Labiaplasty Surgeries on the Rise
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Alexis Parcells Explains the Trend Board-certified celebrity plastic surgeon Dr. Alexis Parcells, MD was recently featured…
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Alexis Parcells Explains the Trend
Board-certified celebrity plastic surgeon Dr. Alexis Parcells, MD was recently featured as a labiaplasty expert on POOSH, a digital lifestyle and wellness platform founded by Kourtney Kardashian. Labiaplasty, once considered taboo, has exploded in popularity over the last 5 years, with Dr. Parcells performing hundreds of labiaplasties in her office every year. Aesthetic, functional, and sexual reasons motivate women to seek labiaplasty.1 The trend has been attributed to everything from the rise in tight-fitting athleisurewear and the rise in indoor cycling to celebrities speaking out about it and women being more comfortable with changing what concerns them about their bodies.
“Labiaplasty is gaining mainstream awareness as a straightforward solution to a common concern,” says Dr. Parcells. “My hope is that women of all ages who are insecure about this feel empowered to get good information and decide if this procedure will help improve their well-being and self-confidence.”
Based on the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, labiaplasty is one of the cosmetic operations with the greatest increase in the annual rate of procedures performed.2 This increase in demand has been attributed to everything from the rise in tight-fitting athleisurewear and the popularity of indoor cycling in combination with women being more empowered to address this particular area knowing the simplicity of the procedure. The satisfaction rate of the surgery is high, too; labiaplasty patients report a 96% improvement in self-confidence and comfort in wearing tight clothing.3 Increased quality of life and self-esteem levels following cosmetic surgery to the face and body have been reported, and patients report a significant improvement in sexual function, including decreased pain and increased enjoyment.4
A labiaplasty is a cosmetic skin procedure in which the inner labial skin of the labia (labia minor) is trimmed and tucked behind the outer labia (labia majora). The procedure, which Dr. Parcells performs in-office with local numbing medication (no sedation or general anesthesia) takes about 30 minutes. Patients are able to drive home from the procedure, and most patients are back to light routine activities by day three or four. While full recovery takes around 6 weeks, many patients are back to work within 7 days. Dr. Parcells sees patients ranging in age from 18 to 45 for labiaplasties and performs consultations and follow-ups pre- and post-procedure either in-office or virtually to accommodate out-of-town patients.
“There is a misconception that labiaplasties are a very invasive procedure with major recovery,” says Dr. Parcells. “My goal is to destigmatize labiaplasties, and to encourage women to not live in fear or shame of their body and to know that there is an easy procedure that is available to them.”
The Poosh article sums it up best, “A major takeaway for me is that ‘wow,’ most women I’ve discussed this procedure with have thought about or are already interested in labiaplasty themselves,” it reads. “I found it so interesting that so many of my friends had thought about this but never discussed it openly with anyone before. From 2015-2019, there has been a 73% increase in this procedure. Why the stigma?” 5
Dr. Parcells encourages those interested in receiving a labiaplasty to do their research and find a board-certified plastic surgeon for the procedure. In a recent Healthline article6, Dr. Parcells shared that it’s also important to connect with past patients to hear their story and experiences. Prospective patients should read patient reviews, ask questions, have consultations and get second opinions so that the they feel comfortable and set up for success.
About Dr. Parcells
Alexis Parcells, M.D. is a Board-Certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon practicing in New York and New Jersey. She owns and operates her private practice, Parcells Plastic Surgery, and is the founder of SUNNIE, a clean medical-grade skincare brand.
As a woman in a male-dominated field, she prides herself in setting a new standard for women’s aesthetic health and body empowerment.
Her areas of surgical specialty include breast lifts, reductions, reconstructions, implant placements/removals/revisions, mommy makeovers, liposuction, upper eyelid lifts, labiaplasty, and tummy tucks. Dr. Parcells educates her patients and empowers them to decide what’s best for themselves.
Dr. Parcells has been featured in Elle, InStyle, TODAY, Glamour, Well+Good, Coveteur, POPSUGAR, Byrdie, MSN, Women’s Health, MSN, Yahoo!, Insider, Healthline, and more. Dr. Parcells has been named a 2021 New Jersey Top Doc, an honor given to the top 1% of doctors in the state.
SUNNIE has been featured in Refinery29, Cosmopolitan, New Beauty, Elite Daily, Bustle, Well+Good, Refinery29 Teen Vogue, and more.
1 Sharp G, Mattiske J, Vale KI. Motivations, expectations, and experiences of labiaplasty: A qualitative study. Aesthet Surg J. 2016;36:920–928.
2 American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. ASAPS 2014 statistics: Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank sta- tistics, http://www.surgery.org/sites/default/ files/2014-Stats.pdf.
3 Comparison of Patient Symptomatology before and after Labiaplasty, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32842103/
4 American Society of Plastic Surgeons, The Impact of Labiaplasty on Sexuality, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29280868/
5 POOSH, “A Pooshie Tells All About Her Labiaplasty Experience,” https://poosh.com/pooshie-labiaplasty-experience/
6 Healthline, “What to Expect During Labiaplasty Recovery,” https://www.healthline.com/health/labiaplasty-recovery#recovery-tips
