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Labiaplasty

The labia minora — the inner lips of the vagina — can increase in size through hormonal changes, childbirth, or naturally over time. For some women this causes physical discomfort during exercise, limits choices in clothing and swimwear, or creates self-consciousness that affects daily life.

Labiaplasty reduces the size of the labia minora to address both functional concerns and aesthetic appearance. Mr Matthew Potter undertook a fellowship in Australia specifically to train under one of the country’s leading labiaplasty surgeons, bringing those techniques back to the UK. He has not recorded a single complication across his series.
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Why Mr Potter

8 years performing labiaplasty

0% unplanned return to theatre

0% revision

0% wound dehiscence

0% wound infection requiring antibiotic treatment

Average post-operative stay: 1 night

Fellowship-trained technique from Australia’s leading labiaplasty surgeon

PHIN patient satisfaction score: 99%

PHIN is an independent government audit of consultant patient outcomes, randomly sampling post-operative patients. A 99% satisfaction score places Mr Potter among the highest-rated plastic surgeons in the country.

Our Technique

Excess labial tissue is removed and the wound closed using dissolving sutures that disperse naturally at two to three weeks. The resulting scars are hidden within the natural folds of the labia and are rarely visible. Mr Potter’s technique removes the excess whilst preserving sensation to the area throughout.

The procedure produces a neater, sculpted appearance that addresses both functional discomfort and aesthetic concerns.

Labiaplasty

Where the outer lips of the vagina (labia majora) are relatively thin, they can be increased in size using fat harvested by liposuction from another area — a technique called liposculpting. This is usually performed at the same time as the labiaplasty. Most patients prefer general anaesthetic for this combined procedure, though local anaesthetic is available.

Labiaplasty with liposculpting to the labia majora

Your Recovery

What to Expect

The area will swell after the procedure but pain is typically minimal and well controlled with oral pain relief for two to three days. There may be some initial spotting or oozing from the wound in the first 24 hours. The area is kept clean through daily showering and applying antibiotic ointment twice daily for one week.

Recovery Timeline

Days 1 – Shower encouraged; antibiotic ointment applied twice daily begins

Days 1–3 – Oral pain relief as needed

7 days – Wound review at original hospital

1 week – Return to normal daily activities

3–4 weeks – Review with Mr Potter

4 weeks – Return to strenuous exercise if all has healed well

6 weeks – Intercourse avoided until this point

Do's & Don'ts

  • Shower daily and apply antibiotic ointment to the area twice daily for one week
  • Wear loose-fitting underwear for the first few days; avoid tight underwear until the area has healed
  • Take oral pain relief for the first two to three days as needed
  • Avoid prolonged sitting in the first few days — this may be uncomfortable
  • Return to normal daily activities within one week
  • Avoid strenuous exercise for 4 weeks
  • Avoid intercourse for 6 weeks
  • Do not drive until you can safely perform an emergency manoeuvre

The Procedure

What Happens on the Day

The procedure can be performed under local anaesthetic, local anaesthetic with sedation, or general anaesthetic — Mr Potter will discuss the most appropriate option during consultation.

The operation takes approximately 90 minutes. All wounds are closed with dissolving sutures. There are no wound dressings to the area.
Most patients choose to stay one night in hospital, though the procedure can be performed as a day case. You will be asked to shower the morning after the procedure.
Mr Potter will discuss all risks with you in detail during your consultation.
Risks associated with labiaplasty include:
  • Swelling — expected; settles within a week in most cases; rarely may take longer
  • Spotting or oozing — normal in the first 24 hours; if the area becomes more painful or distended, contact the hospital for review
  • Scarring — scars are hidden within the natural folds of the labia; initially slightly puckered, settling to flat scars at approximately two months; abnormal lumpy or raised scarring is exceptionally rare
  • Pain — typically minimal; managed with oral pain relief for two to three days
  • Infection or wound breakdown — 0% wound infection requiring antibiotic treatment in Mr Potter’s data; antibiotic ointment applied twice daily for one week to minimise this risk
  • Bleeding / haematoma — rare; some spotting in the first 24 hours is normal
  • Asymmetry
  • Over / under resection — Mr Potter errs toward under-resection; more straightforwardly corrected than over-resection
  • DVT / pulmonary embolus — specialist stockings and blood-thinning injections are provided during your stay
  • Further procedures — where any adjustments are needed, Mr Potter and his hospital teams are happy to facilitate further surgery

