Females who feel unhappy about the look of their genital area may consider undergoing labiaplasty which is also known as female genital reshaping. Women who undergo this procedure to improve the aesthetic appearance of that area are a growing part of the annual 1 billion dollars that Australians spend on plastic surgery as a nation.
The gains from this surgery are often based on cosmetic considerations, with smaller proportions of this procedure being performed to address specific dysfunctionsand functional impairments. Labiaplasty is also the most common cosmetic surgery procedure on the female genitals, although the studies into long term surgical consequences are limited to date. However, this is partly because less is also known about the development of the labia minora during puberty, aside from that they become thicker and longer, yet regress when a woman encounters menopause.
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The reasons why women seek labiaplasty are also varied, but many cite functional, aesthetic, self-esteem, sexual pleasure of themselves and their partner as motivations to undergo this type of surgery. Some women also include it as an add-on procedure when they are getting vaginoplasty performed which is a tightening procedure for the vagina.
It is good to note that for this procedure it’s your physician that will submit the claim for any Medicare rebates you’re eligible for after you’ve had a consultation with them. If you have an adequate level of cover,they can also assist you with your private health insurance claim. Of course,this will mean that prior to having a claim submitted for this procedure, you should confirm whether or not you need to switch your health insurance. Be sure to take note of any waiting periods that may apply if you do switch funds or upgrade your level of cover ifyou’re intending toclaim soon for a labiaplasty procedure.If your procedure is performed with a local anesthetic, Medicare won’t cover the cost of the procedure regardless, so factor this into your figures when calculating how much your labiaplasty will cost.
If your surgery is performed with a general anesthetic you can expect the cost to range from $3000 to $10 000 as surgeon fees, theatre fees and the cost of pre and post-operative consultations will all add up. As a Victorian average, $5500 is the cost you could expect to pay as an out of pocket expense if you’re not eligible for any Medicare and therefore, private health, rebate. Similar to other cosmetic procedures such as liposuction, private health insurance won’t provide coverage if the procedure is only being undertaken for cosmetic purposes, even if you have a high level of hospital cover.
As you have undergone an excision of skin, if you undergo labiaplasty surgery you should expect to take some time off work, from around 5 to 10 days. Recovery wise you will also be advised to refrain from sexual intercourse for a period of time also.
Best practice is to consult with at least three surgeons before you commit to this procedure.
