Clitoral Hood Reduction
The labia (or the lips of tissue at the opening of the vagina) come in an endless variety of shapes and sizes. Some women may be bothered by labial tissue that is excessive or asymmetric, and excess skin around the clitoris may lead to irritation or decreased clitoris sensation. Clitoral hood reduction is a procedure which can address these concerns, and is often combined with labiaplasty to reshape the labia for a more aesthetic appearance or functional improvement.
Clitoral Hood Reduction in Atlanta, GA
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At the women-owned and women-led medical practice of Aviva Plastic Surgery, we strive to help women see labiaplasty and clitoral hood reduction as common procedures that can improve quality of life, comfort, function, sexual satisfaction, and confidence. We are excited to join you on your wellness journey–and want to help you love the way you look and feel!
I've been bothered by the appearance of my labia for as long as I can remember. I felt self-conscious when wearing certain clothes, and {the labia tissues} would occasionally catch with sex. The whole experience at Aviva could not have been better, from the initial phone call to my surgery to recovery. I'm 6 weeks out from my labiaplasty procedure, and feel great--and so much more confident!
What is Clitoral Hood Reduction?
Clitoral hood reduction contours and reshapes the excess skin around the clitoris, the very sensitive bundle of nerve above the vaginal opening. This procedure is also called clitoral hoodoplasty and clitoral unhooding. The clitoris is a structure full of blood vessels and nerves important for orgasm and sexual function. A large majority of the clitoris is covered by skin and is intricately woven with the urethra, vagina, and labia (lips of tissue around the vaginal opening); only approximately 10% of the clitoris is exposed, and this part is called the glans. The skin around the glans is called the clitoral hood; its function is to protect this exquisitely sensitive organ. Just like the labia tissue can sometimes be excessive or asymmetric, the skin covering the clitoris can be too long, and this can lead to irritation with tight clothing, sports, or sexual intercourse. Excessively long clitoral hood tissue can also obscure the clitoris, decreasing its sensitivity and sexual pleasure. Clitoral hood reduction is frequently combined with labiaplasty in order to achieve a balanced aesthetic appearance to the labia, and prevent your anatomy from looking “top heavy.”
Benefits of Clitoral Hood Reduction
Confidence in appearance and healthy function helps our patients look and feel their best every day, and this feeling extends to our patients’ professional, personal, and intimate lives. In addition to improved self-confidence, clitoral hood reduction offers:
- Greater clitoral sensitivity and increased sexual satisfaction
- Easier time achieving orgasm
- Less pain and discomfort during intercourse and exercise
- Permanent results that carry a high patient satisfaction rate
- A more balanced appearance and less “top heavy” look when combined with labiaplasty
Am I a Candidate for Clitoral Hood Reduction?
Every body is unique and vulva and vaginas come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. While body dysmorphia and social media-generated unrealistic body standards may dictate a specific ideal of clitoral or labial anatomy, the clitoral hood reduction treatment is not appropriate for every person. Speaking with our trusted and experienced staff about the reasons why you’re considering the treatment and sharing your concerns is an important step in your treatment journey. Together, we can craft the right wellness strategy that ensures you reach your goals while retaining your individuality.
You may be a candidate for clitoral hood reduction treatment if you:
- Experience discomfort or irritation of the labia or clitoral hood with tight clothing, exercise, or intimacy
- Want to increase the sensitivity of your clitoris
- Have pain or uncomfortable rubbing during sexual intercourse
- Have overly long or stretched skin around the clitoris
- Have decreased clitoral sensation
- Have difficulty achieving orgasm
Frequently Asked Questions
We commonly perform clitoral hood reduction in combination with labiaplasty, our most common surgical women’s wellness procedure. As women grow more comfortable in discussing their intimate health concerns, the clitoral hood reduction and labiaplasty treatments are becoming more acceptable in the medical community, and we have treated many women with these procedures. Studies show that while labiaplasty treatments have undergone lots of research and development in the last 3-4 decades, clitoral hood reduction procedures have only gained prominence in the medical community over the last 10-15 years; however, the idea of clitoral hood reduction for both functional (sexual sensitivity) and aesthetic reasons is now well-accepted; we now frequently combine clitoral hood reduction with labiaplasty to create a more balanced aesthetic appearance and prevent a “top heavy” look where the labia minora are shortened and contoured and the clitoral hood remains excessive and “spills over” at the top. Given the delicate and complex anatomy of the pelvis, a clitoral hood reduction requires extensive expertise for best outcomes, and we recommend meeting with our women’s wellness experts if you are interested in this treatment.
