World-renowned specialist for Labia Correction
Prof. asoc. Dr. Stefan Gress
Labia Correction
Professor Gress is one of the top specialists internationally
Best results
by specially developed, internationally leading surgical technique “Composite Reduction Labiaplasty”
Greatest Experience
With the most operations in
the female genital
area worldwide
Media Partner
First point of contact for international media for all questions relating to intimate surgery
What would you like to find out more about?
Prof. Dr. Gress
Experience makes the difference
- More than 6700 procedures in the female genital area
- Over 20 years of experience
- Inventor and developer of the “Composite Reduction Labiaplasty”
- Internationally recognized top specialist
- Author of the international textbook “Aesthetic and Functional Labiaplasty” (Springer Publishers)
- Professor and Lecturer in Plastic Surgery
Memberships
In the most important national and international specialist societies
The Aston Baker
Cutting Edge
Aesthetic Surgery
Symposium
2018, New York
Faculty Member
The greatest honor for
a Plastic Surgeon
Labia Correction
to the shape of the labia and the appearance of the
inner lips (labia minora) and outer lips (labia majora)
The term labiaplasty is often used synonymously with the term labia reduction.
In reality, however, “labiaplasty” describes any type of corrective procedure involving the labia minora and/or the labia majora.
In short, the following treatments/procedures come under the term “labiaplasty”:
– Labia reduction (Labiaplasty)
– Sculpting of the labia majora
You will also find detailed information in the relevant sections below.
Information on the most common operation: reduction of the labia minora
In most cases, the decision to undergo a labia reduction can be attributed to a combination of physical and psychological issues:
Functional reasons
(Pain, chronic skin irritation, invagination during sexual intercourse, etc.)
Aesthetic reasons
(Hesitation to get naked, negative impact on sex life, etc.)
Corrections due to previous botched surgeries
(Labia reconstruction)
We will do our best to ensure that you are given a delicate work of art that fully lives up to your wishes and expectations.
We usually aim for the labia minora to be covered by the labia majora, but other shapes and variations can also be achieved.
The “ideal” appearance
In our culture, anything that sags or hangs shapelessly is often perceived as unattractive. Since shaving public hair has become routine for most women today, the shape and appearance of the genitals are unveiled, also regrettably revealing any less appealing details.
Even though the idea of what the perfect labia should look like varies greatly from woman to woman, of course, there is one “look” of the outer female genital area that most patients consider to be ideal.
When it comes to what constitutes the “perfect shape”, the labia minora have a slightly curved contour with a firm clitoral hood. When the legs are closed, the labia minora are almost completely covered by the labia majora.
For many women, however, the labia minora hang down limply and protrude beyond the cover of the labia majora.
Here is some important medical information about the function and structure of the labia:
The small (inner) vaginal lips seal the vaginal opening and prevent infections developing inside the vagina, and other conditions.#
The large (outer) vaginal lips enclose the small vaginal lips and offer mechanical protection.
The clitoris is the only organ that purely serves the purpose of sexual stimulation
The labia cover and seal the vaginal opening, protecting the vagina from drying out and stopping foreign bodies and pathogens from making their way in. Additional mechanical protection is offered by the fat pads of the labia majora.
The labia minora extend from the mons pubis towards the anus, encompassing the clitoris and the vaginal opening. The part of the labia adjacent to the clitoris is also referred to as the “clitoral hood”. In terms of morphology, the labia minora are equivalent to the foreskin of the penis. They are of secondary importance for sexual stimulation.
The term clitoris is commonly used to refer to a small, pea-shaped anatomical structure located a little above the urethral opening. However, the clitoris is not spherical but rather band-like in shape, similar to a small penis, with only the tip (glans clitoris) protruding and being visible. Its shaft (corpus clitoris) extends in a deeper layer across the pubis and is thus not visible. The clitoris is responsible for sexual stimulation.
The main concern here is to analyze the starting situation, particularly with regard to the desired result. In which areas are the labia minora enlarged? Purely below the clitoris or also above it, in the shaft part of the clitoris? Is there clitoral protrusion or is the clitoris in a normal position, etc.?
If the labia minora are very long – a condition called labial hypertrophy – they are no longer covered by the labia majora. Labia minora are typically enlarged along their entire length, i.e. the part above the clitoris, the area adjacent to the clitoris (clitoral hood) and the part below the clitoris. An isolated hypertrophy of the lower part alone is rare.
