Labia Majora · Treatment
Labia Augmentation in Seoul: Restoring Volume to Deflated Outer Labia
Labia augmentation restores volume to labia majora that have become thin, flat or deflated, using either your own fat (fat transfer) or an injectable filler. At Somssi Women's Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, Dr. Yoon chooses the method based on how much volume is missing and whether loose skin also needs to be removed. Fat transfer is a minor surgical procedure done under sedation or local anesthesia with same-day discharge; filler is an office injection.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Yoon Ho-joo, MD, PhD, OB/GYN specialist, Somssi Women's Clinic · Last updated October 2026
At a glance
Key facts
The essentials, based on how Somssi Women's Clinic performs this procedure or answers this question. Your plan is confirmed at consultation.
- Methods: autologous fat transfer, filler, or plasma-based (PRP-type) injection
- Anesthesia: sedation plus local for fat transfer; local or topical for filler
- Hospital stay: none; same-day discharge
- Who it suits: thin, flat or deflated outer labia; pain from lack of cushioning
- Often combined with: labia majora reduction when skin is also loose
- Intercourse: after about 4 weeks following fat transfer; sooner after filler, as advised
- Performed by: Dr. Yoon Ho-joo, MD, PhD, OB/GYN specialist
Labia augmentation at a glance
Restores volume to thin, flat or deflated outer labia with your own fat or a filler.
- labia augmentation
- labia majora filler
- fat transfer labia
- deflated labia Korea
- outer labia volume
- labia plumping Seoul
- Fat, filler or plasmaMethod
- Sedation + localAnesthesia (fat)
- Same dayDischarge
- About 4 weeksIntercourse after fat
- Assess volumeHow much is missing and why.
- Choose the methodFat for lasting volume, filler for mild loss.
- Place evenlySmall amounts, layered.
- Combine if neededWith reduction when skin is loose.
Illustration: Somssi Women's Clinic, Seoul. Schematic, not to scale; your plan is set by Dr. Yoon Ho-joo after examination.
What is labia augmentation?
Labia augmentation is a procedure that adds volume to the labia majora, the outer folds of the vulva, when they have lost their natural fullness. The labia majora contain a cushion of fat under the skin. When that fat shrinks with age, menopause, weight loss or after childbirth, the folds look flat and wrinkled, the skin can hang, and the vulva loses its protective padding.
Somssi Women's Clinic is a surgical gynecology clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, founded in 2000 and led by Dr. Yoon Ho-joo, MD, PhD. The clinic describes labia majora treatment as restoring a natural, plump appearance to outer labia that have sagged or lost shape. Augmentation is the volume-restoring half of that work; labia majora reduction is the skin-removing half.
Augmentation is sometimes called labia majora filling, labial fat grafting or labial rejuvenation. Whatever the name, the principle is the same: replace lost volume so the skin is supported from underneath.
Who is a good candidate?
Labia augmentation suits women who notice:
- Thin, flat or deflated outer labia, often described as looking "empty" or "hollow"
- Fine wrinkling of the labial skin that is caused by lost volume rather than by excess skin
- Labia minora that appear more prominent because the outer labia no longer cover them
- Discomfort or pain during intercourse because there is little cushioning over the pubic bone and vulva
- Dryness, friction and irritation of thin labial skin, especially after menopause
- Asymmetry where one side is fuller than the other
Women in their late 50s who develop pain from flat labia are a common group at the clinic, as are younger women after major weight loss. You should be in good general health, at a stable weight and not pregnant. If your main problem is loose, hanging skin, augmentation alone will not lift it, and reduction may be the better route. The guide Labia Majora Reduction vs Augmentation: Which Do I Need? walks through this decision.
How Somssi performs labia augmentation
Choosing the material
The clinic offers three ways to restore volume and elasticity to the labia majora: grafting your own fat, injecting a filler, or a plasma-based injection used to improve skin quality. Dr. Yoon recommends one based on how much volume is missing, your skin quality, your preference for a permanent or temporary result, and whether you want to avoid any non-autologous material.
