Vaginoplasty

What is Vaginoplasty?

A vaginoplasty is a surgical procedure that tightens, reconstructs or restores the vagina's original appearance. For this reason, the procedure is also referred to as vaginal tightening, vaginal plastic surgery, or vaginal reconstruction.

A vaginoplasty can be performed as an elective cosmetic or reconstructive plastic surgery procedure. It can also be combined with other types of genital surgeries, such as labiaplasty or hymenorrhaphy.

Reasons patients want a vaginoplasty

After childbirth, women may complain of vaginal laxity, resulting from stretching of tissues and separating of muscles, sometimes to the point that a tampon falls out, and this lack of tone can contribute to sexual dysfunction.

How Does the Procedure Work?

A vaginoplasty works by removing excess vaginal mucosa along the vaginal lining to reduce the size of the vaginal muscles. However, the specific manner in which the procedure is performed differs depending on the purpose or desired outcome. The specific techniques used in performing the procedure are the following:

McIndoe surgical technique – In this technique, the appearance of the vagina is improved by surgically constructing a canal from the urinary bladder and urethra going to the pelvic and rectum area. It usually requires a skin graft taken from another part of the patient’s body, such as the thighs or buttocks.

Vecchietti procedure – This is a modern laparoscopic surgical technique that can produce a vagina that is similar to a real normal vagina in both depth and width.

Wilson method – Also known as a penile inversion technique, this is used in cases where vaginal construction is required.

It may be difficult for a woman to walk during the first few days following the procedure, but this will eventually pass. Patients are advised to wait for 4 to 6 weeks before it is safe to have sexual intercourse.

Recovering from a vaginoplasty

Patients may have one to two weeks of downtime. They may feel a deep ache for the first few days, and there is no tampon use or intercourse for eight weeks. Depending on the amount of tightening performed, some patients may be instructed to use dilators.