I had a labiaplasty at age 19 although it was first discussed when I was a child apparently - I remember the doctor telling my mother I had labia elongation and would need surgery to correct it , as it wasn’t normal .
I didn’t know they were doing a hood reduction until I woke up with a hell of a lot of skin chopped off . I didn’t get any pain relief , I was told I’d be fine on two paracetomal . I had 35 stitches . Sent home unable to walk for a week .
I was told it had to be done for medical reasons, I was in chronic pain before because far too much skin there . The nhs funded it but they didn’t give a shit before or after the surgery how I felt or if I was coping. In fact there was no consultant follow up . GP and nurse whipped the stitches out after three weeks and that was it . Nobody had five minutes to ask me if I felt alright with things .
Got diagnosed with post traumatic stress about seven years later and the NHS apologised profusely .
However even now if I need a smear I get the whole - ‘oh, what’s wrong with your vulva? Oh did you feel ugly then? Is that why you had it done?’
Still have scarring to my labia, it’s no longer painful but there’s lumps and it’s obvious it’s been ‘altered’ . It doesn’t look normal at all . Nothing about the whole process has been pleasant at all, consultant gynaecologist said to me a couple of years ago I will never get over it , will just gradually learn to live with it ...