Cosmetic Genital Surgery - Labia minora reduction

Labiaplasty Video Updated- Trim Versus Wedge Method

2011-12-20T07:30:00.000-08:00

Blog moved

2011-02-27T17:36:00.001-08:00

Hello all,

I pretty much moved my blogging pursuits to my own domain CosmeticSurgeryTruth.com in 2009. There are posts on labiaplasty as well.

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

P.S. I rarely if ever approve comments here. I just don't have the time. Comments are moderated at my blog above however. :)

Press Release- Dr D publishes "Unusual Labial Rejuvenation" in Journal Of Sexual Medicine

2008-04-30T10:02:00.001-07:00

Here's a press release on my latest medical journal publication for those interested.

--

Recent concern in the medical community has been focused upon discretionary surgery of the female genitalia. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in September of last year cautioned its members to be wary of procedures promoted as “designer vaginoplasty,” “revirgination,” and “G-spot amplification.” Dr John Di Saia, a board certified plastic surgeon in Orange County California, presents a case demonstrating his technique of safe cosmetic labiaplasty to demonstrate that within limitations these operations can be safely offered to appropriate patients with pleasing results.

Orange County, Ca -- The world of Cosmetic surgery has seemingly become a carnival arena spiced with Internet cliques and sensationalistic television shows. Surgery has become a commodity of sorts and in the hyperbole that has been born the medical community has started to interject itself.

In September of 2007, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists warned its members to be wary of vaginal surgical procedures offered by practitioners claiming to enhance appearance or sexual gratification. The piece advised that member physicians advise their patients to consider these operations of unproven effectiveness with potentially serious complications.

“Over the seven years that I have been offering reduction labiaplasty, the experience has been pretty good,” Dr John Di Saia explains. “The key in safely offering surgery in this area is to focus upon external structures and apply proper technique. The operation described in the recent publication was fairly extensive so it was performed in two parts. Staging surgery in this manner is designed to limit complications.” Long-term problems in the doctor’s cases have been virtually non-existent as he has improved his operation over the past few years. He understands the concerns of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, but would emphasize that reduction labiaplasty performed by an experienced surgeon on the external genitalia alone is safe and effective.

“I do not present these operations to the patient as the cure for an ailing sex life, but my patients have of course been concerned with appearance. Why else would they seek the services of a plastic surgeon?” the doctor adds. Patients presenting for labiaplasty have predominantly sought reduction of their external inner “lips” for reasons including discomfort in tight clothing, embarrassment and cosmetic displeasure. The doctor performs these operations under anesthesia at an accredited surgical facility.

About John Di Saia MD
John Di Saia MD is a board certified plastic surgeon practicing in Orange County, Ca. He is very active online as the author of Plastic Surgery Interactive (www.psinteractive.net) and his weblog Truth in Cosmetic Surgery (www.cosmeticsurgerytruth.blogspot.com). He also contributes to a few online plastic surgery forums and on occasion to the medical literature.

Media Contact
Dr Di Saia

Could This Woman Use A Labiaplasty?

2007-10-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

Is it ever reasonable to reduce large vaginal lips even when some women want the operation? How long is too long? It isn't really normal to be able to tie your lips together.

Some women really don't like the thought that other women are having this done. This video clip just shows a woman with long Labiae. I don't know where the lady here on yahoo got the video clip.

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

Sue Johanson talks Labiaplasty

2007-07-01T17:04:00.000-07:00

I just saw this video on labiaplasty from Sue Johanson cable show. Ms Johanson, like many in the media, seems to assume all surgeons do them the way gynecologists have done them for many years by the "trim method." The "trim method" does reduce sensation. That is why I will not do them using that method. The various versions of modified wedge reductions do not reduce sensation. My patients are invariably pleased with their reductions. I follow them until they are back "in action."

Ms Johanson also fails to address the major reason women consider this operation: discomfort in clothing. When Labia minorae get really large, they hurt in underwear and can give the appearance of a "package" in gym clothing. I agree with the inference made in the clip that women should only consider this operation for internal reasons. Then again no partner of any of my patients to date has been the reason for her considering this surgery.

I usually like the excerpts I have seen from Ms Johanson's show. This one is just off the mark. Maybe it is from an old segment.

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

Reduction Labiaplasty YouTube Video

2007-04-06T19:26:00.000-07:00

E-mailed Question Re:Labiaplasty

2007-01-22T11:26:00.000-08:00

I am not a patient of yours - but I was wondering if you can address the following questions in your blog. My mother has undergone urology surgery to try to correct the frequent urination that occured after childbirth. You sneeze and you go syndrome..anyway - It wasnot as successful as hoped and I had seen an end of a show where the woman said she had labiaplasty to help correct this very same issue. If you could please discuss that a little in your blog..I am sure that alot of woman would get much needed information from it.

Reduction labiaplasty is cosmetic. In my practice, it addresses the size and "unevenness" that some women note in their labiae. Once in a while the size interferes with normal sexual relations. This is not common.

Procedures to improve stress incontinence (leakage of urine) are urological procedures. Plastic surgeons do not routinely work on such problems.

