2440 M Street NW, Suite 318
Washington DC 20037
Labiaplasty is a vaginal rejuvenation procedure that reduces the prominence of the internal lips of the vagina (labia minora). Labiaplasty can relieve discomfort from excess folds of labia and change the external appearance of the vagina. The labia naturally varies in size, shape, and color, and can be affected by childbirth, aging, and weight change. Some women seek labiaplasty for functional improvement, while some seek labiaplasty for cosmetic improvement.
Labiaplasty is the most common vaginal rejuvenation procedure and has a 90 percent satisfaction rate?
You may be a candidate for a labiaplasty if you have excess labia minora (inner vaginal lips) that sticks out from between your labia majora (outer vaginal lips). You also may have functional symptoms such as discomfort when riding a bike or during intercourse, as well as itching, irritation, or self-consciousness.
Most labiaplasty procedures can be done under local anesthesia using a combination of numbing cream and numbing injection. You may take an oral sedative prior to the procedure to assist with discomfort. Once the numbing injections are complete, you should not have any sensation or pain during the procedure. Your surgeon will then remove excess labia minora skin and stitch up the affected area. Depending on your anatomy, your surgeon may remove a pie-shaped cut of tissue and/or extra folds of the clitoral hood. Labiaplasty is always customized to fit your specific anatomic needs. All the sutures used will be absorbable and will not need to be removed following surgery.
After surgery, you will need someone to drive you home. You will ice the area for 15 minutes at a time every hour until you go to sleep. Most pain from the procedure goes away in about 3-5 days. After about 4-6 weeks, patients can usually return to using tampons or having intercourse. Most of the swelling will dissipate by week six; however, some minor swelling may linger for a longer time period.
Abdominoplasty – or tummy tuck – is a surgical procedure that involves removal of excess skin and fat from the abdomen, as well as tightening of the abdominal muscles (rectus plication). The ideal candidate for abdominoplasty is already at a healthy goal weight, but has loose skin or persistent bulging from muscle separation.
Did you know?
A tummy tuck will not make you lose weight. Tummy tuck surgery addresses extra skin and fat, as well as muscle separation, but does not result in significant weight loss. It is best to be within 10 pounds of your goal weight before having a tummy tuck.
You may be a candidate for a tummy tuck if you are a non-smoker with excess abdominal skin – perhaps due to significant weight loss or pregnancy – and you are currently at a stable weight.
You’ll prepare for your abdominoplasty by not eating or drinking anything starting at midnight the night before surgery. When you arrive in the pre-operative area, Dr. Kulkarni will place a series of planning marks on your abdomen. You will then receive anesthesia to keep you comfortable and asleep during surgery. A curvilinear incision will be made along your pubic hairline, after which the excess fat will be removed. The abdominal muscles will be sutured and repaired before the incision is finally closed and sutured shut. You will likely have 1-2 drains that will stay in place for 1-2 weeks after surgery.
You will go home in an abdominal binder that will stay in place to reduce swelling. You will be given instructions on how to care for the drain and which positions will be most comfortable at home. Your dressings will be removed a couple of days after surgery, and your drain will be removed 1-2 weeks after surgery. Once your drain is out, you will transition from an abdominal binder to a Spanx-type garment, which you will wear for about 6 weeks after surgery to control swelling. You’ll be instructed to avoid certain physical activity in the weeks following your procedure. Final results from a tummy tuck are visible around 6 weeks after surgery.
Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty, is the removal of excess fat from the body – usually for cosmetic purposes. Liposuction can be performed on nearly every area of the body that is notorious for storing stubborn fat. For many patients, liposuction is a last resort after years of diet and exercise. Although liposuction is not a replacement for a healthy diet and physical activity, it is an excellent way of eliminating fat pockets that just won’t seem to budge regardless of how physically fit a patient is. After undergoing liposuction treatment, most patients can expect improved bodily proportion and slimmer contouring. Some of the areas that liposuction is most effective on include:
Did you know…
that liposuction has been used in cosmetic surgery for many decades? In fact, it has become so routine; that it was the number one performed plastic surgery in America by 2004. Today, many people still choose to undergo the procedure – currently more than 200,000 every year. Though liposuction can be performed alone, it is often paired with other cosmetic procedures, such as tummy tucks, facelifts, and breast augmentations/reductions.
You may be a good candidate for liposuction if you are relatively healthy, yet struggle with disproportionate fat distribution unrelated to your weight or physical fitness. Liposuction patients should be non-smokers and should have relatively firm skin and muscle tone. Schedule a professional consultation to learn more about whether liposuction is right for you.
You will not be permitted to eat or drink anything the day of your liposuction procedure. Your doctor will administer an IV sedative or general anesthesia to help you relax or fall asleep during the surgery. A surgeon will use a long narrow tube to dislodge fat via small incisions near the targeted liposuction areas. Once the fat is dislodged, it will be suctioned out of the body using a surgical vacuum. Most liposuctions last between one and four hours depending on the number of treatment areas.
You’ll awake from your procedure wearing a compression garment to reduce swelling, as well as drains at your incision sites. Once you are released to go home, you’ll be discharged with specific instructions for at-home care and returning visits to the doctor for follow-up and bandage removal. Be sure to take all prescribed medications as directed by your doctor, and call your doctor immediately if you experience any chest pains or shortness of breath following your surgery.
Did You Know…?
Many people attempt to lose weight using diet and exercise. This attempt is often successful, and people feel significantly healthier losing this excess weight; however, many people have sagging skin after losing this weight because the skin was stretched out during the period their weight was higher. Many people have concerns about the appearance of their skin after losing this weight, and a buttock lift procedure can help to correct these cosmetic concerns.
2440 M Street NW, Suite 318
Washington DC 20037