NHS Labiaplasty, advice from UK members please?

Hi Firefly! When you GP refers you to a gynaecologist, it takes between 1 and 2 months for an appointment. The time from then to the op varies enormously - some peaople wait 3 months whereas I wasn't even waiting a month.

I'm not so sure about my success at the moment. My gynaecologist said she would trim my labia but, I've been suspecting for a while now and I'm almost sure, she did a wedge method. I did a lot of research on the different methods and I was absolutely sure without a doubt that a trim was the best method for me and for me personally, the wedge had too many complications and disadvantages.

I couldn't tell before because of the swelling. I'm now very p***ed of!!!! The incision doesn't seem to be healing right - I can see a hole and around the incision are notches. I didn't want to be that close to be urethra and vagina! Also, if it was a wedge, then the pretty pink (and sensitive) part of my labia is mostly gone but I am left with the discoloured, ugly, wrinkly (and very unsensitive skin). What is this going to mean for future sexual stimulation?

Why couldn't she have done the trim like she said. There was the nice pink skin arond the vulva, and then there was the ugly, brown skin around that - there was a natural guideline for the incision already on me for her to cut along! I cried last night. I'm so upset that I have lost the pretiest and most sensitive part of my labia and been left with the tissue I wanted rid of!

I just hope everything will sort itself out. Maybe the wedge won't be so bad and maybe the notching will disappear. I'm pretty sure ny gynae won't do a revision (the medical problem of discomfort due to protrusion has been fixed). I really don't want more surgery and I'm not going to get a chance to see my gynae again to discuss this for 5 weeks! I just don't know what to do - I feel so lost.

oh princess im so sorry to hear u feel the way u do - the only thing i can tell u re sensitivity is the inner lips have literraly no nerve endings - if you pinch them u cant feel much if that makes sense and from me who had near enough the whole labia lobbed off i can assure u my sex life is fine, in fact, better as i feel so much more body confident, it really does not affect sex! firefly - all depends on your area especially nhs cutbacks in the uk, u can request a surgeon, but u cant guarantee to see them as nhs does not stretch to that luxury! keep us all updated how u get on. princess keep your chin up darling x

Thank you emzone. Your words are very comforting. I saw the stitches for the first time last night and noticed it looked more like a wedge. I panicked and I've been crying hysterically all day. I've calmed down a lot now and it's very reassuring to hear you haven't had any problems with your sex life because of this procedure. I'm probably just over-reacting. Worrying or getting upset about it won't solve anything so I'm just going to relax and see how everything turns out. I'm still swollen a bit and everything's a mess down there right now so I'll just give it some time to settle. It's all very confusing. The stitches are coming to the surface on the right labia and it sure looks like it was a wedge, but the left labia does kinda look like it may have had the trim. Weird if that's true. Anyway, I haven't lost hope and I may still end up with a vulva I can be proud of!

Hi Princess93, thanks for your reply hun. Sorry to hear you didn't get the method that you wanted but iv'e heard lots of people feeling much happier once all the swelling has gone down, seriously have you seen how much the after surgery picture to completely healed pictures change, amazing! :O Keep us posted on your results as you continue to heal :)

2 weeks have past since my last update. My labia still look ugly. My right labia is the one that had the wedge. The top part of that labia isn't even labia - it's the fold from beside my clitoral hood which is way lighter in colour and looks really huge compared to all that's left of that labia (the brown wrinkly bit at the bottom). And where the incision is, there's kind of a gap where there is no labia and behind this is a tiny 1 or 2mm flap which is very painful to the touch. Touching it actuallly made me cry. My left labia isn't much better. I was the side with the trim but instead of the incision being along the edge, it starts at the bottom of the labia on the edge and runs diagonally along the inside of the labia to my clitoris and it is very noticible. Again, the entire top section of this labia has been removed and replaced with the clitoral fold. You know how the labia minora start just under the clitoris, each labia is only a few mm long there. They are like 2 little nubs, not attached to the labia.

My "labia" look so stupid now with the clitoral folds (which look like earlobes) attached to some brown wrinkly skin. Also the smaller folds around the clitoris are still there and they are very ugly to look at. With the labia spread they also still look big and although I hate the thought of going through all this again (and probably paying for it) I would really like to get this fixed. But I'm not sure I can. The outer side of each inner labia is only about 3 or 4mm long so there's probably not enough left to have a revision. I just wish I had my old labia back so I could go to someone who actually knows what they're doing. I remember my GP saying about the gynae "She won't mess you up." Why did I believe her. I feel so c**p at the moment I don't even see the point in going on. I know I'd never commit suicide but I feel so c**p I wish I was dead and anyone I had for support has turned their back on me weeks ago. Can anyone give me any advice or help or some comforting words? Does anyone know anywhere I can go (preferably in Northern Ireland) I can go to get fixed? Even if it is expensive. I've got my university money from my parents to spend and I'd rather be happy and broke than have money and be miserable (not to mention if these problems don't resolve on their own or I don't get them surgically corrected, I will never be intimate with anyone ever!)

My labia aren't protruding anymore so I don't have that discomfort but going through all of this to go from being ugly to disfigured doesn't seem like much of a victory.