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

WHO wants an end to female genital cutting

2006-06-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

WHO wants an end to female genital cutting. No they are not talking about labiaplasty.

http://cosmeticsurgerytruth.blogspot.com/2006/06/who-calls-for-end-to-female-genital.html

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

Being Tested?

2006-03-23T15:20:00.000-08:00

Sometimes patients come for this operation that have nothing visible to fix. Surgery addresses the physical. I almost feel like I am being tested. I saw a delightful young lady today with perfectly normal anatomy. I told her this and gave her contact information for a local gynecologist for an internal examination.

I wonder if some of the other local plastic surgeons would have simply operated upon her.

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

Tags
labiaplasty
labioplasty

Spam Attack

2005-10-31T07:52:00.000-08:00

Hello all,

I have really been spending most of my blogging time at my other blog. Meanwhile, we have had a spam attack over here. I have hidden comments to spare us all the pain.

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

www.ocbody.com

blog- http://cosmeticsurgerytruth.blogspot.com/

forum- http://psinteractive.net/forum.htm

Labiaplasty Again

2005-08-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

Like most other areas in cosmetic surgery, labiaplasty requests vary quite a bit. I did three or four of them in quick succession earlier in the year and I think I have one to do this week. I do many other procedures besides this operation. I am also (as I have mentioned previously) been spending much more time on my general OpEd Blog that covers plastic surgery and health care.

Cosmetic Surgery Truth

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

No - I don't do sex changes

2005-06-02T19:19:00.000-07:00

When you offer labiaplasty surgery, you need to be particular about what you do. I get e-mail from people with wonderful comments such as:

"Are you nuts! You make boys into girls!"

- Nope, I don't. I don't offer nor do I have interest in sexual re-assignment surgery.

"You want me to believe that cutting off some of those lips makes sex better?"

-Nope, I have never said that. Only in rare occasions does the size of the Labia minora impair sexual activities.

The perception that some women have of a "bulge" in their pants is that of masculinity. Women in most cases want to feel feminine. This feeling can impair the libido of many women.

So, no, I am not a sexual re-assigment surgeon. I simply reduce the Labia minora in cases in which they are large.

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

Why So Large Down There?

2005-05-11T20:31:00.000-07:00

The question was raised on an About.com board today:

Why do these women get such large vaginal lips?

The more important question is probably what constitues large vaginal lips.

The bottom line is that nobody knows. I routinely ask my patients how long they have been aware of the issue. Most say they have felt "large" down there for quite some time. Others feel that child birth may have made the problem worse. None so far have indicated that a male partner had said anything about it or indicated that it was a problem.

A Korean surgeon that described one of the operations to reduce large Labia minorae thought it might have something to do with masturbation or having lots of sex. There is not good data to support such a conclusion. He also indicated that he felt women were more aware of it as an issue because of pornography.

Here he is probably right. It is painfully easy to look at plenty of women's privates in the comfort of your own home: internet porn. I'd wager that women are comparing like they have not been able to compare in days gone by. That and public awareness probably fuel the desire we are now seeing.

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD
San Clemente, Ca.

It's been a month

2005-05-09T21:35:00.000-07:00

This last month has just flew by. I can't believe it has been a month since I started this blog.

Meanwhile, I have started another blog, "Truth in Cosmetic Surgery," in which I will likely spend more time.

Although I do labiaplasty surgery (did one today), I perform many other operations. And my big opinion (problem?) extends to all of them as well. The cosmetic surgery blog provides many more topics.

Neverthless, for those interested, the Truth in Cosmetic Surgery Blog is

HERE.

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD
www.ocbody.com

Australian Law Journal Addresses Female Genital Surgery

2005-05-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

Interesting article here from an Australian Law / Medical Journal. The author argues that adults should be allowed to even have Female Genital Mutilation (yikes!):

Exorcising Excision: Medico-Legal Issues
Arising From Male and Female Genital
Surgery in Australia

Female Genital Mutilation is ghastly and in no way similar to reduction labiaplasty. The real problem is that the legal systems of most countries are just starting to grapple with the idea of Female Genital Mutilation. Differenciating this from cosmetic procedures designed to improve the self-image and well-being of a woman will hopefully follow.

Until Later,

John Di Saia MD

Scarleteen "Loving Your Labia"

2005-05-02T10:13:00.000-07:00

An interesting place Scarleteen despite the dissing Dr D part discussed in the post a week or so ago. They have a section on "loving your labia" trying to convince women not to get them reduced.

Worth looking at for those women thinking about surgery.

It's HERE

My preference is for women I may operate to have thought about it for a while first. I do ask first.

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

P.S. My forum provides a section on labiaplasty. I check the forum more frequently than this Blog.

New York Times Piece - Nov 04

2005-04-28T17:10:00.000-07:00

Found a piece online from the New York Times Nov 04. A Dr Stern (I don't know him) in Florida is doing them. I can't tell if he does strictly reductions or tightening and other GYN stuff. He is a GYN.

The article is HERE .

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

Dissed at Scarleteen's Forum

2005-04-25T15:40:00.000-07:00

Posted at a Scarleteen forum post this last weekend. My post was erased and no response or e-mail was given. The open-minded opposition no doubt

Here's the post.