In cases where all sections are enlarged (the most common form), all parts have to be corrected in order to achieve a balanced and aesthetically appealing result.
Attention should also be paid to the position of the clitoris itself:
In some cases, the clitoral glans can protrude to a great extent. This is referred to as clitoral protrusion. In cases where full coverage of the labia minora by the labia majora cannot be achieved with the labia reduction procedure alone, surgical correction of clitoral protrusion is advisable.
The best surgical technique for you is selected based on your desired result. This does, however, depend not only on your expectations of the result, but also on your starting situation.
The are four different options: labia reduction along their entire length, or purely below the clitoris, with or without tightening the clitoral hood, with or without correcting the position of the clitoris, etc.
Correction
Long labia minora can be corrected using various techniques, depending on the appearance and the expectations regarding the desired result:
1. Composite Reduction Labiaplasty
Correction of the labia minora above and below the clitoris, tightening and lifting of the clitoral hood, and any necessary correction of clitoral protrusion (composite reduction labiaplasty).
The area marked in dark blue is removed.
2. Correction of the labia minora above and below the clitoris, tightening of the clitoral hood, and any necessary correction of clitoral protrusion.
3. Correction of the labia minora above and below the clitoris, without targeted tightening of the clitoral hood or correction of the clitoral position.
4. Correction of the labia minora purely below the clitoris.
We differentiate between four techniques used for the reduction of the labia minora, depending on the examination findings and the starting situation (see point 6).
As labia reduction surgery is performed under local anesthesia, extensive preparation is not required. It is important that you do not take any blood-thinning medications (e.g. aspirin, etc.) 14 days prior to the surgery.
Before the surgery
If the procedure is being performed under local anesthesia, no special preparation is required. If the procedure is being performed under general anesthesia or twilight sedation, you should fast, i.e. refraining from eating, drinking, and smoking, for at least six hours prior to your surgery.
You should stop taking medications that affect coagulation, e.g. aspirin 100 mg, etc., 14 days prior to the surgery. Please completely shave your genital area before the procedure.
You will be given a delicate work of art. You need to protect it. Avoid mechanical friction as much as possible for six weeks after the procedure. Please also note the following:
After the surgery
After the surgery, you can rest at our practice.
Please do not drive home or back to your hotel yourself. Get someone to pick you up or we can call a taxi for you. Cool the area and rest. You should walk as little as possible. You may experience a mild burning or pressing sensation, especially during the first night. This is normal. However, some patients feel it more than others and, despite the pain medication prescribed by us, a few patients may experience significant discomfort. The sensation typically disappears or greatly improves after the first night. On the first postoperative day, the wound is checked and the dressing is changed at our practice.
After the third day, you can start showering again, but may only use clear water and no soap during the first week. The sutures are absorbable and do not need to be removed. Absorption of the suture may sometimes be associated with severe itching, which can be alleviated by using special creams or ointments.
The surgery will only affect your daily activities for a short time. Depending on your profession, you may be able to return to work as early as two to three days after surgery. It is very important that you try to avoid any friction and forces acting on this area for six weeks following the procedure: no sexual intercourse, jogging, cycling, horse riding, etc.! Likewise, tampons may only be used again after this period of time.
Immediately after surgery, you should wear close-fitting underwear that you can pull firmly upwards to apply some pressure on the area. This helps prevent excessive swelling and reduces the risk of postoperative bleeding. Then from the first day after surgery, you will feel more comfortable wearing loose clothing.
To optimize the healing process, you should place a compress between the labia so that they do not touch. You should do this over a period of two weeks. After this time, you should firmly squeeze the labia along their entire length between your thumb and index finger. You should do this two to three times a day over a period of four weeks. This will encourage any swelling to subside more quickly and improve scar healing. However, be careful not to rub or massage the labia.
You will be provided with the cell phone number of Prof. Gress so that you can contact him any time should you have any questions or experience an emergency.
Prof. Gress has published most of his medical publications with Springer Verlag.
His textbook on correcting the outer female genital region entitled „Aesthetic and Functional Labiaplasty“ was published in 2018.
This book describes his techniques for reducing the labia minora, primarily the “composite reduction labiaplasty”, and techniques for correcting the labia majora and the mons pubis. This textbook is now the standard for colleagues in this field throughout the world.
