You are considering a labiaplasty for intimate discomfort and wondering who to consult. The surgical procedure is codified — the French CCAM code is JMMA005 — but the quality of the consultation, the examination, and how the operation fits into your overall gynaecological care pathway are not the same. Here is what actually changes when you see a gynaecological surgeon.
These symptoms are common and a straightforward day-surgery procedure exists. A gynaecological consultation lets you discuss them in a medical setting, without judgement.
Many women hesitate for a long time before seeking advice for labia minora hypertrophy. Often out of modesty, sometimes because they assume their discomfort is "not serious enough" to justify a medical consultation, or because they fear being judged for what may feel like an aesthetic request.
In reality, the vast majority of women seen in gynaecology for this reason consult for a concrete functional discomfort: chafing in underwear, labia catching, visible shape between the thighs, pinching during intercourse, recurrent infections, marked asymmetry. None of these symptoms is trivial.
This article explains what characterises a consultation with a gynaecological surgeon for a labiaplasty: a complete vulvovaginal examination, screening for any associated conditions, and integration of the procedure into your usual gynaecological follow-up.
Dedicated gynaecology consultation · Paris 8th & Clinique Hartmann Neuilly
In a gynaecology consultation, the reasons patients describe are concrete and recur regularly. None of them is trivial. None is shameful. And all of them can legitimately prompt a surgical consultation.
Uncomfortable sensation in underwear, tight clothing or fitted trousers on a daily basis.
Recurrent discomfort when dressing, uncomfortable folding of the labia minora in underwear.
Visible outline under leggings, swimwear or fitted clothing, a source of real psychological discomfort.
Pulling or folding of the labia minora causing pain or discomfort during intercourse.
Cycling, horse riding, running, fitness: the labia chafe and become painful after exercise.
One labium noticeably longer than the other, a source of psychological and functional discomfort.
Vulvar or urinary infections favoured by moisture and skin folds.
Folding of the labia minora makes daily washing more complex.
Women who see a gynaecological surgeon for a labiaplasty do not always recognise themselves in the classic "aesthetic" approach. Their journey is often different.
A gradual functional discomfort, sometimes long-standing, sometimes appearing after childbirth or over the years. A long period of silent self-questioning, without speaking to those around them.
A search for a medical, gynaecological framework, in continuity with the follow-up they already know. A referral from their community gynaecologist, their GP, or quiet word-of-mouth.
The wish to be seen in a consultation where intimate matters are a daily routine for the practitioner. The reason is not "I would like to look prettier" — the reason is "I have discomfort, I want to understand, I want to know whether a surgical solution exists for me".
A consultation with a gynaecological surgeon for a labiaplasty follows the usual format of a gynaecology consultation — structured and reassuring.
You describe the discomfort you experience, how long it has been present, and how it affects your daily, sporting and sexual life. No question is intrusive, no judgement is made. The aim is to understand your experience and establish the medical context.
The examination is not limited to the labia minora. It covers the entire vulvovaginal area: assessment of asymmetry, labia minora length, screening for any associated conditions (lichen sclerosus, dermatoses, HPV lesions), check for infection.
If your cervical screening is not up to date, a cervical sample (pap smear) can be performed during the same consultation, as part of your usual gynaecological follow-up.
Explanation of the surgical technique, the recovery, the risks (uncommon but real), and the expected result. Every question gets an answer. For complete technical details, see the full labiaplasty page.
No pressure. If you wish to think it over, you leave with all the information and a personalised quote. If you decide to proceed, the operating date is arranged with the secretariat.
Labiaplasty is a well-codified surgical procedure that is technically identical: the same CCAM code JMMA005, the same sutures, the same recovery.
What characterises the gynaecological surgeon is the approach: a complete examination of the vulvovaginal area, integration of the labiaplasty into the usual gynaecological follow-up (cervical screening, contraception, menopause, postpartum), and redirects the care pathway if the examination justifies it. This approach brings several concrete benefits.
