Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Labiaplasty is the surgical reshaping of the pudenda, the external female genitalia. This may seem an unthinkable procedure to some, but for many women, there are very good reasons to pursue the surgical correction of labia that cause many different forms of discomfort, leading to a significantly decreased quality of life.

First, many women with large labia, especially the labia minora, the thinner, interior lips, experience physical discomfort during many forms of physical activities. Because the lips are thin and sensitive, when they are so large that they escape the protection of the labia majora, they become vulnerable to many painful pressures and frictions. Pinching and chafing can occur during any number of the hundreds of things active women do every day. Sitting down at work, walking to the El, or aerobics at the gym can all become very painful activities. In addition, many types of clothing can be very uncomfortable for women with this condition.

Second, women with large labia can experience a great deal of psychological discomfort. These women have most likely experienced ridicule at the hands of men or other women, or, at the very least, have noticed the not-so-subtle stares of people noticing their "camel toes." Large labia majora and labia minora can be very difficult to conceal in certain types of clothing, greatly limiting wardrobe choices, and, in some seasons, giving women the poor choice between experiencing discomfort and missing out on favorite activities.

And the thought of disrobing in front of a new boyfriend or even husband can be stressful for these women. It is unfortunate that a woman's wedding, supposed to be one of the happiest days of her life, can be filled with worry about how her new husband might respond to the appearance of her labia. A woman with this shame might only undress in the dark or away from the eyes of her intimate partner, a concealment that can create tension in the relationship.

Women who do not suffer from enlarged labia might think the procedure crude, even obscene, but many women know all too well the daily discomfort and humiliation that the procedure can remedy.

If you are interested in learning more about labiaplasty, this website has a great deal of information, or you can contact Dr. Otto Placik today for a completely confidential consultation.

Humans are bilaterally symmetrical, meaning that, ideally, they should have matching parts on either side of the body. This symmetry is not only in the body, but in the mind, which is trained to look for and identify symmetries and asymmetries and make judgments about them. In terms of the human body, symmetries are generally considered attractive and normal, whereas asymmetries are considered unattractive and abnormal.

Unfortunately, breast asymmetry is common for both men and women. Normally, the asymmetry is small enough to escape notice, but often it can cause a man or woman serious insecurity about his or her appearance.

There are two main types of breast asymmetry: congenital and degenerative. Congenital breast asymmetry is the result of a birth or developmental condition, including:

• Birth defect
• Uneven development
• Uneven fat deposition
• Asymmetrical virginal hypertrophy
• Uneven gynecomastia or gynecomastia in only one breast for men

Degenerative breast asymmetry is the result of uneven degeneration of the breasts as a result of:

• Mastitis (breast infection)
• Uneven atrophy following pregnancy
• Fat necrosis (death)
• Uneven loss of fat in breasts due to exercise
• Uneven degeneration as a result of aging

Both types of breast asymmetry can be corrected surgically. Congenital breast asymmetry can normally be corrected with breast reduction, breast augmentation, or a combination of both, whereas it is more likely that degenerative asymmetry will be corrected with breast augmentation, with or without a breast lift.

To learn more about breast asymmetry correction, read our breast asymmetry page or contact Dr. Otto Placik today to set up a consultation.

As a college student you may have a very flexible schedule during the school year. Your classes are spaced out over the course of the week, and attendance policies range from allowing you a certain number of absences all the way to just showing up for quizzes and tests. This means that you can often get done many of the things you need to do without much trouble.

One thing that can be very difficult to work into your schedule, however, is cosmetic surgery, which requires some planning. Although the down time for most cosmetic surgery procedures, including breast augmentation is only a few days, many require additional periods of limited activity, and other procedures, such as rhinoplasty, have telltale signs that are visible for several weeks. When you are trying to correct your appearance, the last thing you want is for people to be talking about your surgery.

This makes the summer an ideal time for cosmetic surgery. Not only is your schedule freed up to allow you to take as long to heal up as you need, but with Dr. Placik's natural results, you can come back to school without anyone knowing you had surgery, unless you tell them.

If planning on cosmetic surgery for summer or Christmas break, plan at least a month in advance and allow adequate time for recovery.

If you hurry, there is still time to get your surgery done this summer, or you can make plans for Christmas break so you can show off the results over spring break. Contact Dr. Placik today for a consultation.