My Life-Changing Labiaplasty Experience

Okay, girls. This is going to be a long review, but I want to share my experience with you and some tips I've learned along the way.Background:

I've got a pretty crazy story to share. When I was eight years old, I fell off a set of old wooden steps and landed right between my legs on the stairs. It was a lot of blood, and at the time, I thought I was getting my period, so I ran home screaming and in pain. I couldn't walk to the bathroom, only under the shower. As it turned out, my labia had torn on both sides. Years went by, and I just dealt with it. By the time I was a teenager, I realized something was off and I didn't like it. I started researching online and looking at how things were supposed to be, and it was clear that mine didn't look great.

As time went on, this started to affect my intimate life, making it uncomfortable to exercise, wear certain clothes, swim, and so on. The longer the skin was torn, the more it became a problem. Sometimes it would get caught between my legs or on my clothes and underwear. I didn't want to have sex with men, let alone oral sex. The thought of it was always in the back of my head: 'I'm not normal, it's visible, it's gross.' Especially when a guy would touch me, it felt like he was touching raw meat because the skin would catch on his fingers.

When I turned 18, I was determined to get the surgery, but at the time, I didn't have the money for it. I was living on my own and working for two years, so asking my mom for help wasn't an option. I put it off every year, and each year, the surgery got more expensive.

I went back to read reviews on this site from 3 years ago, and I knew I had to make this dream a reality as soon as possible.

I found a great surgeon on YouTube, and I watched her videos to get a sense of her work. She explained everything in detail, and her work was beautiful – it just felt like she had a lot of experience and was very calm and reassuring.

About the procedure:

So, I was 22 at the time, and I had just moved to Kazakhstan. I found the surgeon, contacted her, and she told me what tests I needed to take and what consultations I needed to have. I did everything she asked, and then sent her the results.

The cost of the procedure was 380,000 tenges. Based on the test results, everything was fine, and she scheduled the surgery. I went to the clinic, and my doctor explained everything to me. She gave me disposable gowns, and I changed into them. She numbed me with a cream while she explained the procedure, and I have to admit, I was really nervous – I'm not a fan of doctors or needles. But she was so kind and reassuring that I felt a bit better.

She then took me to the operating room, and there was an anesthesiologist, a man, who was also present. However, as a Muslim woman, I wasn't comfortable with a man being present during such an intimate procedure, even if he was a medical professional. I asked the surgeon if it was possible for him to leave, and she agreed. However, he stood outside the door and waited for the procedure to be over, just in case something went wrong.

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I lay down on the table, feeling anxious about the whole thing. The nurse hooked up a thing to my finger to monitor my blood pressure and heart rate. The surgeon was reassuring the whole time, trying to make me feel as comfortable as possible. The initial insertion of the laser was painful for a few seconds, but I managed to keep calm and not flinch. The local anesthesia kicked in soon after, and I have to say, it was a breeze. I was a bit skeptical at first, but the surgeon assured me it would be fine, and it was. The whole procedure took 1.5 hours, and I have to admit, it was so painless that I dozed off a few times. The surgeon kept me awake and chatting, telling me funny stories and sharing some of her own experiences. They removed all the excess tissue and stitched me up. The stitches are self-dissolving, and there were two of them - one internal and one external. At one point, I said, 'Oh my god, there's so much blood!' The surgeon looked at me and said, 'Blood? Where's the blood?' and she smiled.

After the procedure, I slid off the table and headed to the bathroom. What I saw was a bit of a shock - purple tissue, a bunch of stitches, and just a lot of stuff that looked pretty intimidating. I didn't stay there for long, but it was definitely a relief to get back to the recovery room. The surgeon checked in on me a few times, making sure everything was okay. When she was done, she gave me some post-op instructions and sent me on my way.

Recovery:

Now, let's talk about the aftermath and recovery period. Right after the surgery, I went to the bus stop on my own, but I'm not sure what I would have done if my friend hadn't come with me. As I was getting on the bus, I suddenly felt really unwell – my ears started ringing and I got dizzy. I had to stand because I couldn't sit down. And then the nausea kicked in, along with a loss of energy and vision (basically, I was on the verge of a fainting spell). I started feeling like I was going to pass out, and my friend caught me, then she helped me breathe, held me the whole way, gave me water, and brought me back to my senses. Later on, I started feeling a bit better, and as it turned out, everyone's body reacts differently to surgery. Mine was a bit of a wild ride due to my low hemoglobin and anemia.

I took two weeks off work to just stay in bed and recover. For the first few days, I didn't leave my bed at all, and when I finally started going out to the shops and pharmacy, I tried to stay in bed as much as possible. But then the swelling started to set in – my whole body was puffy. My body was really sensitive to the surgery, so all my weak spots started to come out, like the virus in my eyes, nausea, dizziness, and swelling in my groin area. One crucial thing I want to stress is the importance of nutrition during recovery. You might not have an appetite like I did, but eating is a crucial part of the recovery process. I was eating only every three days, and the rest of the time I was drinking liquids, smoking e-cigs, and sleeping. I lost 5kg in two weeks, which might have contributed to my prolonged recovery time.

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I went in for check-ups with the surgeon to have my stitches removed. I was told that getting stitches removed wouldn't be painful, but that wasn't my experience. We didn't use any painkillers and the surgeon just started pulling out the stitches a bit, but I had a pretty aggressive reaction to the pain. (I'm a judoka, so I'm used to pushing through pain, but even I have my limits.) The surgeon realized that she couldn't just remove them without numbing the area first, so she used Lidocaine to numb it up. After that, it was a lot easier to get around. It was less painful and more comfortable to walk. For the first week after the surgery, I used Chlorhexidine to clean myself after every trip to the bathroom. I applied Levomekol ointment every night and took Ketanov for pain relief. Those were my go-to recovery tools.

Fast forward to three weeks later, and I can see the results. I feel like myself again, and I feel confident in my body. I actually enjoy going to the bathroom and taking a shower, which was a big deal for me before. I can even sleep without wearing underwear, which is a huge improvement. All in all, I'm pretty happy with how things have turned out. I'm down to almost zero discomfort, and I'm pain-free. The stitches are gone, and I'm feeling pretty good about my body. I'm so glad I decided to go through with the surgery, and I'm super grateful to my surgeon.

My advice for anyone considering this surgery: Find a surgeon you trust and feel comfortable with. Make sure you're not afraid to ask for their qualifications and experience. Check their credentials and make sure they're a real surgeon (not a gynecologist, for example). Prepare yourself mentally for the surgery and the recovery process. Give yourself at least two weeks to recover and rest at home. Bring someone with you to the surgery who can help you out if you need it. Stock up on recovery medications before the surgery. Take care of yourself and eat well during the recovery period. After two weeks, gently massage the area where the stitches were to prevent scarring and discomfort. (Just do this after the stitches have been removed.) If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to reach out to your surgeon. They should be available to answer your questions and check in on you during the recovery period.

It's going to take some time to get back to normal, but it'll be worth it. Just be patient and take care of yourself, and you'll be back to your old self in no time.

That's all, thanks for tuning in, girls! I really hope you all have a smooth recovery and get to work with a surgeon as great as mine!