Oops, I meant "over a week ago". Don't know why I wrote 2 weeks.

oh no princess i cant beleive u are feeling like this, on reading your description i really cant picture wot u look like, but, u must be due to have follow up after about 6 weeks? u must discuss this with the surgeon if u are really unhappy, u should not have a hole or painful tender spot - cant remember how long ago u had it done? but u have to allow 6 weeks for complete healing. if u dont want anything further done by this gynae - go back to your doctor and ask 2 c another gynae for opinion.x

Thank you for replying. Yeah I will get a follow up at the six week mark but that's 3 weeks away. The only other gynae is a man and he's very young so probably not that experienced with this sort of thing. I may need to travel quite far to another hospital but, will the NHS do anything to fix this. The medical problem was sorted but my vulva looks odd and there was absolutely no thought to the placement of the scars. Instead of trimming the labia, she cut the entire labia off right up the the clitoris and joined the clitoral hood folds to the brown skin at the perineum. I wanted to keep the pink part of the labia and have the brown bits at the edge cut off along with the clitoral folds, but instead she lopped off the entire two labia and left me with the folds as my new labia. My old labia were thin and i liked that, now they are thick like two earlobes. This is not from the swelling - this is how the folds looked before surgery. I can't express how angry I am at the doctor right now. I am not naturally an angry person and I don't swear very often but I feel like screaming every swear word I know at the top of my voice until I am unable to speak anymore. I've been crying so much lately because I can't help but think how, no matter how much money I have, it can never bring back my labia. I know I wanted them redcued, but not gone. It's going to be difficult talking to the gynae because she has a very patronising way of talking to people. She'll probably say "you're just imagining it. Everything turned out right. Stop being so silly." In the mean time, I'm trying to get an app with my GP so I can talk to her about all this but she's always so busy and I can't get an appointment.

the nhs will have to fix the pain side of things - but u have to defo wait til 6 weeks when everything is back to normal. this is why i stress so much to anyone about to have this done DO NOT NOT NOT LOOK down there until at least 4 weeks - as it will look an horrendous scary mess as there is so much healing that has to be done first. im still struggling to picture wot has happened from your description - im imagining (from wot u say) she has cut the entire labia off then pulled the hood skin down to your bum end and attached it there???? this just doesnt make sense - mine were cut off, but that was that - so ive got no labia, just 2 scars and the hood part - so if u looked at me from the front i look complelty normal, as i said before to you, i also have no idea why she took the lot off, but im more than happy to be like this than have it all hanging out like before.

i think your best bet is to wait for the follow up, write down all your concerns, can your mum go with u for support - as problem is you are v young and they can be a bit patronising, but, with an older person with you to fight your corner its less likely to happen. u have to be assertive im afraid darling, dont take no for an answer. keep me updated x

Hi, I had posted earlier.

I was referred to my gynaecologist by my doc after she examined me. I had already been visiting the gynae regarding severe period pains. When I went after waiting for over 2 months she said that the gynae department no longer deals with labiaplasty as it's deemed to be cosmetic and that I should of been referred to a plastic surgeon. Though she warned me that very few girls get it done on the NHS and that I would have to have a psychological evaluation first. Great huh :S So I have a telephone appointment with my doctor for this Friday to discuss this to see about referral to a plastic surgeon.

At what 'size' do the labia have to be before is it deemed to not be a purely cosmetic or psychological issue behind wanting surgery?

I want surgery to prevent pain and so i don't have something 'hanging' down which isn't normal.

hi firefly - sadly this is the case in the majority of areas within england - ireland still gettin funding. i and u know it isnt just for cosmetic reasons, but unfortunately a lot of girls this has been the case and the nhs just cant cope with the costs and as it isnt life threatening thats y its been withdrawn. my labia was hanging half an inch id say - doc said i was within the end range of normal limits, dont think though there is any 'size' these days to warrant it, unless we are talking inches hanging out! also protruding labia is 'norrmal', sadly we are made to feel abnormal due to porn stars etc. whatever u do, u must not mention feeling abnormal - you wont get anywhere as to a doc that is purely cosmetic. u must stress the pain/pinching, psychological effect it is having on your life, say sex is uncomfortable and possibly with luck you may get referred. keep us updatex x

hey princess its been 3 weeks - how you doing hun?

Hi everyone...had my appt today, the doctor said i was bordering on normality...normality would be if i wasn't scared to show a sexual partner my vagina or if i could wear something other than leggings without discomfort...anyways she suggested i could have them 'trimmed', she didn't mention labiaplasty i'm assuming it's the same thing? She had to ask her superior if i were to have a second opinion from another consultant to which she agreed, apparently there has to be a 'cooling off' period due to the risk of scarring and infection. So i'm a bit in limbo really, i know the operation will change my life so it's worth the risk. I assume i'll be waiting for a letter from my GP about my second Gynae appt. x 

yep 'trimming' is labiaplasty! what on earth is this cooling off period??? and why a second opinion, if the first gynae agreed and approved the op, why would u need to see anyone else. you need to enquire. i would suggest u ring the secretary of the gynae who you saw for confirmation of what is actually happening as none of it makes sense (im an nhs medical sec by the way) let me know how u get on

I thought it seemed odd!! Im unsure who her secretary is the letter regarding my gynae appt came from my Gp..i did ask for a copy of the letter the gynae sends to my gp so fingers crossed things become clearer!!