Is a plastic surgeon better than a gynecologist for labiaplasty?

A plastic surgeon who specializes in labiaplasty is the safer choice. Both can perform the operation, but a millimeter decides the result, and over-resection cannot be undone. Dr. Cat Begovic has performed more than 500 labiaplasties with her own technique, wrote the textbook chapter on aesthetic surgery of the female genitalia, and revises other surgeons' labiaplasties.

What type of anesthesia is used for labiaplasty?

General anesthesia. Dr. Cat performs labiaplasty under general anesthesia with a board-certified physician anesthesiologist in her QUAD A accredited surgery center on Rodeo Drive, with a numbing solution applied as well, so patients feel nothing during the surgery and wake up when it is finished.

How long does labiaplasty take?

Labiaplasty with Dr. Cat takes about two and a half to four and a half hours, depending on complexity. The time depends on the anatomy, whether the clitoral hood or both labia are treated, and the fine layered closure under 3.5X magnification operating lenses that makes the scar nearly invisible. You go home the same day.

What is the recovery like after labiaplasty?

Most patients have swelling and minimal soreness for the first week, managed with Tylenol, antibiotic ointment and ice, and are back at a desk within a few days to a week. Restrictions on exercise, tampons and tight clothing last four weeks, intercourse waits six weeks, and the final result with nearly invisible scars shows at three to four months.

Can labiaplasty cause decreased sensation or injury to the clitoris?

When it is performed correctly, no. With the technique Dr. Cat developed, none of the incisions go near the clitoris or its dorsal nerve, and she confirms before surgery that none of the tissue being removed is sensitive. With Dr. Cat's technique, most patients report an improvement in sensation.

What should I avoid after labiaplasty surgery?

For four weeks after a labiaplasty, avoid tight clothing, tampons, swimming, hot tubs, exercise and crossing your legs. Intercourse waits six weeks, until Dr. Cat clears you at a follow-up visit.

When can I return to work after labiaplasty?

Most patients return to a desk job within a few days to a week after labiaplasty. Physical work, exercise and other strenuous activity wait about four weeks, and intercourse six weeks, until Dr. Cat clears you.

Does labiaplasty leave scars?

Labiaplasty scars with Dr. Cat are nearly invisible once healed. She places the incisions along the natural edge of the labia and closes them in fine layers under 3.5X magnification, so the line fades within about three to four months and is hard to find even on close inspection.

Will insurance cover labiaplasty?

Usually not. Insurance treats labiaplasty as an elective cosmetic procedure, so most plans do not cover it. Dr. Cat's office does not bill insurance, but can provide the paperwork to submit a claim yourself if your plan makes an exception. Financing through Cherry, CareCredit and Alphaeon Credit is available.

What is the difference between trim and wedge labiaplasty?

The trim technique removes the excess along the outer edge of the labia minora and closes the new edge; it removes darkened edges and allows a quicker recovery. The wedge technique removes a V-shaped section from the middle of the labium and sutures the edges together; it keeps the original border but cannot remove pigmented tissue, and its suture line can separate. Dr. Cat's technique uses the trim method as its basis.

Can labiaplasty be combined with a tummy tuck?

Not on the same day. Dr. Cat never performs a labiaplasty on the same day as a tummy tuck, because the tummy tuck garment chafes the healing labia and the swelling compounds. As part of a mommy makeover the two surgeries are staged on separate days, in the order Dr. Cat sets at the consultation.

Labiaplasty in Beverly Hills | Dr. Cat Begovic, MD, FACS

Q: How much does labiaplasty cost in Beverly Hills?

Dr. Cat Begovic's surgeon's fee for a labiaplasty is $17,500 to $20,500; the operating room and anesthesia are quoted at the consultation. A labiaplasty revision is $21,500 to $25,500 and a perineoplasty added to a labiaplasty $3,500, in surgeon's fees, and a clitoral hood reduction is usually quoted within the combined plan. The $500 consultation fee is credited toward surgery.

