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Vaginoplasty

The most common vaginoplasty is a reconstructive surgery that tightens the opening and walls of the vagina as they have become loose. This procedure rejuvenates the entire vaginal area after childbirth, aging, weight gain, or other lifestyle factors. Other vaginoplasty surgery can develop a vagina using a graft from other cells, sometimes including the penile inversion vaginoplasty or colon vaginoplasty.

Benefits of Reconstructive Vaginoplasty

Most commonly, a reconstructive vaginoplasty helps tighten and tone the vagina, offering a more youthful appearance and increased confidence. Additionally, this rejuvenation can enhance your sexual intimacy. Medical professionals often note the following benefits of reconstructive vaginoplasty:

  • Increased strength and control of vaginal muscles
  • Enhanced enjoyment of sexual intercourse for yourself and your partner
  • Improvement of health issues like urinary incontinence
  • Added improvement to the appearance of the labia

With all of these benefits combined, it’s hard to believe there is any reason to walk away from reconstructive vaginoplasty if it has the potential to assist in vaginal rejuvenation. It can definitely serve in helping you feel like a younger version of yourself again.

Estimated Vaginoplasty Cost

The overall cost ranges anywhere from $4,000 to $20,000, while the most common prices are usually between $6,000 and $9,000. The price range can depend on the area where you live and have your surgery, along with costs associated with the procedure itself. The total cost tends to include factors such as the provider’s expertise, the surgeon vs. provider, consultation fee, anesthesia fee, location, and recovery expenses. Consider areas such as Los Angeles and New York as having higher estimated costs.

How to Choose a Cosmetic Vaginal Surgeon

It is easy to assume that your OB-GYN may recommend the best surgeon for cosmetic vaginal surgery. However, there are some steps you can take on your own to ensure you choose the best surgeon for your procedure and your personal needs. Some of these include:

  • Verify all your surgeon’s credentials
  • Ensure they are board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
  • Check their amount of experience and number of procedures performed
  • Evaluate their patient testimonials thoroughly 

Yes, these may seem a little nosey and like they require a lot of effort, but your health and safety are nothing to consider with a mild eye. Remember that an inexperienced or ill-qualified surgeon can lead to much more harmful issues for you in the long run.

Types of Vaginoplasty

Traditional vaginoplasty tightens the loose tissues throughout the vagina. This often occurs due to stretching or tearing during childbirth or sometimes as a part of loosened tissue during the aging process. 

Other types of vaginoplasty include the creation of a new vagina for gender reassignment or gender reaffirming surgery, including penile inversion vaginoplasty and colon vaginoplasty. Penile inversion vaginoplasty uses primarily genital skin to create a vulva and neovagina for patients who were assigned male at birth. This procedure includes an incision between the rectum and urethra and prostate to insert a vagina created from a skin graft. The colon vaginoplasty uses a section of the colon to make a vaginal lining. This procedure is often a corrective surgery for those with an obstructed vagina, with a 6- to 7-inch colon lining used to develop the internal vaginal lining.

Effects Before and After Vaginoplasty

The most common effects before and after the vaginoplasty include the earlier-mentioned loose vaginal opening that may cause reduced friction and sensation during sexual intercourse. There may also be a desire for a more youthful appearance of the vaginal area, with the lax and loose tissue appearing wrinkled and aged. After the surgery is complete, the appearance is tighter and more youthful, and upon the return to sexual activity, there is an increase in the sensation felt during intercourse.

There are some critical, cautious steps to take after your vaginoplasty to help with recovery. Some include longer sitting to rest the vaginal area, ensuring the vaginal lining is clean and dry to prevent infections, light exercise, avoiding sex, not using tampons, etc. Your surgery and your specific recovery needs will determine the particular management after your procedure and are best discussed with your surgeon.

Can I have children after vaginoplasty?

The most common question is whether pregnancy after a vaginoplasty is safe. Doctors typically state there is no inherent risk in pregnancy after your vaginoplasty. However, another response offered by those doctors is that pregnancy and childbirth can reverse your positive vaginoplasty results. The recommendation is often to wait until all of your planned pregnancies and childbirth are finished. This could help encourage the longest-lasting rejuvenation results of your vaginoplasty, maintaining tissues and muscle tightening as well as a more youthful appearance.