A clitoral hood reduction will take approximately 30 minutes and can be combined with other procedures such as a labiaplasty, Plasma Rich Protein (PRP) injections, or other labia augmentation procedures. We most commonly combine clitoral hood reduction with a surgical labiaplasty or a revision labiaplasty for best, most balanced results.
We most commonly perform clitoral hood reduction surgery in the comfort our office, with the help of relaxing medications, laughing gas (also called ProNox), and injectable numbing medicine. Patients are released home after treatment, with most reporting taking a long nap after treatment. During their recovery, most patients take 2-4 days off work and school, and are encouraged to wear compressive leggings or shorts. About 2 weeks following clitoral hood reduction surgery, patients return to Aviva Plastic Surgery for a follow-up appointment with our staff. During this visit, we assess one’s healing progress and provides an updated timeline for recovery.
The chance of significant complications after clitoral hood reduction surgery is very low. Clitoral hood reduction risks include bleeding, bruising, infection, changes in sensation, and asymmetry of the clitoral hood tissues. A small amount of bloody drainage is normal for the first 2 weeks after surgery; however, significant bleeding is very rare, as are infection and permanently decreased sensation. Resulting significant asymmetry of the clitoral hood skin is uncommon; this may require a revision or touch-up procedure. Removing too much skin around the clitoris is a rare risk which can result in clitoral hypersensitivity or irritation; there is not a reliable way to correct this.
Clitoral hood reduction treatment provides long-lasting if not permanent results. Often combined with labiaplasty, clitoral hood reduction reshapes the folds of tissue around the vaginal opening, and the results of both labiaplastu and clitoral hood reduction are meant to be life-long. Rarely, patients may need additional surgery or treatment if their anatomy changes singificantly after pregnancy, childbirth or pelvic surgery.
Most commonly, clitoral hood reduction treatment is a cosmetic procedure and is not typically covered by insurance. We are not in network with insurance plans at Aviva Plastic Surgery; and all clitoral hood reduction and other women’s wellness treatments are self-pay at our practice.
To make treatments more affordable, we offer payment plans for all of our women’s wellness procedures. Please inquire with our staff about this at the time of your consultation, or review our financing options here.
Every patient has individually different anatomy and aesthetic goals; because of this, we encourage individuals interested in clitoral hood reduction and labiaplasty treatment to schedule a consultation with our women’s wellness expert in order to receive custom-tailored treatment recommendations and pricing information. A clitoral hood reduction procedure usually starts around $4500, and is less when performed in combination with a labiaplasty or another treatment.
We recommend you heal for at least 6 weeks after your clitoral hood reduction procedure to resume intercourse. We like to see you in person to evaluate your healing progress before clearing you to resume your workout routine and sexual activity.
We do not recommend having clitoral hood reduction treatment, labiaplasty treatment, or any elective procedures to the labia or vagina during pregnancy. Because there are so many hormonal shifts during pregnancy, the body’s tissues change dramatically and make swelling much more pronounced. We recommend clitoral hood reduction and labiaplasty procedures be scheduled at least 4-6 months after pregnancy and childbirth to allow for recovery of the labial and vaginal tissues.
What Should I Expect During My Clitoral Hood Reduction Treatment?
Clitoral hood reduction involves contouring and reshaping of the skin around the clitoris. The skin around the clitoris and the labia minora (inner lips of tissue around the vaginal opening) may be excessive, asymmetric, or affected by scar tissue from childbirth; the tissue around the clitoris, called the clitoral hood, may be overly long or stretched also. These factors, as well as any other anatomic findings, are carefully considered during the surgical planning of a clitoral hood reduction treatment. Given the sensitivity of the surgical area, this procedure requires high technical expertise, extensive training and experience of the surgeon, and great compliance with treatment instructions of the patient. Ensuring patients are fully prepared to undergo clitoral hood reduction starts by building a close, trusting relationship with each patient.
At Aviva Plastic Surgery, your intimate wellness journey begins with your initial consultation, during which we want to hear all about you, your concerns, and your goals. After this, our expert staff performs a thorough examination, develops a customized treatment plan, and explains all available options to help you determine which approach will help you achieve your goals while fulfilling your needs.
In many instances, clitoral hood reduction is performed in combination with surgical labiaplasty. Occasionally, the clitoral hood reduction procedure is done by itself.