Labiaplasty in Beverly Hills

Labia minora reduction and reshaping by Dr. Cat Begovic, MD, FACS, board-certified plastic surgeon, trained in both head and neck surgery and plastic and reconstructive surgery, Harvard-educated and UCLA trained

Labiaplasty reduces and reshapes the labia minora, the inner lips, so they sit within the labia majora: no more pulling, chafing or discomfort in leggings, on a bicycle seat or during intercourse, and a symmetric, tucked-in appearance. Dr. Cat Begovic has performed more than 500 labiaplasties, authored the chapter on aesthetic surgery of the female genitalia in the International Textbook of Cosmetic Surgery, and performs every labiaplasty herself under 3.5X magnification operating lenses.

Dr. Cat's surgeon's fee for a labiaplasty is $17,500 to $20,500; the operating room and anesthesia are quoted at your consultation. The surgery takes two and a half to four and a half hours depending on complexity. With her special technique, patients have a quick recovery, walking a few hours after surgery and most only needing to take Tylenol and no prescription pain medication.

15-minute Patient Concierge call, no obligation. The consultation with Dr. Cat is $500, credited toward your surgery.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Cat Begovic, MD, FACS

Board-certified plastic surgeon, trained in both head and neck surgery and plastic and reconstructive surgery. Harvard-educated, UCLA trained. Updated October 3, 2026

Why women travel to Dr. Cat for labiaplasty

The technique she developed, and the details that make the scar disappear.

Her own techniqueBuilt on the trim method and refined for years: each labium reshaped in millimeters, the transition into the clitoral hood sculpted, precise layered suturing with dissolvable sutures so the edge looks untouched.

Under 3.5X magnificationSymmetry and an extremely secure closure, decided under 3.5X magnification operating lenses rather than while closing. Two and a half to four and a half hours for one patient, depending on complexity.

Nothing near the clitorisNone of her incisions go near the clitoris or its dorsal nerve, and with Dr. Cat's technique most patients report an improvement in sensation.

The textbook chapterDr. Cat authored the chapter on aesthetic surgery of the female genitalia in the International Textbook of Cosmetic Surgery and performed a labiaplasty on Dr. 90210.

What is labiaplasty?

Labiaplasty is surgery that reduces the labia minora so they no longer extend past the labia majora, removes darkened or irregular edges, and sculpts the transition into the clitoral hood so nothing looks operated on. The labia majora, the outer lips, can be reshaped in the same surgery when they are deflated or enlarged, and a vaginal rejuvenation treatment can be added for laxity. Read our guide to enlarged labia (labial hypertrophy) for what is normal, what causes it and when surgery helps.

What labiaplasty treats

Labia minora that hang below the labia majora, or one side longer than the other
Chafing, pulling, twisting and irritation in tight clothing, during exercise or on a bicycle seat
Discomfort or pain during intercourse from labia that pull or fold
Hygiene difficulties and recurrent irritation or infections
Changes after pregnancy and childbirth
A darkened, irregular or asymmetric edge, and self-consciousness about the appearance

Who is a good candidate for labiaplasty?

You may be a good candidate if

Your labia minora extend past the labia majora and get pinched, pulled or chafed by movement and clothing
One side is clearly longer or differently shaped than the other
You are in good general health and can stop smoking or vaping for at least two months before surgery
Your expectations are realistic: a symmetric, tucked-in edge that keeps the labia's function, not an absence of labia

Not yet, or a different plan, if

The complaint is laxity at the vaginal opening rather than the labia: a perineoplasty or vaginal rejuvenation may be the answer instead of, or with, a labiaplasty
A previous labiaplasty is the problem: that is a labiaplasty revision, a different operation
You are planning a tummy tuck on the same day: Dr. Cat never performs a labiaplasty on the same day as a tummy tuck, because the garment and the swelling would compromise the healing labia

