For four decades, the women have the option of beautifying their vagina through aesthetic procedures such as vaginoplasty and labiaplasty. However, these have become discreet surgeries and are increasingly sought after to regenerate the genital area and the self-esteem of women.
“That treatment brought life to my vagina. I am 51 years old and in reality, I was not feeling anything… After the surgery, my private part is awake”, says the patient María Tejada, while thanking the work of the gynecologist Francisca Aquino.
Vaginoplasty is a procedure designed to tighten the vagina. Surgery is not only to achieve greater pleasure through narrowing, nor is it about beautifying the area, but its functional recovery. Dr. Aquino clarifies that many times it is performed under medical indication to solve problems in a preventive and curative way.
According to specialists, the incidence of vaginoplasty and labiaplasty is in the women between 25 and 60 years, moment in which they have economic independence. In fact, pelvic floor disorders are more common after the age of 40.
In more complex cases, patients may present urinary incontinence, rectovaginal fistula and that the uterus, together with the intestines, can come down from its place. “It is important that when the patient presents that sensation of weight, width or discomfort, they go to the consultation”, Aquino points out.
These events occur as a result of births, pregnancies and traumatic intimate relationships. And it is that, this causes conditions both to the vaginal mucosa and to the muscles that are around it, for this reason, the size of this organ does not return to the previous one. It is in these cases that vaginoplasty is required, explains the specialist.
“The vagina is like a balloon that fills up with air that sometimes distends in such a way that when you want to return to normal size you cannot, even if all the air is removed, this is because the tissue stretches a lot, therefore, wears out”, explains the gynecologist.
He procedure It can be surgically where that excess internal tissue is removed and those damaged muscles are restored. Likewise, it can be given inside the doctor’s office, in the event that the patient does not have a direct or deep affection, through laser or high frequency focused ultrasonic waves. However, in the latter case its effect does not last more than 18 months to a year.
“I think that before having liposuction, breasts or any other surgery, you should do vaginoplasty, because that is the best investment”, considers the patient Angélica Rodríguez. After having had two births, she explains that her private part was wide, therefore, when she had sexual relations, she was not able to obtain the pleasure she desired with her partner. In addition, some of her clothing was uncomfortable in that area. “My last child was born 10 pounds,” she clarifies when referring to the fact that this was one of the causes of her hypermobility. To perform this procedure the patient paid US$3,000. Dr. Aquino can perform up to five vaginoplasty procedures, while her counterpart, Triana Váldez, two to three a month. However, they note that the amount varies.
Market
Vaginoplasty costs range from US$1,500 and US$5,000. For its part, the labiaplasty process costs $1,500, on average. The doctors point out that this will depend on various factors: the medical center, doctors who intervene or complications that arise. According to a survey, the prices of a consultation vary between RD$3,000 and RD$5,000, depending on the specialist. But, in addition, the patient must consider the costs of going to an interconsultation in cardiology and performing tests prior to surgery.
The procedures so that they can be covered by insurance must be with high complications and with a medical history that indicates the condition of the patient. Otherwise, they are not covered because they are considered cosmetic, according to specialists.
elDinero clarifies that the names of the patients are fictitious by request of anonymity in telling their story.
Techniques
Labiaplasty is a procedure that consists of reduce the size of the labia minora, although what is mainly sought is the symmetry of the vulva, so that it looks natural and aesthetic.
Triana Valdez points out that the process is based on correcting the hypertrophied labia minora of more than 3 to 4 centimeters that exceed the labia majora. In most cases, they are done in the office under local anesthesia. Despite there are no recent statistics on the subject, it is estimated that four out of every 10 women suffer from hypertrophy of the labia minora.
According to a report by the International Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, a total of 164,667 labiaplasties were performed in 2019, representing 1.4% of all surgical procedures performed by plastic surgeons worldwide.
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