What Is A Clitoral Hood Reduction?

You might be familiar with labiaplasty – sometimes referred to as a “barbie vagina” or a designer vagina – but what is a “labiaplasty with a clitoral hood reduction”? It’s exactly as it sounds: a clitoral hood reduction is performed in tandem with a labiaplasty, and involves reducing the skin where the clitoral hood meets the labia. Clitoral hood reduction is also referred to as a hoodectomy or clitoral unhooding, and creates a more natural look than if the labial tissue was reduced but the clitoral hood was left alone. 

There are a lot of reasons why someone might opt to have a labiaplasty and a clitoral hood reduction, including both comfort and appearance. Women with an enlarged labia (see our blog on innie vs outie vaginas) may have difficulty finding bathing suit bottoms that provide adequate coverage, or they may be reluctant to wear tight pants that irritate their labia. This can not only cause women to feel insecure, but also uncomfortable – an enlarged labia means more friction and more discomfort. Worse, an enlarged labia and clitoral hood can detract from your sex life by making it harder to feel clitoral stimulation.

Whatever your reason for seeking out labiaplasty, we’re here to help: Dr. Shashoua is a board-certified urogynecologist who performs hundreds of labiaplasties and clitoral hood reductions every year. As a urogynecologist, Dr. Shashoua has an in-depth understanding of vaginal and vulvar anatomy that sets him apart from plastic surgeons who may offer labiaplasty but typically specialize in other procedures. 

All this to say: You’re in good hands with our team. In fact, it’s why so many women choose to travel to Austin, Texas for their labiaplasty. San Antonio, Dallas Fort-Worth, Houston – we regularly see labiaplasty patients from all over Texas (and beyond) for a “va-jay-cay”! Because we have so many out-of-town patients, we’re pleased to offer virtual consultations beforehand. The process is simple: patients upload photos to a secure patient portal ahead of time, and then we review them during your virtual appointment. 

The actual procedure itself is fairly simple and performed within our offices to help keep costs down. You’re given medications to help manage pain and anxiety, as well as a topical gel to numb the area. We’ll also provide you with a patient-controlled inhaled analgesic that you can use throughout the procedure – you’ll want to make sure you have someone who can drive you home afterwards since you’ll be drowsy!  

While a trimming technique is used to minimize the linear portion of the labia, a wedge technique is used to reduce the clitoral hood. Depending on whether or not the clitoris is drooping or bulging, a clitoropexy can also be performed to reduce any bulge. Once the procedure is done, we suggest taking a week off of work to allow your body to recover. We also encourage you to avoid any sexual intercourse or activities that might strain your sutures for ~6 weeks after your procedure. Patients will have a follow-up appointment in which we’ll review how you’re healing, and make sure everything looks right. 

If you’re considering getting a labiaplasty and clitoral hood reduction, feel free to reach out to our team with any questions you have. You can also check out “before and after” labiaplasty photos from previous patients in order to get a better sense of what to expect. No matter what, we’re ready when you are! Contact us today.