How Dr. Cat does it

Clitoral hood reduction, perineoplasty and the labia majora

Reduce the labia alone and a heavy clitoral hood can suddenly look prominent, so when the balance calls for it Dr. Cat reshapes the hood in the same surgery, without touching the clitoris itself; on its own a clitoral hood reduction is a $2,000 to $6,000 surgeon's fee, and with a labiaplasty it is quoted within the combined plan. A perineoplasty repairs and tightens the perineum, the tissue between the vaginal opening and the anus, most often after childbirth: $3,500 in surgeon's fees when it is added to a labiaplasty, a $15,500 to $20,500 surgeon's fee on its own, with the operating room and anesthesia quoted at your consultation. Labia majora reshaping and non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation for laxity are set in your quote at the consultation.

Labiaplasty at Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery

The labiaplasty procedure, step by step

Your consultation

The consultation is private and conducted by Dr. Cat herself. As a female plastic surgeon who specializes in this operation, she knows the physical and psychological effects of labial irregularities, and her goal is a safe space for you to say exactly what bothers you. She examines the anatomy to establish which tissue is involved, the minora, the majora, the clitoral hood or a combination, and whether the two sides differ; you look at photographs of labiaplasty examples together to pin down what you like and dislike; and she tells you whether surgery would help at all. Risks are reviewed plainly, and you leave with an itemized written quote.

"Women should be able to embrace loving their vagina and caring for it like the rest of their body," Dr. Cat says. "Many patients have suffered for years with discomfort, afraid to talk about the subject. Women should feel comfortable discussing and loving all parts of their body."

Preparing for surgery

After your consultation, Dr. Cat's team gives you a set of pre-operative instructions: pre-operative clearance and lab tests, no smoking or vaping for at least two months, medications to avoid before and after surgery, a Hibiclens wash the night before, nothing to eat or drink the night before surgery, no makeup, skincare or jewelry on the day, and transportation to and from surgery with someone to stay with you the first night. Following them is what makes the recovery as easy as it is.

Surgery day

The plan is agreed at the consultation, reviewed at your pre-op appointment, and confirmed the morning of surgery with precise surgical markings, so you know exactly the size and shape of the labia before you go in. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia with a board-certified physician anesthesiologist in Dr. Cat's QUAD A accredited surgery center on Rodeo Drive, with a numbing solution applied as well, so you feel nothing. Over two and a half to four and a half hours, depending on complexity, she reduces and reshapes the labia minora, the labia majora or both under 3.5X magnification operating lenses, and the clitoral hood when it is part of the plan. No aftercare-facility night is needed: you go home the same day with someone to stay with you.

Labiaplasty recovery timeline

Dr. Cat's technique is the reason recovery is quick and comfortable; most patients need no more than Tylenol, antibiotic ointment and ice. Our labiaplasty recovery timeline covers it week by week.

The first weekSwelling and minimal soreness, managed with Tylenol, antibiotic ointment and ice. Shower carefully without scratching, rubbing or scrubbing the area. Most patients are back at a desk within a few days to a week, and at physical work at about four weeks.
Weeks two to fourNo tight clothing, tampons, swimming, hot tubs, crossing your legs or exercise. The dissolvable sutures come away on their own at about three and a half weeks, and the incision continues to fade and become less visible.
Six weeksIntercourse waits six weeks, until Dr. Cat clears you at a follow-up visit.
Three to four monthsThe tissues have settled, the scar line is nearly invisible even on close inspection, and you see the final result.

Risks and safety

In experienced hands a labiaplasty is a low-risk outpatient surgery, and Dr. Cat reviews the risks with every patient before surgery rather than after.

