Are you considering vaginoplasty? If so, it’s important to be aware that, as with any other type of surgery, what you do during your recovery period is just as crucial to the outcome as the procedure itself.
This blog post will outline the postoperative care guidelines for vaginoplasty patients to help you get a good starting point for your discussion with your OB/GYN.
Follow-Up Appointments After Vaginoplasty
Your postoperative care will include seeing your doctor for follow-up appointments once or twice a week for the first four weeks. Follow-up checkups allow your doctor to track your recovery and check for signs of complications. Make sure to never skip any of your visits.
During your first appointment, the vaginal packing that your doctor inserted during surgery will be removed. After this, you will be advised to clean your genital area daily for at least two weeks. Your labial sutures will also be removed.
Hygiene
Once your vaginal packing is removed, your surgeon will advise that you do the following:
- Keep your genital area dry.
- Gently rinse your genital and rectal area after urination or bowel movement. Pat dry after.
- Mix ½ water and ½ hydrogen peroxide to cleanse exterior suture lines twice daily. Pat dry.
- On day ten, douche with water or Massengill. Do this 1-2 times a week thereafter.
- Wash your hands prior to and after touching your genitalia.
- Wipe the genital area from front to back to avoid contamination of the vagina with bacteria from the anal region.
- Wear loose clothes to minimize friction.
- Shower daily. Pat your incision site dry after you shower.
Vaginal Dilation
You will receive a vaginal dilator and the necessary instructions on how to use it. Once vaginal packing is removed, start dilating your vagina right away.
Vaginal dilation is crucial for your recovery and keeping your vaginal canal open. Instructions to dilate your vagina can include the following:
- Cleaning your dilator with soap and water, drying it, and applying vaginal lubricant onto it;
- Gently inserting the dilator into the full depth of your vagina and making sure to insert it at 45 degrees;
- Leaving dilator in the vagina for 10 to 30 minutes or as instructed;
- Cleaning your vaginal canal with soap and water.
Activity Restriction
To help ensure your safety as you recover, your care team will also likely recommend that you avoid doing the following:
- Sexual intercourse and swimming for at least one month following the surgery;
- Prolonged sitting or standing, as it may aggravate labial swelling, which often lasts for six weeks post-op;
- Taking a bath for three weeks following surgery.
When to Contact Your Doctor
You may notice blood in your urine or intermittent bleeding for the first three months after surgery. This is part of the healing process and is temporary.
However, you should immediately contact your doctor if you experience the following
- Fever over 101° F
- Inability to void after catheter removal
- Foul-smelling drainage from the incision site with a foul smell
Vaginoplasty in Bal Harbor, FL
At Levin’s Women’s Health & Wellness Center, our board-certified OB/GYNs have performed countless vaginoplasties and other vaginal rejuvenation procedures with great success over the course of their career. You can rely on our providers to guide you every step of the way – from your initial consultation right through your recovery – while ensuring your optimal safety and comfort.
Set up an appointment with one of our vaginoplasty experts today! Contact (305) 981-0231 or use our appointment request form.