Understanding Vaginoplasty
Overview
Vaginoplasty is a specialty in the plastic surgical field that involves a surgical procedure designed to tighten the female vaginal lining and surrounding tissue and muscle. Most often, women who have undergone multiple childbirth experience looser vaginal muscles due to natural stretching of the birth canal and want to regain strength in these tissue and muscle structures.

What Is Vaginoplasty?
Vaginoplasty is basically a surgical procedure that tightens a female vagina by the removal of excess lining and through the repair of surrounding soft tissues. The procedure helps to restore tone and strength of the exterior genitalia and vaginal canal. This procedure also tightens the diameter of the vagina, which often becomes stretched or enlarged following childbirth. The procedure removes excess vaginal lining, tightens vaginal muscles, and tightens or repairs surrounding soft tissue musculature.

Who Benefits from Vaginoplasty?
In addition to women who have given birth, individuals suffering from congenital birth defects or those who have suffered injury or trauma to the genitalia also benefit from this procedure. Many women are very self-conscious of their bodies, and restoring confidence and self-esteem through vaginoplasty is an important aspect of mental health. Candidates for vaginoplasty should be those who are in generally good health and physical condition but who also experience weak, stretched, or loose vaginal muscles.

Vaginoplasty Procedure
In most cases, vagina plastic surgery is performed on an outpatient basis and may take between one and two hours, depending on patient goals. Most patients spend about an hour in the recovery room supervised by a registered nurse. The procedure is most often performed under conscious sedation, but patients may also be put to sleep for the short period of time during the actual procedure.

In most cases, patients are sent home the same day with minimal to moderate discomfort that decreases in a few days. Antibiotics and pain medication may be prescribed depending on situation. The healing process occurs over a six-week period and absorbable sutures are utilized.

Vaginoplasty may be performed through several techniques:

• LVR - Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation- typically a one-hour outpatient procedure designed to reshape and tighten vaginal wall and labia.
• DLV - Designer Laser Vaginoplasty- one-hour outpatient procedure that generally reshapes overall appearance of external female genitalia.
• Surgical (scalpel) technique - non-laser surgical technique that removes excess tissues and tightens vaginal opening.

How Much Does Vaginoplasty Cost?
In the United States, vaginoplasty costs an average of $7,000. As with most elective cosmetic surgeries and procedures in the United States, health insurance companies typically don't cover the cost of this type of surgery. However, visitors to foreign destinations such as India, Thailand, Singapore, or South America may enjoy savings between 30% and 50% on the same procedure, including hotel accommodations, hospital fees, free surgical consultations and post-op care.

Who Performs Vaginoplasty Procedures?
Any type of cosmetic or plastic surgery should be performed by an accredited, certified, and experienced plastic or cosmetic surgeon. Surgeons performing this technique should be familiar with both laser and scalpel approaches, depending on need and desire results. Check to ensure that the surgeon of your choice is certified and accredited with boards, organizations, or associations in the country of origin, or if possible, belongs to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons or other internationally recognized plastic and cosmetic surgery organizations.