What can go wrong

Bleeding, a hematoma or an infection
Wound separation, most often where a suture lets go early; a tiny separation at the edge usually heals on its own
Changes in sensation, a recognized risk of any labial surgery
A scar that heals thick, tender or asymmetric
Over-resection, the most common complication in the field: tissue that was removed does not grow back
Under-correction, so tissue still hangs and chafes, or a clitoral hood left full over reduced labia

How Dr. Cat reduces these risks

Every step by Dr. Cat herself: her special technique with precise layered suturing, under 3.5X magnification, so the two sides match and the closure is extremely secure
Incisions that never approach the clitoris or its dorsal nerve; with Dr. Cat's technique most patients report an improvement in sensation
A plan agreed at the consultation, reviewed at the pre-op appointment, and confirmed the morning of surgery with precise surgical markings, so you know exactly the size and shape of the labia
General anesthesia with a physician anesthesiologist in an accredited facility
Detailed written aftercare instructions, follow-up visits, and a team available throughout your recovery. For patients who follow the post-op instructions, complications rarely occur

How much does labiaplasty cost in Beverly Hills?

Dr. Cat's surgeon's fee for a labiaplasty is $17,500 to $20,500. The operating room and the board-certified physician anesthesiologist are quoted at your consultation, once Dr. Cat has examined you and set the operating time your surgery needs: operating time varies with your anatomy and with the areas treated together, so it is set by her, not by a price list. Surgeon's fees are typical ranges: a more complex case can cost more, and your fee is set at your consultation and is final only in your written quote. A clitoral hood reduction added to a labiaplasty is quoted within the combined plan ($2,000 to $6,000 on its own), a perineoplasty added to a labiaplasty is $3,500, and a labiaplasty revision is $21,500 to $25,500, in surgeon's fees. The quote covers the surgeon's fee, the board-certified anesthesiologist, the accredited facility and your follow-up visits.

For context, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons puts the national average surgeon's fee for a labiaplasty at $3,919, a figure that leaves out anesthesia, the facility and follow-up and averages every surgeon in every market, from a gynecologist who performs a few a year under local anesthesia to a plastic surgeon who has spent her career refining one technique. Our labiaplasty cost guide explains what a quote is made of, what moves the price, and what a cheap labiaplasty can end up costing.

Consultation fee, insurance and financing

The consultation is $500, or $1,500 for a revision, credited in full toward your surgery; out-of-town patients can start by video. Insurance treats labiaplasty as an elective cosmetic procedure, so most plans do not cover it; Dr. Cat's office does not bill insurance but can provide the paperwork if your plan makes an exception. Financing through Cherry, CareCredit and Alphaeon Credit is available; see financing and payment plans.

Before and after labiaplasty images demonstrating reduced and aesthetically refined labia minora. — Before and after, an actual patient of Dr. Cat. Results vary.

Labiaplasty revision

Dr. Cat is sought after for labiaplasty revision, correcting other surgeons' results: asymmetry, a scalloped or sharp edge, a dog ear, a painful scar, a clitoral hood left full, or too much tissue removed. Scar tissue and less remaining tissue make it a harder operation, usually planned at least six months after the first surgery, once the swelling is gone and the scars have softened. Our page on a botched labiaplasty explains the signs, and when a result is simply still healing.

What patients say

"It took me a while to decide to have surgery because I wanted to go to the best plastic surgeon. I was contemplating and researching for a couple years. Dr. Cat has performed so many labiaplasties and uses her own technique, this was why I chose her as my plastic surgeon. During my consultation appointment, she explained the difference between her own technique and the wedge procedure. Instantly, I knew whose hands I wanted to be in. If you are unsure about the price, I would encourage you to look at her before and after labiaplasty photos. You will see what I am talking about."
Cambria C., verified Google review. Read more patient reviews.

A pioneer in labiaplasty

I am proud to say that I am one of the pioneers in the field of labiaplasty. I developed my very own special surgical technique that creates a natural-looking, symmetric, and tucked-in shape. When performed with meticulous attention to detail and my technique, there is a quick post-op recovery: most patients just take a Tylenol the first night.

Dr. Cat Begovic, MD, FACSBoard-certified plastic surgeon, Beverly Hills

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More than 500 labiaplasties, every one by Dr. Cat herself

Her own technique under 3.5X magnification operating lenses, nearly invisible scars, and a recovery most patients manage with Tylenol. It starts with a free 15-minute discovery call.