How Do I Know If My Labiaplasty Is Botched?

It’s not a trick question; Many patients don’t realize that something isn’t quite right with their labiaplasty result until they are out of the recovery period. This blog discusses the signs and symptoms of a botched labiaplasty, how to choose a surgeon for your revision, and what options patients have for their revision procedures.

The Labiaplasty Lowdown

Few things are more frustrating than realizing what you’ve received is far from what you wanted. Unfortunately, some patients don’t know what they’re getting into with a procedure or plastic surgeon until they come home with a botched result. Unlike other cosmetic procedures that are generally more obvious in the day-to-day, a botched labiaplasty might be harder to detect.

What Is a “Botched” Labiaplasty?

The goal of a labiaplasty is to reduce enlarged labia minora (inner vaginal lips) that extend beyond the labia majora (outer vaginal lips). An enlarged labia minora can cause physical discomfort due to rubbing or chafing during movement, but it can also cause emotional distress, often resulting in patients avoiding sexual intercourse for fear of discomfort or embarrassment.

The procedure usually involves trimming or cutting a wedge-shaped portion of the inner lips to reduce their protrusion and result in a neat appearance. But what does this look like when the result is poor?

Some signs of a botched labiaplasty:

• The edges of the labia are “scalloped,” meaning they have uneven edges that resemble small curves
• The edges of the labia are discolored; they can either look paler or darker than the rest of the tissue
• The two labium are not even; one labium may hang lower than the other
• The labia are overly excised (the surgeon cut too much), or they may be completely absent
• Your labia have painful scarring or edges

If you are unhappy with the appearance of your labia following labiaplasty, or you are experiencing pain or discomfort after the initial recovery period, you may have a botched labiaplasty.

What Causes a Botched Labiaplasty Result?

There are many reasons a labiaplasty may become botched, starting with the technique used. There are two common ways to perform a labiaplasty: the trim technique and the central wedge technique.

The central wedge technique was developed by Dr. Gary Alter, and while it requires advanced surgical skill, it results in a more natural-looking contour to the labial edge, as well as a reduced risk of painful or disfiguring scarring.

The trimming technique is what it sounds like: the labial edges are trimmed with a scalpel, scissors, knife, clamp, or laser. While it may be the quicker method, it also can result in partial or over-removal, asymmetry, an unnatural labial edge, scar discomfort and pain, and potential damage to the clitoris, clitoral hood, and labium.

If you have a botched labiaplasty, you may have been treated with the trim method.

However, a botched labiaplasty is not always due to an inexperienced surgeon or the methodology used. In some cases, the healing process itself can contribute to a poor result. This may be due to a lack of care by the patient, or it can simply be due to chance.

What to Do If Your Labiaplasty Is Botched

If you think you have a botched labiaplasty result, it’s important to understand that you do have options: labiaplasty revision or secondary labiaplasty is a cosmetic procedure designed to repair damage and enhance the aesthetic of botched labiaplasties.

The key, however, is to choose a labiaplasty revision expert like Dr. Gary Alter. It can be scary having to undergo another procedure to fix the issues of the first one, especially if you are like other patients who feel great emotional distress toward their botched labia.

As the inventor of the central wedge labiaplasty technique, Dr. Alter has dedicated decades of his career to improving labiaplasty outcomes for his patients and the patients of others. His unique qualifications as a board-certified plastic surgeon and urologist give him an understanding of the specificities and anatomy of the genitals, which he pairs with his unparalleled surgical skill. As such, he has worked to help patients who have received botched labiaplasties–of all kinds–to restore their vaginal aesthetic, function, and comfort.

What Are My Labiaplasty Revision Options?

Dr. Alter employs a host of labiaplasty revision techniques, providing care for even the most severe cases. The type of technique used typically depends on the amount of labia minora and clitoral hood remaining. Some possible techniques include:

Missing or Overly Removed Labium

For readers who think there’s no way Dr. Alter can restore missing labia: there’s still hope!

• Use of the remaining clitoral hood or labial tissue to reconstruct the deformed or absent labium.
• To correct a gap in an overly removed labium, Dr. Alter cuts out the gap and brings the two edges together, suturing accurately to avoid potential scarring.
• If one or both labia are completely absent, he can create a new one out of clitoral hood tissue.

Painful Scarring, Scalloped Edges, and Minor Deformities

The level of necessary revision will vary greatly from one patient to the next, but some common techniques include:

• For scalloped, scarred, uneven, or discolored edges, Dr. Alter may cut out the scar tissue and resuture the labial edges for a more precise, natural-looking appearance.
• For a minor deformity, Dr. Alter can inject fat into the labium using fat grafting techniques
• Reattach the hanging clitoral hood to a normal position
• Reduce a large clitoral hood by repositioning the clitoris (clitoropexy) and removing the extra skin.

It is very common for Dr. Alter to combine multiple techniques, and this is not an exhaustive list of the ways he can improve your botched labiaplasty–view our before and after labiaplasty revision gallery for a look at some of Dr. Alter’s gorgeous transformations.

Want to Learn More About Labiaplasty Revision Surgery in Beverly Hills, CA?

No matter where you are in your labiaplasty reconstruction journey, we’re here to help. Our frequently asked questions page can help inform your research, or if you’re ready we are happy to help you schedule your consultation with our labiaplasty revision expert. Just call (310) 275-5566 or fill out our contact form to get started.

Dr. Alter practices in both New York City and Beverly Hills, with virtual consultations available for our out-of-town patients. Check out our blog about traveling for your labiaplasty revision.