What Patients Say

After my final appointment with Mr Potter last week, I just wanted to send an email of thanks. It isn’t my first procedure with Mr Potter and I’m sure it wont be my last. I’ve had both a labiaplasty and pinnerplasty under him. At every stage throughout I’m constantly in awe of how he conducts himself. Not only is he so knowledgeable, he’s so relatable with it, which is few and far between with many surgeons. Mr Potter is able to build a great rapport throughout every appointment and this continued into surgery. My surgery was under local, and I was amazed to see how he conducts himself during surgery, not only with me as a patient but also with his theatre staff. It was a true testimony to who he is that I felt no hierarchy throughout the surgery, Mr Potter respected each and everyone of his staff in that theatre room and although colleagues, it felt like they were friends, too. Although a fantastic surgeon, and a wealth of knowledge, Mr Potter has stayed humble and this is such a fantastic attribute to have. Thank you so much for the great results Mr Potter. Amy
I had Labiaplasty 2 weeks ago and am very very pleased with the results. My whole surgery experience from the initial consultation to the sign off two weeks after surgery could not have been better. Dr Potter was very understanding and gave me confidence to discuss my issue which was great as I had been too scared to talk about it previously. Mr Potter explains the procedure to me in detail and I had the opportunity to view before and after pictures of his work and I decided to go ahead with surgery and no longer felt embarrassed of my body. On the day of surgery Dr Potter and his team were brilliant and I was very excited to be having the operation. The operation went smoothly and I was home within 4 hours and have had no pain at all, even straight after surgery. I absolutely love the results and have my confidence back and owe that to Dr Potter and his team. I would not hesitate to contact Dr Potter about any future surgery, cosmetic or plastic as he was very honest and understanding from the get go. He gave me the opportunity to ask questions about other surgery and cosmetic procedures I had been thinking about and was very honest when I asked should I have any of these procedures. Many thanks to all. A very happy patient.
I had a labiaplasty by Mr Potter eighteen months ago now. I was really nervous at first but he put me at ease straight away. I’m so so happy with the results and a lot more confident, so thank you! A great guy and a fantastic Surgeon, can’t recommend enough.
Matt Potter, you have totally changed my life and I can’t thank you enough!
After my final appointment with Mr Potter last week, I just wanted to send an email of thanks. It isn’t my first procedure with Mr Potter and I’m sure it wont be my last. I’ve had both a labiaplasty and pinnerplasty under him. At every stage throughout I’m constantly in awe of how he conducts himself. Not only is he so knowledgeable, he’s so relatable with it, which is few and far between with many surgeons. Mr Potter is able to build a great rapport throughout every appointment and this continued into surgery. My surgery was under local, and I was amazed to see how he conducts himself during surgery, not only with me as a patient but also with his theatre staff. It was a true testimony to who he is that I felt no hierarchy throughout the surgery, Mr Potter respected each and everyone of his staff in that theatre room and although colleagues, it felt like they were friends, too. Although a fantastic surgeon, and a wealth of knowledge, Mr Potter has stayed humble and this is such a fantastic attribute to have. Thank you so much for the great results Mr Potter.
John DoeCEO

Frequently Asked Questions

What is labiaplasty?

Labiaplasty is a surgical procedure that reduces the size of the labia minora — the inner lips of the vagina. It addresses both functional concerns (discomfort during exercise, clothing restriction) and aesthetic appearance. Mr Potter’s technique preserves sensation throughout.

Labiaplasty can be performed under local anaesthetic, local anaesthetic with sedation, or general anaesthetic. Mr Potter will discuss the most appropriate option for you during consultation.

Mr Potter’s technique is specifically designed to preserve sensation to the area throughout the procedure. He will discuss this in detail during consultation.

Scars are hidden within the natural folds of the labia and are rarely visible. They are initially slightly puckered, settling to flat at approximately two months.

Most patients return to normal daily activities within one week. Strenuous exercise can resume at four weeks if all has healed well. Intercourse should be avoided for six weeks. Mr Potter reviews you at seven days and at three to four weeks.

Yes — where the labia majora are also a concern, liposculpting can be performed at the same time to add volume using the patient’s own fat. Mr Potter will discuss whether this is appropriate for you during consultation.

At the Manor Hospital in Oxford, Ridgeway Hospital in Swindon, Stratum Clinic in Wootton Oxfordshire, ProDerm in Cheltenham, and Interface Business Park in Royal Wootton Bassett.

Book a Consultation

Contact us if you have any health concerns or are looking to get a consultation. You can contact Matthew Potter by using the form below or contact him through one of the available telephone numbers or email addresses listed on this page.

Private Secretary & All Correspondence

T. 07917 965717

Swindon - Ridgeway Hospital

T. 01793 814848

Cheltenham - ProDerm, Festival House

T. 0800 0489230

Oxfordshire - Stratum Clinic,
Wootton Business Park

T. 01865 320790

Wiltshire - Interface Business Park, Royal Wootton Bassett

T: 0808 2803560

Oxford - The Manor Hospital

T. 01865 307777

Contact Lissie on 07917 965717 or use the form below.