Just added that there were legitimate reasons to consider doing a labiaplasty although I would not consider doing one on an underage girl.

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

About.com Labiaplasty Poll

2005-04-25T14:59:00.000-07:00

Put up a poll at About.com on the opinions about labiaplasty a few weeks ago.

For those interested:

About.com Labiaplasty Poll

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

Labiaplasty is NOT female genital mutilation

2005-04-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

The problem with those citing the "Female Genital Mutilation" (FGM) comparison is that it is just frankly false. The problem is that FGM is defined so variably. The central concept to FGM is an attempt at "de-sexualizing" a woman. Labiaplasty if anything puts her back in the game. Many of these women won't have sex as they are aghast at their own genitalia prior to surgery.

Decreasing the size of a woman's Labia minora such that she have less pain or embarassment or can wear clothes or feel comfortable having sex is not the same as amputating her genitals.

For those wanting more information on that which is FGM, look

Here.

I solely practice labia minora reduction and on occasion slight reduction of the clitoral hood. My patients have been happy.

Those looking for FGM, sexual re-assignment surgery or anything else are not addressed in my practice.

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

"Toronto Trim" and Article

2005-04-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

Surfing today revealed an article from a Toronto newspaper. Up there they are calling labiaplasty the "Toronto Trim." The doctor interviewed is intimating that sex improves after labiaplasty (of which I am not a big believer in the average case). He also does "tightening" which I do not do.

An excerpt:

At Dr. Robert Stubbs's office, they call it the Toronto Trim.

For the past 12 years, women have come to him from all over North America to have their labia minora -- the flaps of skin that form the lips of a woman's genitalia and surround the clitoris and vaginal opening -- reduced.

It's not a cosmetic alteration that ranks up there in popularity with breast augmentation, but recently Dr. Stubbs has been performing the surgery more than ever -- as often as once a month.

A recent issue of Cosmopolitan magazine declared that "sexual-enhancement" surgery such as labiaplasty and vaginal tightening (which Dr. Stubbs also performs) is the hottest trend in plastic surgery.

Dr. Stubbs, a plastic surgeon, chalks up interest in labiaplasty to a prevailing hyperesthetic: after all the benchmarks of beauty have been obtained -- Barbie Doll breasts, youthful face, sporty thighs -- it appears that for a certain segment of female society, tidy genitals are worth the $1,500 to $2,500 price tag. If the labia are oversized, asymetrical, too loose or triangular, they don't measure up to the ideal and are a candidate for cutting.

But esthetic motives are only half the story, according to Jane (not her real name), who called from somewhere in the United States and wouldn't say where.

The 37-year-old athletic professional said she recently flew to Toronto and had the operation for reasons that were 50% esthetic and 50% physical.

Oversized labia are uncomfortable, Jane said. "I experienced physical discomfort during sex. And I would feel pinching while riding a bike or a horse."

The full piece might be worth a read though: Here

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

C's labiaplasty story

2005-04-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

To make this more interesting, here's the story of a patient upon whom I performed labiaplasty a few years ago:

"C" was a very attractive 23 year old woman who had had a child several months prior. Her delivery was assisted by a suction device (not uncommon in childbirth). After her delivery she noticed that her vaginal lips had become very swollen. Her lips had been larger than those of a few of her friends before this, but this swelling was extreme.

The swelling improved but her lips (while they got smaller) never became as small as they had once been. She became self-conscious of this when in tight clothing at the gym. As she tried to have sex a few weeks later, she noticed that it hurt as her lips would move in and out during relations. They were quite long.

She called a fair number (she said twenty) plastic surgery offices in our local area. No one was willing to see her. She called the office in which I was sharing space at the time. There was little oversight in this office which ultimately contributed to my leaving. She was given an appointment.

I met her and she explained her problem. At the time, I had not performed labiaplasty surgery and I was forthcoming on this point. She pleaded with me to figure something out. She was miserable.

We agreed that I would peruse the literature (the journals) and we would meet in a week. I found a few articles some of which appeared barbaric. There were a few that seemed reasonable in their descriptions of methods to address the problem.

We ultimately came to perform her operation and she was very happy. This was my first case. She indicated that I should put a section on this on my web site.

That page and her Pictures are Here.

Until Later,

JPD

Labiaplasty - Female Labial Reduction

2005-04-08T19:48:00.000-07:00

I have been doing these for the past few years and recently have been seeing a big increase in the numbers. The procedure is controversial. In women's magazines and blogs, there have been characterizations of pain and loss of sensation. There is obviously no intelligent discussion of the variations of this operation, the reasons for which it may be performed, the risks, benefits or anything else....at least not that I have seen.

There are many ways to perform this operation. The reasons that women may see fit to come for consultation are much more complex than those "poo pooing" on the operation would know. Being that I am curious, let's talk about it.

So please do tell all......

John Di Saia MD
San Clemente, Ca.
www.ocbody.com

my labiaplasty page - http://www.psinteractive.net/labia.htm

my web site forum - http://www.psinteractive.net/forum.htm