What is Vaginoplasty?
Vaginoplasty is a procedure to repair your vagina due to damage caused by medical conditions, injury or other factors.
Many people refer to all reproductive parts as the “vagina”. But to understand vaginoplasty, it is important to distinguish that the vagina is a muscular, hollow canal that you cannot see. The vulva is the visible part of a person's genitals.
What Does Vaginoplasty Treat?
You can have vaginoplasty for both functional and cosmetic reasons. Functional reasons are things like sexual intercourse or incontinence. Cosmetic means how something looks or how it makes you feel. There are many reasons why a person might decide to have a vaginoplasty. Some of these reasons include:
- Vaginal birth: Vaginal birth stretches and relaxes your vaginal muscles. Aging can also cause your vagina to lose its tightness. This can cause uncomfortable symptoms and affect sexual function.
- Medical conditions: People may need vaginal reconstruction after receiving radiation to treat cancer. Vaginoplasty can also help reshape your vagina if your doctor removes it during cancer treatment.
- Congenital conditions: Some congenital abnormalities (conditions present at birth) can affect how your vagina looks and functions. This can include being born without a vagina or being unable to menstruate because of an underdeveloped vagina.
- Gender confirmation: People can have vaginoplasty as part of gender reassignment surgery.
Is Vaginoplasty the Same as Vaginal Rejuvenation?
No, it is not. Vaginoplasty is a type of vaginal rejuvenation. Vaginal rejuvenation is any procedure to improve the appearance or function of your vagina. There are several different types of vaginal rejuvenation. Other common procedures include:
- Labiaplasty equalizes or reduces the size of your labia, the fleshy lips of your vagina.
- Vulvoplasty reshapes the visible (or outer) part of your vagina.
- Clitoral hood reduction, which removes excess tissue covering your clitoris.
What happens after vaginoplasty?
Your surgeon will review what you can expect after vaginoplasty, including which symptoms are signs of potential problems. Some people recover in hospital for up to five days, while others go home sooner. Your healthcare provider will prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection and pain medication to help with post-operative discomfort.
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