The way your genitalia looks is the most private and personal factor that affects your sexuality, femininity, and confidence. An asymmetrical, irregular, or large labia can develop naturally or through childbirth, sex, hormones, or age. 

For most women, their labia minora are only visible when their legs are not together. Yet in women with large labia minora, it can be seen when the legs are together or when wearing form-fitting clothing. This can cause discomfort, self-consciousness, embarrassment, and even relationship distance. This can also be uncomfortable while riding a bike or engaging in sex. 

Many people with large or asymmetric labia elect to have labiaplasty so that their labia minora can appear symmetric, defined, and smaller. Labia majora refers to the outside genital lips, and labia minora refers to the inner lips. 

This procedure usually done with local aesthesia and can take 1–2 hours. There are patients who prefer IV sedation or general anesthesia. This is an outpatient procedure, so you will not spend the night at the hospital. 

Techniques such as extracting a triangular-shaped portion of tissue, removing a part of the top layer of the labia (with the tissue beneath remaining intact), and cutting extra tissue are all technique used in the reduction of the labia minora. The method used depends on the experience, results, and training your surgeon has had. 

A pad similar to those worn during the menstrual cycle is worn by the patient post–surgery for protection and padding and to catch any leakage that may occur. While most patients go back to work within 5 days, there will be discomfort and swelling for about 2 weeks, and the sutures used dissolve on their own. The patient should refrain from any activity that is strenuous for at least 3 week. Douches, tampons, and sex should be avoided for 6 weeks for proper healing to occur. 

Complications rarely develop, but it can include sensation and pigmentation changes, scarring, infection, wound separation, and asymmetry. Most women are ecstatic with the labiaplasty results. They report being more active sexually, more comfortable, and more confident.