Recently, I’ve been telling you about several different labiaplasty techniques that various plastic surgeons perform, depending on their own expertise and on the needs of their patients. We’ll conclude with two lesser-used techniques: the trim and the wedge.
The surgeon uses the trim method to trim the length and size of the patient’s inner lips (the “labia minora”). During this procedure, the plastic surgeon removes the edge strip of skin which runs along each of the labia minora. This procedure is done for patients who express discontent with the discoloration, pigment or roughness of the inner labia. The trim helps restore the labia to a more pleasing color and relieves some of the roughness. Even though this sounds like a benefit (and for most, it is), this maybe actually a drawback for some patients. Since the trim gets rid of the labia minora’s rough outer edge, if it is overdone it has the potential of making the labia look too smooth hence artificial. The new edge should not appear unnaturally smooth. However even though some women think that lips should not be “too smooth” as smooth appearance is unappealing, others, though, consider it a dream come true–much as a person who has the Hollywood model’s figure might enjoy having that too-good-to-be-true body. Regardless, many plastic surgeons can recreate the rogation in order to preserve a more natural appearance.
The trim can be done by itself or else used in conjunction with a procedure known as a clitoral hood reduction. Since the trim runs down and up the length of the patient’s labia minora, the surgeon can easily do both procedures with one incision. By doing so, she reduces trauma for the patient and increases her ability to recover quickly and have increased sensation.
Finally, let’s consider the wedge technique. With the wedge, the surgeon removes excess tissue, but does so using a different pattern from the trim. In the wedge technique, a wedge-shaped section of tissue is surgically removed. After this, the labia’s innter lips are sewn together, thus forming a smaller profile. The purpose of the wedge is it allows the labia to be reduced without the need to cut off the outer edge. This allows patient and surgeon to retain the inner lip’s natural edge.
One advantage of this technique is that the resulting scar will not run the length of the patient’s labia. However, there is a greater risk of the wound reopening than there is with the trim technique. Speak with your surgeon about which procedure would be best in your situation.
