Zurek_Labia
2/2/07
2:05 PM
Page 190
as seen in australian cosmetic surgery magazine
genital surgery
labioplasty
explained
Female genital, or intimate, surgery is
becoming increasingly popular says Sydney
cosmetic surgeon Dr Longin Zurek.
Lauren Alexander reports.
I
n recent years there has been an increasing interest in
cosmetic surgery of female genitalia, which is
undoubtedly related to a growing awareness and
education generated by the media. A commonly requested
procedure is labioplasty (also called labiaplasty) which
reduces the size of the labia minora (inner lips).
In the majority of women, the labia minora are covered
by the labia majora (outer lips) and are only seen with the
legs separated. Large labia minora may cause discomfort
or even be noticeable in tight clothing. It may also interfere
with sexual intercourse.The predominant cause of a large
labia is congenital.
Studies show that aesthetic appearance is the main
reason women seek this form of surgery. There are many
techniques of labioplasty ranging from simple removal of
the excessive labia to different forms of wedge
resection and tissue movements.
Dr Zurek’s preferred technique involves reshaping of the
large labia minora without interfering with the underlying
tissue. This allows: precise reduction of the size of the
labia; modification of the thickness of the tissue of the labia;
removal of areas with increased pigmentation (dark skin)
and removal of uneven edges of the labia.
As the procedure allows the reshaping of the labia
minora according to the patient’s wishes, Dr Zurek has
termed it ‘labia sculpture’. The procedure is performed
under local anaesthetic and sedation. There is no need to
remove the sutures as these will dissolve between seven
and 21 days, allowing natural healing to take place.
In the first week, patients will experience swelling and
discomfort. Regular ‘sitz’ baths in comfortably warm water
are helpful and healing is expected to be complete after
four weeks. acsm
1 9 0
BEFORE
4 weeks AFTER labia sculpture
by Dr Zurek
A U S T R A L I A N
C O S M E T I C
S U R G E RY