Labia Majora Fat Grafting
As a woman goes through the various stages of life, things like weight fluctuations, hormonal changes, pregnancy, menopause, and aging can cause volume loss in the genitalia. This can lead to the labia appearing shrunken, thin, fragile, and aesthetically less pleasing. Rejuvenation procedures like labia majora fat grafting can help correct the problem.
If you are bothered by deflated, loose, or saggy appearing labia majora, keep reading to learn more about a procedure called labia augmentation with fat transfer. You can find out why you may want to consider labia majora fat grafting, what the procedure involves, the risks and potential complications, cost, and more.
What is the labia majora?
The word labia means lips. Labia majora is the medical term for the outer lips that surround the opening of the vagina. It is essentially a pair of prominent folds of skin on either side of the vaginal opening that is covered by hair in most women. It encloses and protects the inner lips or labia minora as well as the vaginal and urethral openings. The mons pubis is the mound of fatty tissue over the pubic bone that is covered with pubic hair.
What is a labia majora fat graft?
In young women, the labia majora are usually plump, full, and perky. With changes related to age, subcutaneous fat is lost in many parts of the body, including the labia. This causes the labia majora to shrink and appear shriveled and sagging in older women. Fat transfer to the labia majora is a way of replacing the fat that has been lost due to aging.
The transfer procedure involves harvesting donor fat from a part of the body where there is excess fat tissue, such as the love handles in the flanks or the outer thighs, and transferring it to restore volume to the vaginal lips to accomplish labia augmentation. The result is a fuller, more youthful appearance of the labia majora. The procedure is often combined with other rejuvenation procedures such as labiaplasty. It can also be performed at the same time as procedures on the breasts, such as breast augmentation.
Why do women undergo fat grafting of the labia majora?
Full, plump, perky labia are considered aesthetically pleasing. Labia augmentation plastic surgery helps to restore a firmer and smoother contour to the vaginal area.
Vaginal rejuvenation procedures like fat transfer to the labia majora and mons pubis are on the rise because they help women feel more comfortable with the size, shape, and overall appearance of their body. Many women seek labia rejuvenation to feel more confident about themselves, comfortable in their skin, and satisfied with how their vaginal area looks.
Benefits of a labia majora augmentation with fat transfer
Fat transfer labia augmentation is a relatively simple solution with permanent results, very little downtime, and a quick recovery period. This type of plastic surgery can dramatically improve the aesthetic appearance of the vaginal area and genitalia, reduce self consciousness, and enhance a woman's self esteem and confidence.
Candidates for fat transfer to the labia majora
A fat transfer procedure for the labia majora and mons pubis is appropriate for any woman who is unhappy with the appearance of her vagina and feels that the size or fullness of the vaginal lips is an issue. A woman who desires fuller, plumper, more youthful looking labia is generally considered a good candidate for this procedure. Anyone who is in good general health, is a non-smoker, and is at or near her ideal body weight is considered an appropriate candidate. Of course, a woman must have adequate stores of fat available for the transfer to accomplish the labia augmentation. If a patient does not have adequate fat for the transfer, it may be possible to perform the augmentation with fillers.
If you are considering undergoing this treatment, it important to have a frank discussion with your plastic surgeon before undergoing the fat transfer. This will ensure you have realistic expectations from the procedure and are happy with the aesthetic outcome and final look.
This type of plastic surgery is not recommended for women who are in the process of losing a large amount of weight, women who have recently given birth, or women who have chronic, uncontrolled medical conditions that can increase the risk of complications.
About the procedure
Labia majora fat transfer is performed on an outpatient basis, so you can go home the day of your surgery after a short period of observation. The procedure itself usually takes an hour or so to complete. It can be performed under local anesthesia or general anesthesia, depending on the extent of the planned fat transfer.
The first part of the labia majora fat transfer is a liposuction procedure. This is a minimally invasive procedure in which fat is removed from areas of the body where it is unwanted, such as the flanks, abdomen, or thighs. The fat is then processed and purified in the laboratory and later injected into the desired area, in this case the labia majora.
Results
The results of labia augmentation are permanent. However, it is worth noting that some of the fat is reabsorbed by the body. Surgeons anticipate this and overfill to some extent. Nonetheless, it can take more than one session to accomplish the desired fullness.
Risks of labia majora fat transfer
Possible complications of fat transfer to the labia majora include asymmetry, excessive fullness, and defects at the liposuction donor site. When performed by an experienced plastic surgeon, the procedure is safe and can give you beautiful, natural-looking results.
Does fat grafting to the labia majora leave scars?
Surgeons use very tiny puncture wounds to inject fat using small cannulas (tubes) during a fat transfer procedure. Also, the punctures are made in inconspicuous locations as much as possible. As a result, the scars on the labia majora and surrounding genitalia are barely visible. However, if a labiaplasty procedure is performed along with the fat transfer, a scar may be visible on the labia majora.
Recovery from labia majora fat transfer
Immediately after the fat transfer, most patients experience some minor discomfort, bruising, and swelling in the genital area. The swelling can take up to 6 weeks to subside completely. Once this occurs, however, patients achieve permanent volume restoration and enhanced fullness of the labia majora.
You should plan to take 1-2 days off work to recover from the fat transfer. You may receive prescription pain medication to help reduce discomfort in the post-surgery period. Like with all surgeries, you will be advised to take it easy for a few days and avoid strenuous activities including exercise. Because the genital area is involved, you will also need to abstain from sex and avoid tampon use for 4-6 weeks. Depending on where the fat is harvested from, you may be advised to wear a compression garment on the donor site. If you have any concern during this time, you should call the plastic surgery office as soon as possible. Surgeons provide patients with a phone number and e mail to get in touch.
It is important to follow your surgeon's instructions to ensure the results of the fat grafting are long-lasting and you do not have any complications from the procedure.
Cost of fat grafting to the labia majora
The average cost of labia rejuvenation with fat transfer is around $4,000. If larger volumes of liposuction are performed and the procedure is done under general anesthesia, the cost can be higher.
Choosing a surgeon for labia rejuvenation
Given that discussions about vaginal rejuvenation can be delicate in nature, it is imperative that you choose a plastic surgeon who makes you feel comfortable and gives you the right advice and information. It is also essential that you choose a provider who has experience in performing these types of procedures and who can give you an alternative option.
The MeTime app makes it easy to find experienced liposuction and fat transfer surgeons in your area. You can click and upload photos and have suggestions sent directly to you. Learn more about labia majora fat grafting. Try the MeTime app now!
