Vaginoplasty - Vaginal Rejuvenation
- dr Nikola Stanojević
- Apr 19
- 6 min read
Functional or aesthetic surgery of the intimate area? Vaginoplasty and labiaplasty - vaginal rejuvenation.
It is a misconception that vaginoplasty, as a surgical procedure focused on restoring the genital area to its normal state, falls under cosmetic surgeries.
Vaginal rejuvenation, tightening, or narrowing are terms associated with reconstructive surgery - vaginoplasty.
The need for reconstruction of female intimate organs (vaginoplasty) most often arises after natural childbirth.
Childbirth naturally causes stretching of the pelvic floor structures in all women. When the baby is wider than the mother's birth canal, the obstetrician-gynecologist will opt for an episiotomy to facilitate the baby's passage and minimize damage to the mother. Fortunately, a woman's body is highly adaptable, and usually, a few months after childbirth, everything returns to its place. Most women have absolutely no aesthetic or functional issues six months after delivery.
Unfortunately, a significant number of women have a different experience. The vagina after childbirth is definitely not the same, neither in appearance nor in function. The vaginal walls become lax, muscles lose tone, episiotomy scars heal irregularly, the cut area feels hard and painful to the touch, and there is a sensation of everything being "open" down there, with uncontrolled air flow, especially in women who have given birth multiple times. Frequent genital infections, severe pain during intercourse, and sometimes a complete loss of sexual sensation occur.
Many young mothers complain after childbirth that they no longer feel their partner during sex as before and do not experience orgasms as they did before delivery.
Who should I turn to? Who can I trust after a traumatic birth?
For every woman, this is a delicate topic. Young mothers need considerable time to decide on addressing their problems and seeking professional help.
Women do not opt for vaginal tightening solely for aesthetic reasons. The core issue is much more serious and is not just about the beauty of the intimate area but a significant functional disorder that disrupts quality of life.
The conversation should begin with a doctor experienced in restoring your intimate area to normal, a specialist in genital reconstructive surgery.
Do I need vaginoplasty?
For women dissatisfied with problems in the intimate area after childbirth, a specialist doctor may suggest surgical treatment—vaginal reconstruction (vaginoplasty).
Vaginoplasty is a surgical method to restore not only the normal shape but also the erogenous sensation of the vagina. Your surgeon’s task is to remove existing scars from poorly healed episiotomies, reconnect stretched muscles, tighten weakened ligaments, and functionally and aesthetically restore your most sensitive area to its natural state.
Vaginoplasty, when performed simultaneously with the reconstruction of the pelvic floor muscles (levator muscles), is also the preferred method for prolapse of the bladder, uterus, or rectum. These conditions are called cystocele and rectocele, and their reconstruction surgeries are referred to as anterior and posterior colposuspension or colporrhaphy.
Is vaginoplasty effective?
Surgical vaginal tightening involves restoring the vagina to its former size, narrowing it, and rejuvenating it. If needed, the surgical intervention is highly successful.
Why surgery?
"I’d like to restore my intimate area to normal with a laser method."
An alternative to surgery is vaginal tightening using radiofrequency waves or lasers. This non-invasive method for tightening vaginal walls yields good results only in mild cases of intimate area laxity and is used to tighten collagen fibers weakened by the natural aging process in women after middle age.
For young mothers with significant vaginal wall laxity or unpleasant post-childbirth scars, laser methods will not deliver the desired results. In such cases, the only option for vaginal rejuvenation is surgical reconstruction—vaginoplasty.
How soon after childbirth can I have vaginoplasty?
When it comes to vaginoplasty after childbirth, several factors must be considered. Vaginoplasty is generally not recommended for women planning to have more children. If a woman decides to have a baby after vaginoplasty, the beneficial effects of the surgery may completely disappear, requiring a new intervention to restore the intimate area.
Some surgeons may suggest vaginoplasty as early as three months after childbirth. Dr. Nikola Stanojević prefers to wait longer, sometimes up to six months postpartum. There is no room for impatience, as the six-month period after childbirth provides the clearest picture of the actual state of scars that need correction.
For optimal assessment and the best results, sufficient time must pass after childbirth to determine whether there is a real problem and what the best treatment approach is.
In some cases, vaginoplasty may not be suitable because a less invasive option (laser procedure) is a more practical choice.
Vaginal health, an essential aspect of female sexuality, can be a sensitive topic for many women, especially if they feel their vaginas are not "pretty" or "sexy" enough by their standards.
I’ve decided on the procedure—what’s next?
If, after a detailed consultation and examination by Dr. Nikola Stanojević, a specialist in genital surgery, and a need for vaginoplasty is confirmed, the surgery date will be scheduled in accordance with your menstrual cycle.
A few days before the procedure, an internist will examine you to ensure you are medically fit for surgery. On the day of the surgery, you will be admitted to the hospital, and Dr. Nikola Stanojević will once again explain all the details of the procedure and recovery.
Six hours before the surgery, refrain from eating or drinking. For your comfort, the procedure is usually performed under general anesthesia, but regional anesthesia can be used upon request. The entire procedure, including anesthesia, takes up to two hours, after which you will wake up in the hospital room.
You can expect to be discharged the day after the surgery. After leaving the hospital, Dr. Stanojević will remain in close contact for follow-up checks, dressing changes, and postoperative monitoring.
You can return to work about 10 days after the procedure, depending on your job. Heavy physical exercise can be resumed 6 to 8 weeks post-surgery. The sutures used are self-dissolving, so no removal is necessary.
Permission to resume sexual activity is typically given by your doctor 6 to 8 weeks after vaginoplasty.
How will I feel after the surgery?
The scar heals within a few weeks and becomes invisible and imperceptible to touch. Sensitivity, sexual sensation, and orgasmic response return to normal six weeks after a properly performed surgery.
After full healing, which usually takes about three months, you won’t even notice you had surgery, and everything will look and feel as it did before childbirth.
Genital reconstructive surgery is Dr. Nikola Stanojević’s primary field. Vaginoplasty is a significant part of his surgical practice because he believes that when a woman resolves her daily "small problems down there," regains her lost beauty, and feels attractive again, a boost in self-confidence and quality of life inevitably follows.
Everyone deserves to feel attractive and desirable. It’s important to find a surgeon who not only understands and empathizes with your condition and needs but also has the knowledge and skill to fulfill your desires.
Every woman with functional issues in her intimate area after childbirth should do everything possible to correct them.
Women love to feel beautiful when undressed, and the task of a genital surgeon is to restore that lost feeling.
Vaginoplasty - vaginal rejuvenation as a permanent solution after natural childbirth with episiotomy and/or vaginal wall rupture.