Autologous fat transfer
For meaningful volume loss, fat transfer is usually the first choice. A small amount of fat is harvested from the lower abdomen or inner thigh with a fine cannula, purified, and injected in thin layers into each labium majus. Because it is your own tissue, there is no foreign material, and the portion of fat that establishes a blood supply is long-lasting.
Filler
For smaller corrections, or for women who want to try a reversible result first, a filler can be injected directly into the labia majora in an office visit. The clinic uses this approach for the outer labia only; it is not the same as filler injected into the vaginal canal, which the clinic's surgical pages treat with caution. Fillers are gradually absorbed and need repeating to maintain the result.
Combining with reduction
Many women have both deflated fat and stretched skin. In that case Dr. Yoon can remove a strip of excess skin and add volume in the same session, so the outer labia look full and smooth rather than simply smaller. How the excision is done is described in How Is Labia Majora Reduction Surgery Performed?
Anesthesia, duration and hospital stay
Fat transfer is performed under sedation ("sleep") anesthesia combined with a long-acting local anesthetic, or under local anesthesia alone if you prefer. Labia majora surgery at the clinic takes about one hour; when fat harvesting is added, allow a little extra time for the donor site. Filler injections are done under local or topical anesthesia and take well under an hour.
There is no hospital stay for either method. You are discharged the same day once you have urinated and feel steady, and you can shower that evening. Overseas patients do not need to return for suture removal because any sutures used are absorbable.
Recovery timeline
| When | What you can do |
|---|---|
| Day of procedure | Go home. Expect swelling and bruising at the labia and, after fat transfer, at the donor site. Use ice in short intervals and wear loose cotton underwear. |
| Days 1 to 3 | Light activity and work from home. Take the prescribed medication. Avoid pressing or massaging the labia so the grafted fat is not displaced. |
| Week 1 | Most swelling eases. Return to office work. Avoid cycling, horse riding, squats and tight clothing. |
| Weeks 2 to 3 | Bruising fades. Healing is largely complete at about three weeks after surgery. Gentle exercise such as walking. |
| Week 4 | Intercourse can usually resume after fat transfer. After filler alone, Dr. Yoon will advise, often sooner. |
| Months 3 to 6 | Transferred fat has settled and the surviving volume is what you will keep. Any touch-up is planned after this point. |
Results and what to expect
Immediately after fat transfer the labia look fuller than the final result, because some of the volume is swelling and some of the grafted fat will not survive. Over about three months the volume settles; the fat that remains behaves like normal fat and can last for years. Some women choose a second session to build volume gradually, which is safer than over-filling at once.
Filler gives an immediate result with little downtime, but it is temporary and is absorbed over months. Results vary with the material, your metabolism and the amount injected. Neither method tightens hanging skin, which is why the consultation looks at skin and volume separately.
Risks and how we reduce them
- Swelling, bruising and tenderness at the labia and donor site
- Infection, which is treated promptly with antibiotics
- Uneven volume or asymmetry, sometimes needing a touch-up
- Partial loss of grafted fat, so the final volume can be less than expected
- Oil cysts or small firm lumps where fat does not take, or filler nodules
- Over-filling, which can look bulky or feel heavy
- Filler migration or inflammatory reaction, including delayed reactions months later
- Temporary numbness of the skin
- Reactions to anesthesia
We reduce these risks by injecting fat in small, layered amounts rather than one large bolus, by using fine cannulas, by keeping the labia majora as the only injection site, and by scheduling a review before any second session. If you have had filler elsewhere and are unhappy with lumps or hardness, the clinic also offers filler removal. Honest expectation-setting about fat survival is part of every consultation.
