PSC Case Files – Teenage Patient Labiaplasty

In the latest PSC Case Files, board certified plastic surgeons Dr. Mark D. Epstein of Hauppauge, New York and Dr. Anu Bajaj of Oklahoma City discuss a patient of Dr. Epstein who came in with a sensitive issue. The patient was 16 years old and struggling with an abnormally large labia. After broaching the issue with her mother, who also dealt with the issue, they decided to book a consultation with Dr. Epstein to see what could be done.

As Dr. Bajaj notes, there is still a significant taboo surrounding aesthetic vaginal issues. Even now, many women are hesitant to “complain” or discuss anything that may be aesthetically wrong. The young patient’s mother shared with Dr. Epstein that she had lived with the issue her whole life. It was often a small blow to her self-esteem, and certainly her desire to be “sexy” and proud when naked. While the issue can pose functional problems, mostly it is aesthetic, unfortunately precipitating deep and lasting psychological issues.

Surgeons like Dr. Epstein and Dr. Bajaj are working to undo this taboo as there are indeed powerful options to treat enlarged or misshapen labia. Labiaplasty is a surgical operation where the labia is trimmed in order to solve functional issues and to create a normal look, alleviating psychological issues. Dr. Epstein and Dr. Bajaj discuss this specific case of Dr. Epstein’s and how this seemingly small and quick procedure can produce powerful results, especially in a blossoming young woman.