Publications by Prof. Gress:
Good to know
Frequently asked questions about labia correction
Before the labia correction surgery, your genital area should be completely shaved. You will be prescribed a pain killer and an antibiotic. Please take this medications as directed by us a few hours before you undergo the procedure. After consultation with your GP, you should stop taking drugs with to effect on blood clotting (eg aspirin, ASA, warfarin, etc.) at least 10 days prior to surgery. Unless you have opted for general anesthesia, fasting before surgery is not required.
Immediately after the procedure, you will stay for about 30 minutes in our rooms to rest and cool the genital area. After a visit to the toilet and a subsequent change of dressings, you can go home (or back to your hotel) by car.
During the first hours after surgery, you should continue to cool the genital area and lie down most of the time. On the following day, we will change the dressing at our practice. You will be supplied with compresses and wound dressing material for the next days.
You should take the antibiotic for about 4 days in total and the pain medication as required, but at least until the second postoperative day. On the third postoperative day, you can start having a shower again, but do not use any aggressive soap (for 7 days).
Since absorbable suture is used, the stitches do not need to be removed; however, they may start to itch after a few days. In this case, you may apply a sterile wound ointment (eg Bepanthen, aloe vera gel) to soothe the itchiness or have the stitches removed on day 12 after labia correction surgery (either by us or your gynecologist or GP).
Costs depend on the extent of surgery and the time involved: The reduction of the labia minora along their entire course, including the clitoral hood, above and below the clitoris takes approx. 2 hours and costs EUR 3,100. If in addition the correction of a clitoral protrusion is required, the costs are EUR 3,800. The reduction of the labia minora exclusively below the clitoris takes approx. 60 minutes. Here the costs are approx. EUR 1,900. The reduction of the labia majora alone costs EUR 2,800; the operating time is approx. 90 minutes.
Together with our partner MEDIPAY, we can work out the best financing option for you. In case of the pelvic floor tightening procedure, costs for the anaesthetist and the hospital stay must be added.
Approx. 80% of the swelling will have subsided after about 6 weeks. The remaining swelling, which will be hardly visible by then, will take comparatively longer to resolve, up to six months.
After labia reduction/labia correction, paraesthesia may be experienced along the scar, but this will soon resolve.
Since the nerves supplying the clitoris are running in the skin but in a deeper layer across the pubic bone, impaired sensitivity of the clitoris and sexual sensitivity is not to be expected.
In the first night after labia reduction/labia correction surgery, patients usually experience a burning sensation and pain of various degree. However, on the next day after surgery these symptoms will have considerably improved or resolved altogether. Also, you will be given enough analgesics to control the pain, so usually this is not a problem.
So far, we have not been reported any pain during sexual intercourse. This type of pain is not to be expected after all, as the scar line is located outside of the “friction zone”. To the best of our knowledge, no permanent complication of this type has ever been described in the medical literature.
There are no serious risks and complications associated with labia correction/labia reduction. You have to expect some swelling and mild bruising. Typically, most of these will have subsided after a few days.
It is extremely important that you avoid any strong friction in the genital area for at least six weeks to support the healing process. Sexual intercourse, horse riding, jogging, cycling, etc. are prohibited during this time! We recommend that you use a cross trainer or stepper if you would like to exercise during this period, as the leg position is somewhat wider, meaning there is no friction.
The procedure can be performed during any part of the menstrual cycle, including the days you are menstruating. However, after surgery you should avoid using tampons for 6 weeks and use pads instead.
Sexual intercourse is to be strictly avoided during the first six weeks after surgery as the significant friction would open up the wound edges again. As long as the sutures do not get in the way, you can have oral sex again four weeks after surgery.
For outpatient operations, you will need a total of three appointments:
consultation/preliminary examination, surgery, and a follow-up examination the morning after the operation. The consultation and surgical procedure may not take place on the same day. There has to be an interval of at least 24 hours between the initial consultation and the surgery itself.
After the operation, you should spend the night in Munich. We will be glad to help you find a suitable hotel.
We will be glad to help you find a suitable hotel of any kind. We have a partnership with Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski, Munich, which means our patients are offered more favorable rates. They should, however, refer to our practice when booking the hotel or make the booking with our assistance .
Aesthetic and Functional Labiaplasty
The international textbook
by Prof. Gress
Published in January 2018 by Springer Verlag, it has developed into an international bestseller and standard work in plastic surgery
Well known from the Media