Why international patients choose Somssi
- English-language consultation and real-time translated consultation
- Registered by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare as an institution for foreign patients (2011); Seoul Medical Tourism cooperation clinic (2016)
- One surgeon, Dr. Yoon, who has operated in Gangnam since 2000 and has published in international journals on female sexual function
- Same-day discharge, absorbable sutures and follow-up by photo and message from abroad
- Clinic 100 meters from Gangnam Station Exit 1
- Nursing team made up entirely of registered nurses
Read how a visit works on our international patients page, or contact us to arrange a consultation and written estimate.
Private consultation
Talk it through with Dr. Yoon's team
English-speaking coordinators, a written treatment plan and a clear quote after your consultation. Same-day discharge for most procedures.
Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat 09:30–18:00 (KST). Closed Thu, Sun and holidays. 7F Sangkyung Building, 120 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
Dr. Yoon Ho-joo, MD, PhD
OB/GYN specialist, Catholic University of Korea. Founder of Somssi Women's Clinic (2000). Published on female sexual function after reconstructive vaginal surgery; speaker at ESSM, ISSWSH, WAS and SMSNA.
Questions patients ask
Frequently asked questions
Short, honest answers. For anything personal, a consultation is the right place to ask.
Is fat transfer or filler better for labia augmentation?
Fat transfer is better for larger volume loss and for women who want a long-lasting result without foreign material; the trade-off is a short surgical procedure, a donor site and some unpredictability in how much fat survives. Filler is quicker and reversible but temporary and needs repeating. Dr. Yoon will recommend one after examining how much volume you have lost and how your skin behaves.
How long does labia augmentation last?
Fat that survives the first three months usually lasts for years, although it responds to weight change like any other fat. Fillers are absorbed gradually, with duration depending on the product and your metabolism, and need maintenance sessions. No method stops the natural aging of the vulva, so some women return for a small top-up years later.
Will the labia feel natural afterwards?
Transferred fat is your own tissue, so once settled it feels like the natural fat pad. Fillers can feel slightly firmer at first and then soften. Lumps are uncommon when the material is placed in thin layers, but they can occur with either method and are discussed at consultation.
Can labia augmentation help pain during intercourse?
If the pain comes from thin, flat labia that no longer cushion the pubic bone and vulva, restoring volume can make intercourse more comfortable. The clinic sees this especially in women after menopause. Pain with other causes, such as vaginal dryness or narrowing, needs a different approach, which is why a full gynecological assessment is part of the first visit.
Where is the fat taken from?
Usually from the lower abdomen or inner thigh, through a tiny incision with a fine cannula. Only a small amount is needed, so this is not body-contouring liposuction, although many women are pleased with the minor slimming effect. The donor site is bruised and tender for one to two weeks.
Can I combine augmentation with labia majora reduction?
Yes, and this combination is common. Loose skin is removed and volume is added in a single session so the outer labia look both smooth and full. Recovery is the same as for reduction alone: healing in about three weeks, intercourse after about four weeks.
Keep reading
Related treatments and guides
- Labia Majora Reduction vs Augmentation: Which Do I Need? — the decision guide for skin versus volume
- Can Labia Majora Reduction Help After Weight Loss, Aging or Childbirth? — why volume is lost in the first place
- How Much Does Labia Majora Reduction Cost in Korea? — how quotes are built for labia majora procedures
- Labia Majora Reduction in Korea for Foreigners: Complete Guide — travel planning
- Vaginal Fat Transfer — the fat-grafting technique in detail
- Labia Majora Reduction — the sister procedure for excess skin
- International patients — how overseas visits and follow-up work
Sources and medical review
- Yoon HJ. Perineal plastic surgery (colpoperineoplasty) and female sexual function. Korean Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2005;48(6).
- US Food and Drug Administration, safety communications on dermal fillers and unapproved injection sites.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), guidance on elective female genital cosmetic surgery.
Next step
A consultation first. A decision only when you are ready.
Tell us what you are experiencing and what you hope to change. Dr. Yoon examines, measures and explains the options, including when no surgery is the right answer. International patients can start with an online consultation before travelling to Seoul.
