Intimate surgery has been a quietly sought after treatment that is beginning to become more widely recognized as a correctable problem.
Many women express an aesthetic and/or functional discomfort linked with the area of the perineum, but in most cases they feel ashamed to ask for a consultation. However, they can be disturbed in their daily and sexual lives. These intimate inconveniences may hinder the accomplishment of some sports activities or prevent women from having a satisfying sex life.
As soon as they hit puberty, young women often wonder about the normality of their sex. » Are my labia minora normal or prominent? » « Do my labia majora look normal? » « Does my clitoris have a normal size? » Those are some of the most frequently asked questions. Most of the time, everything is perfectly normal. During a consultation, the specialist will reassure the patients regarding the normality of their anatomy and explain the therapeutic solutions in case of any anomalies.
- A nymphoplasty consists of removing the excess tissue of the inner lips.
- The diagnosis needs to be properly assessed, because, although a nymphoplasty may be necessary, in some cases the atrophy of the outer lips which do not have a protective action on the perineum anymore gives a false impression of prominent inner lips. Intense sport activities can sometimes lead to a painful atrophy of the outer lips. When needed, a labiaplasty with lipofilling or hyaluronic acid injections will help giving the optimum consistency to the tissues.
- Finally, a hymenoplasty can be performed to reconstruct the hymen after a trauma (rape) or because of traditional reasons.
After a pregnancy, the vaginal wall may lack tonicity. The operation aiming at correcting this defect is called vaginoplasty and requires a multidisciplinary team: a physiotherapist expert in perineal reeducation, a sexologist and a gynecologist.
Depending on the age of the patient, different procedures can be considered to treat the discomfort.
- A nymphoplasty and a labiaplasty remain possible.
- A lift of the pubis is possible in case of skin-sagging in this area or of a large loss of weight.
Many solutions exist to treat these little-known female disorders which may be disturbing in everyday life. It is important to talk to a specialist who will advise the best solution for each patient.