Another option is fat grafting. This involves a doctor using liposuction to extract the patient’s fat from the transplant site (usually the stomach, buttocks, or thighs), purify it, and then inject it into the outer labia. Although this surgery is more expensive (starting at about $5,000), it lasts longer, as the fat that survives the transplant remains for up to 10 years. Dr. Milhouse does not perform fat grafting to the labia majora, primarily because he believes the results are less predictable. “With HA fillers, what you see is what you get,” she says. “When you transfer fat, it looks very voluminous at first, but more than a third of that fat probably won’t stay in the long-term.” (Doctors usually take into account fat cells that don’t survive. In addition, we do not know exactly how and where the remaining fat will settle.
What are the risks of getting labia puffs?
Speaking of unpredictability, some women inject themselves with fillers for something called a DIY labia puff. In an email to one of the women, who asked to remain anonymous, she said she was a medical professional and did the puffing herself because her labia majora looked “deflated” and she couldn’t afford to do it in the office. .
To be clear, Allure does not recommend trying this at home. Experts caution against DIY purchases of any type of injectable cosmetics, especially those who buy supplies online, because they don’t know if the product they’re using is authentic or labeled correctly. emphasizes that it is extremely dangerous. In addition, genitals are always at risk, no matter who performs the surgery, even a doctor. Therefore, experts recommend having the surgery performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon, gynecologist, or urologist. “With all due respect, dermatologists are great, but they don’t perform surgery on this area of the body,” says Dr. Milhouse. The risk of colliding with a blood vessel and damaging tissue is very low, and in that case, surgery on the labia, where skin surgery is not possible, would be required. “In the worst-case scenario, if something goes wrong, you want to get it into the hands of someone who understands this anatomy, has surgical experience, and can solve the problem.”
With puffs using HA fillers, there is little downtime and the risk of side effects is low, says Dr. Rajagopal. Patients may experience some swelling and some bruising for the first week after the procedure, but once the tenderness subsides (usually within a week, sometimes within two days), they may resume sexual activity or have waxing or You can also undergo laser hair removal. Other complications such as infection and necrosis (when the filler cuts off the blood supply and causes tissue to die) are rare but always possible with indicated use of fillers. Renuba injections have similar side effects and risks as HA fillers.
“If we all had more hair, none of this would have happened.”
Fat grafting is a two-step surgical procedure and requires local anesthesia. This means there are additional risks, including anesthesia complications such as allergic reactions. There is also the possibility of scarring, fluid accumulation, or fat embolism (fat is accidentally injected into the bloodstream and can cause blockage or damage to the lungs). But overall, it is a minimally invasive procedure and patients are back to normal within one to two weeks.
Why are labia puffs becoming more popular?
Experts believe there’s one main reason people get fillers there. According to a 2016 survey of 3,316 people, 84% of American women said they regularly groomed their pubic hair, and 62% said they had removed all their pubic hair at least once. Many women can clearly see their labia and begin to judge it against the beauty standards of the day. “If we all had more hair, this wouldn’t be happening,” says Dr. Milhouse. “The truth is, this whole field of vulvar cosmetic enhancement, including labiaplasty, is probably not all that popular.”