Unlike other surgeries, clitoral hood reduction is a women’s wellness treatment which is often done as an outpatient procedure and completed in about 1 hour. We commonly perform clitoral hood reduction treatments in our luxurious, state-of-the-art office, using the help of relaxing laughing gas (also known as ProNox) and injectable numbing medicine. In certain cases, we combine clitoral hood reduction procedures with other treatments in the operating room and with the help of general anesthesia. Dissolvable sutures are used to seal the surgical site, and patients return home to rest shortly after completion of treatment.
Labiaplasty and Clitoral Hood Reduction Treatment Care Instructions
We are strongly invested in both a smooth treatment and uncomplicated recovery for our patients. We work with you before and after your clitoral hood reduction and labiaplasty treatment to ensure that you are comfortable with the treatment plan and are thoroughly educated about the best before and after treatment care.
We recommend reviewing the Pre- and Post-Treatment instructions several times prior to and after your treatment. We want to provide you with the information and tools you need to have an excellent treatment experience. Please contact our office should you have any questions or concerns about these instructions, your preparation for surgery, or post-treatment recovery. We are here to help!
Please read and familiarize yourself with these instructions before and after your clitoral hood reduction and labiaplasty. By following them carefully you will assist in obtaining the best result from your surgery. If you have questions or concerns, please contact our office.
Shave the treatment area completely 2-3 days prior to the procedure.
Do not take any anti-inflammatories or multivitamins starting 7-10 days prior to your procedure (see list of anti-inflammatory medications below). Avoid alcohol 48 hours prior to and 48 hours after your procedure.
Immediately following labiaplasty you should remain as flat as possible for the first week.
Apply ice packs to the treated area every 1-2 hours for the first 72 hours while awake, placed over a thin minipad. Ice packs should never be applied directly to the skin. Using ice packs for the first week as much as possible will greatly help your healing process, and reduce the amount of post-operative swelling and discomfort.
It is normal to have swelling and bruising of the labia. This will resolve over the next 2 weeks.
Let soapy water wash over the incision sites at 24 hours after treatment. Do not scrub. Then apply antibiotic ointment to the incision points twice daily for one week. Tiny scabs may appear during the healing process. Please do not pick at the scabs.
Use a peri bottle (clear plastic bottle provided for you) to clean the treated area with warm water after using the restroom; avoid wiping, as this can cause discomfort and bleeding. Use the peri bottle for 1-2 weeks after treatment.
Limit physical activity and exposure to excessive heat (including fires) and UV light for 2 weeks.
Avoid swimming and submerging in water the treated areas for 6 weeks after treatment.
Do not shave the treated area for 2 weeks after treatment.
Dressings
The surgical dressings can be removed anytime they are saturated and then replaced with a sanitary napkin or maxipad. There will be bloody or blood-tinged drainage for a minimum of 1- 2 weeks following your labiaplasty.
Apply antibiotic ointment to the incisions twice a day for 14 days. Please apply a thin coating only. Excessive amounts of ointment are not necessary.
You may switch to an Aloe Vera ointment after 2 weeks.
Pain Medication
Take Ibuprofen 800mg every 8 hours with food for the first 3-5 days after treatment. This can be alternated or combined with 2 regular Tylenol (325mg) every 8 hours. Both medications will help to reduce swelling and decrease your overall need for stronger pain medications.
Activities
Most patients will experience relatively minor discomfort after a labiaplasty. However, some patients do experience moderate to severe swelling that can cause much discomfort. Diligent post-operative application of ice packs may reduce swelling thereby reducing pain.
Patients who experience minimal swelling and bleeding should be able to resume sedentary work activities within a few days, resume light exercise at one week, and have no restrictions after 2 weeks (following your postoperative visit).
Patients with more excessive swelling and discomfort may want to limit their activities until they feel comfortable and gradually progress to their normal activities.
No intercourse for 6 weeks post-procedure.
Sexual Activities
As a general rule, you may resume sexual activity 6 to 12 weeks after surgery. This is totally patient-dependent. We will let you know when you are sufficiently healed.
Healing of sensory nerves
The skin of the labia may be partially numb for several months while the wounds are healing. Permanent numbness is very rare.
Intimate Health and Women's Wellness
Our mission at Aviva Plastic Surgery is simple – help patients achieve greater confidence and their best health and comfort. By offering labiaplasty and clitoral hood reduction in a welcoming, professional environment, we have helped many women understand that these common women’s wellness procedures can make life better in many ways. To learn more about our women’s wellness treatments, review our patients’ before and after treatment photos and call our clinic at 678-974-8435. We look forward to taking care of you!