Can you have labiaplasty on the nhs

For some people, it is purely cosmetic, as a woman may be unhappy with the appearance of her labia. The labia may be particularly enlarged, distorted or asymmetric, which, in most cases, does not cause any medical problems. It can, however, create self-esteem issues and make a woman feel unattractive, which may lead to a lack of interest in sex and affect their intimate relationships. It is important to note that wanting a labiaplasty for cosmetic reasons alone does not warrant NHS coverage.

In exceptional circumstances, the surgery may be offered on the NHS, but only for medical reasons. Labial reconstruction surgery may be advised for women experiencing discomfort due to enlarged or distorted labia, which could be catching on their clothing, making having sex or inserting tampons painful, or preventing them from doing exercise or sitting down comfortably.

In some circumstances, a woman may not be able to wear the clothes she wants to due to the size of the labia. All of these would be considered medical reasons for labiaplasty. The labia can also be damaged during childbirth , which can cause tearing, stretching, scarring or gaps.

The altered appearance of the labia may leave a woman feeling unhappy or self-conscious, which may, again, affect her intimate relationships. The paper also recommends that girls showing signs of psychological problems should be referred to a paediatric clinical psychologist. Consultant plastic surgeon Paul Banwell, from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, welcomed the recommendations published in both papers and said patients should always be given full, accurate information and be properly counselled before surgery.

But he said clinicians should also be sensitive to potential problems. Only a small proportion are there for purely aesthetic reasons. He also said he had seen the number of patients requesting labiaplasty increase dramatically in the past few years. Tim Goodacre, head of professional standards at the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons and a consultant plastic surgeon, said he supported the recommendations as a means of improving patient care.

But he said he found attempts to increase profits by encouraging more female genital procedures "abhorrent". He added: "We urge stringent and robust restrictions on advertising such operations with a firm objective to limit any material other than that with information only. Skip to main content Skip to footer content. Personal wheelchair budgets. Email Email. Find out more about deciding whether cosmetic surgery is right for you.

A labiaplasty is not usually available on the NHS. But it may be offered in some circumstances — for example, if the vaginal lips are abnormal, to repair tears after childbirth, or to remove cancerous tissue if a woman has vulval cancer.

If you're having a labiaplasty in England, check with the Care Quality Commission CQC to see if the hospital or clinic is registered with them. All independent clinics and hospitals that provide cosmetic surgery in England must be registered with the CQC. Be careful when searching the internet for labiaplasty surgery. Some clinics may pay to advertise their services on search listings. They should be listed on the specialist register and have a licence to practise.

Read more about choosing who will do your cosmetic procedure. A labiaplasty can be done using either a general anaesthetic or a local anaesthetic with sedation. It involves shortening or reshaping the vaginal lips. The unwanted tissue is cut away with a scalpel or laser. The loose edge may be stitched with fine, dissolvable stitches.