Guide:
- Overview of Labiaplasty Recovery
- Week 1: Initial Healing
- Weeks 2–3: Reduced Swelling and Pain
- Weeks 4–6: Returning to Normal Activities
- When to Call Your Surgeon
- Tips for Easy Recovery
Choosing to undergo labiaplasty is a deeply personal decision, and one that comes with questions of exactly how recovery occurs. The good news? Most women say the recovery process is much less painful than they expected.
What follows is a compassionate, medically accurate week-by-week guide to labiaplasty recovery, helping you feel comfortable, educated, and confident at each step.
Overview of Labiaplasty Recovery
Recovery from labiaplasty can take anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks, although your experience may be slightly different depending on the surgical technique and your body’s natural recovery rate. Most women experience mild to moderate swelling, tightness, and some discomfort in the first few weeks, which improves steadily.
While you will need to avoid strenuous activities for several weeks, most women can return to light routines within days, but full healing including sexual activities, and sensitivity can take 6 – 12 weeks. We treat each patient’s recovery with individualized direction and post-op care at LEA Plastic Surgery in Newport Beach.
Learn more about the procedure itself.
Week 1: Initial Healing
This is your most susceptible period, but it’s temporary. What to look for:
- Swelling and bruising around the surgical area
- Mild to moderate pain
- Clear or pinkish drainage
- Sitting or walking sensitivity
Care tips:
- Use cold compresses in the first 48 hours (20 minutes on and 20 minutes off)
- Make sure the area is dry and clean
- Wear loose, breathable underwear
- Avoid sex, tampons, exercise, and tight clothing
You’ll likely have a follow-up appointment during this week to ensure everything looks healthy.
Weeks 2–3: Reduced Swelling and Pain
Discomfort should begin to ease noticeably. During this stage:
- Swelling decreases
- Bruising fades
- Stitches may start to dissolve or fall out
- Light walking becomes more comfortable
You may notice itching as the tissue heals, which is a completely normal part of the recovery. Avoid scratching and use surgeon-recommended ointments if needed.
During this time, you can usually resume desk work or remote work, but should still avoid strenuous activity.
Weeks 4–6: Returning to Normal Activities
You’ll likely feel significantly better by now. Key milestones include:
- Resuming gentle exercise (check with your surgeon)
- Wearing fitted clothing again
- Returning to sexual activity (typically after week 6 with clearance)
- Stitches fully dissolved, and most swelling resolved
Some residual sensitivity or tightness may linger, but continues to improve each week.
When to Call Your Surgeon
Reach out right away if you experience:
- Fever over 100.4°F
- Excessive bleeding
- Pus or foul-smelling discharge
- Worsening pain after the first few days
- Visible signs of infection (redness spreading, warmth, swelling)
Healing should be steady, not perfect, but progressive. Trust your instincts if something feels off.
Contact us if you’re recovering from surgery and are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above.
Tips for Easy Recovery
- Use prescription or over-the-counter medication to prevent discomfort.
- Steer clear of smoking because it slows healing.
- Keep your pelvis slightly raised while you rest.
- Instead of wiping, use a peri bottle.
- Pay close attention to all post-operative instructions.
Above all, treat yourself with kindness. Although healing takes time, you’ll get closer to feeling like yourself every day.
For individualized post-operative care, contact our clinic to make an appointment with Dr. Taghva at our Newport Beach clinic.
