Alysia Flynn confides that she had been considering seeking medical help for her enlarged labia minora for some time.

“After the birth of my third child, my labia minora became larger,” describes the young mother. “I was very physically uncomfortable in clothing like tight jeans, and I was insecure in a bathing suit.”

These were particularly problematic for Alysia, she notes, because she loves to ride horses and also loves diving: “I thought about seeking medical help for two or three years, but I didn’t really know there was a procedure for it. Then I learned about Dr. Sprock.”

Marja Sprock, MD, FACOG, is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist with fellowship training in urogynecology. Her practice is in Rockledge, in the Melbourne area.

“Some women are born with labia minora that protrude past their labia majora,” observes Dr. Sprock, “and others, like Alysia, experience an enlargement of the labia minora following childbirth. From a functional standpoint, heavy, long labia can feel very uncomfortable in jeans or slacks, and can be troublesome during sports activities or even for women who have jobs in which they sit all day. It can hurt.”

Also, for some people, unusually large labia minora can be cosmetically displeasing.

“Traditionally, when it was more fashionable to leave the pubic hair around the vulva untrimmed, a protruding labia minora was not that noticeable,” reflects Dr. Sprock, “but today young women tend to trim their pubic hair significantly, so it is more apparent. Long labia minora can be a source of embarrassment and can cause women to feel insecure in relationships because they feel their sexual genitalia are ugly.”

For women unhappy with the size of their labia majora, surgical reduction is also possible, informs the doctor: “However, I always stress that being different does not necessarily mean that it is not normal.”

Fortunately, for women who do choose to reduce the size of their labia minora, a typically in-office procedure is available.

Compassionate care

“I think a lot of women hesitate to consult with a physician about a situation like this because they are uncomfortable talking about it,” suggests Alysia, who is working toward her goal of becoming a registered nurse, “but Dr. Sprock was amazing.

“With Dr. Sprock, it’s not a five-minute consult. She sits down with you and takes her time.

“I remember my first consultation with her. She came in, introduced herself, and shook my hand. She is very polite and has an excellent bedside manner. She made me feel totally comfortable, and it was wonderful to be able to speak with a doctor so openly about such a sensitive subject.”

Alysia says she could sense that Dr. Sprock felt very confident about being able to help her: “She had good information that I needed to hear from a doctor, and she assured me it was actually a very common procedure. She mentioned that many women don’t particularly like the size of their labia, and that some women’s labia are unpleasantly longer on one side than the other.

 “She was so understanding to talk with about something like this.”

Dr. Sprock points out the importance of seeing a physician with special training and experience working with the labia: “This is a sexual organ, so, of course, there are a lot of blood vessels in there. Also, when the labia are trimmed, it is vital that they are not reduced too much because that will be uncomfortable, just as the longer labia were.”

According to Alysia, the procedure is relatively easy: “I was pleased that I didn’t have to go under anesthesia. I was awake the entire time, and while I was a little nervous at first, the doctor let my sister come in and sit with me. It was a very calm, organized situation, and we were even cracking jokes throughout the procedure.

“I actually went to school afterward. I admit that there was some discomfort the first day I had it done, but then every day after got easier.”

“I usually tell my patients that the first couple of days can be pretty sore,” says the doctor, “and I advise them to use some ice to keep the swelling down.

“Most patients go back to work the day after surgery, although I advise they wait one more day. I also suggest they not look at their labia for three weeks, and it takes about six weeks to heal completely.”

Alysia says that Dr. Sprock did an amazing job: “I can’t even begin to explain how symmetrical everything looks, how natural it looks.”

“Some women who do not have a problem with their own labia may consider labiaplasty as an odd choice,” says Dr. Sprock, “but it is my experience that women who choose this surgery have usually given it considerable thought and either feel very insecure about their external genitalia or have discomfort, or both, and following surgery they are typically really happy and are able to regain their confidence.”

 “It’s a life-changing surgery,” reflects Alysia. “I’m more comfortable about my clothes, sex is much more comfortable, and it increased sexual intimacy for me.

“I feel better in my body.” 

FHCN – Kris Kline