Innervation of the labia minora, vascular supply, hormonal changes, transformations after childbirth or menopause: all elements that influence surgical planning.
A major aim of the surgery, better anticipated when you know the specific sensory nerve endings of the vulva and their physiological variations.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause: factors integrated into preoperative thinking, in order to anticipate the natural transformations of the vulva over time.
Lichen sclerosus, lichen planus, vulvar dermatosis or a suspicious lesion can be identified during examination and treated as a priority before any surgery.
A gynaecological consultation for labiaplasty can lead to several different conclusions — and all of them are legitimate. This range of possible conclusions is a marker of clinical quality. No serious surgeon operates as a matter of routine.
When the indication is clear, the discomfort real, and the decision taken without haste.
When the decision deserves time. A second consultation to confirm or redirect the plan is always possible.
When the examination reveals lichen sclerosus, a dermatosis or an infection: these conditions must be treated before any surgery.
Where the context suggests it, additional support (psychological or sexological) may be offered alongside or instead of surgery.
When the examination shows strictly physiological anatomy and the discomfort can be addressed differently.
For complete technical details (surgical techniques, detailed recovery, French reimbursement), see the full labiaplasty page. In summary.
French CCAM code JMMA005 — a single code covering all indications. French statutory health insurance reimbursement base: €46.48.
Short general anaesthesia is used systematically: you are asleep throughout, no intraoperative pain. Operating time: 25 minutes.
Day surgery at Clinique Hartmann, Neuilly-sur-Seine. Admission in the morning, discharge the same evening. No overnight stay.
Return to sedentary work at day 7 to 10 depending on comfort. Sport resumes at complete healing, around 6 to 8 weeks after the operation. Sexual intercourse at 6 weeks, depending on healing observed at the postoperative consultation.
Dr Zeitoun practises in secteur 2 non-OPTAM (French private fees). A personalised quote is always provided at the consultation. No statutory reflection period applies to this procedure; personal reflection is nonetheless always encouraged.
No. You can book directly, without a referral letter. If your GP or community gynaecologist wishes to write a referral, it is welcome but not required.
Yes — this is even recommended. The first consultation exists precisely to take stock, understand your discomfort, examine you and provide you with full information. The decision is made afterwards, at your own pace.
The consultation includes a full gynaecological examination, cervical screening if needed, identification of associated conditions (lichen sclerosus, dermatosis, HPV lesion), and integrates the labiaplasty into the continuity of your usual gynaecological follow-up (contraception, menopause, postpartum care).
Yes. No one can measure your discomfort for you. Discomfort that others consider moderate can significantly affect your quality of life. What matters is your own experience. There is no metric threshold or objective criterion required to seek a consultation.
Yes, and this is a mark of clinical seriousness. If the examination reveals an associated condition that should be treated first (lichen sclerosus, dermatosis, infection), or if the discomfort described can be improved otherwise, surgery is postponed or redirected. No serious surgeon operates as a matter of routine.
The French CCAM code for labia minora reduction surgery is JMMA005. This single code covers all indications. The French statutory health insurance reimbursement base is €46.48. Dr Zeitoun practises in secteur 2 non-OPTAM (private fees); a personalised quote is provided at the consultation.
The operation lasts around 25 minutes under general anaesthesia. Hospital stay is day surgery only: admission in the morning, discharge the same evening. Return to sedentary work at day 7 to 10, sport at complete healing (6 to 8 weeks). No statutory reflection period applies in France for this procedure.
Yes. A second consultation to reassess the situation, ask additional questions or simply confirm your decision is entirely possible. Rushing is never advisable for intimate surgery.
This article draws on the guidelines of the ACOG, the CNGOF and the SCGP, as well as the leading scientific literature on intimate surgery.
This article is for information only and does not replace an individual medical consultation.
Dr Jérémie Zeitoun consults at the practice in the 8th arrondissement of Paris and at Clinique Hartmann in Neuilly-sur-Seine. Examination, listening, explanations and a personalised quote — everything is set out without pressure.