hills, California and Manhattan, New York, many of Dr. Alter’s labiaplasty patients come from across the world for his unique expertise.

Call Southern California’s and New York’s top labiaplasty surgeon at (310)-275-5566 today to schedule a consultation if you want the best labiaplasty results possible.