Labia Majora · Patient guide

Labia Majora Reduction in Korea for Foreigners: Complete Guide

Foreign patients can have labia majora reduction in Korea with a single trip: consultation and surgery can take place on the same or consecutive days, the procedure takes about an hour with same-day discharge, sutures dissolve on their own, and follow-up is done by photo and message from home. Somssi Women's Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, has been registered for foreign patients since 2011 and consults in English.

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.

• Language: consultation in English; real-time translated consultation available
• Registration: Ministry of Health and Welfare institution for foreign patients (2011); Seoul Medical Tourism cooperation clinic (2016)
• Procedure time: about 1 hour; sedation or local anesthesia
• Hospital stay: none; same-day discharge
• Sutures: absorbable, no removal visit
• Follow-up: by photo and message after you return home
• Location: 100 m from Gangnam Station Exit 1, Seoul

Yes, you can have labia majora reduction in Korea as a foreign patient in one short trip. The surgery takes about an hour, you go home the same day, the stitches dissolve, and your follow-up can be handled from abroad. This guide walks through each stage, from first contact to flying home, so you can plan with confidence.

Why women travel to Korea for this surgery

Korea has a deep bench of surgeons in cosmetic and reconstructive gynecology, and Seoul is easy to reach from most of Asia, Australia and North America. Specialist surgery here is often lower in cost than comparable care in the US, UK or Australia, although the clinic publishes no prices and every quote is individual.

Somssi Women's Clinic is a surgical gynecology clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, founded in 2000 and led by Dr. Yoon Ho-joo, MD, PhD. It was registered by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare as an institution for foreign patients in 2011 and selected as a Seoul Medical Tourism cooperation clinic in 2016. The clinic has received international patients for many years, including visitors from China and South America, and its nursing staff are all registered nurses.

Step 1: Contact and pre-consultation from home

Start through the contact page, email or KakaoTalk. Describe your concern in your own words: sagging, wrinkling, darkened skin, asymmetry, chafing, or pain from thin labia. Say whether you also have concerns about the labia minora or the vagina, because combining procedures in one trip is common and changes the plan.

You will be asked about your medical history, medications, allergies, previous genital surgery, pregnancies and weight history. If you are comfortable doing so, photographs can be sent securely so Dr. Yoon can give a preliminary opinion on whether you need reduction, volume restoration, or both. A firm plan and written estimate are only given after in-person examination.

Step 2: Planning the trip

• Timing. Avoid scheduling surgery during your period if you can. Plan surgery early in your stay so there is time for a wound check before you fly.
• Length of stay. Plan to remain in Seoul at least until Dr. Yoon has checked the incisions, typically within the first week. Healing takes about three weeks, but the later part can be managed at home.
• Accommodation. Stay within easy reach of Gangnam Station. The clinic is 100 meters from Exit 1, so a hotel on Line 2 or the Shinbundang Line keeps travel short in the first days.
• Companion. If you choose sedation, a companion to take you back to the hotel is helpful, although not strictly required because you walk out of the clinic.
• Documents. Bring your passport, a list of medications and any previous operation notes.

Step 3: Consultation in Seoul

At the clinic you meet Dr. Yoon for examination and discussion. He examines the labia majora standing and lying down, assesses skin elasticity and volume, and takes pre-operative photographs. Consultation is in English, with a real-time translated consultation also available for other languages. You receive a clear recommendation, an explanation of the risks, and a written estimate covering consultation, surgery, anesthesia and follow-up.

Because Somssi is a gynecology clinic, the consultation can include a general gynecological check. Women often use the visit to address related issues such as perineal scarring, labia minora enlargement or vaginal laxity, and the clinic will tell you honestly whether it is sensible to combine them. If you prefer, surgery can be scheduled for the same day after consultation; fasting for two hours beforehand is required if sedation is planned.

Step 4: Surgery day

Wear loose clothing and remove nail polish. The procedure takes about one hour under sedation combined with a long-acting local anesthetic, or under local alone if you prefer. A non-narcotic anti-inflammatory injection at the end of surgery eases the first hours. You rest, pass urine and are discharged the same day with written aftercare instructions, ointment and medication. You can shower that evening.

Step 5: The first week in Seoul

Expect swelling and soreness rather than severe pain. Use an ice pack in short intervals for the first three days, apply the clinic's ointment with a cotton swab about four times a day, wear loose cotton underwear and avoid friction. Gentle walking is encouraged; sightseeing on foot in moderation is fine after the first couple of days, but skip cycling, hiking and long periods sitting on hard seats. A wound check at the clinic before you leave confirms that everything is healing as it should.

Step 6: Flying home and follow-up from abroad

Because the sutures are absorbable, there is no stitch-removal appointment to return for. On the flight, keep the area clean and dry, walk the aisle periodically and avoid tight waistbands. At home, continue the aftercare routine. The clinic has long managed follow-up for out-of-town and overseas patients by message and photographs, and you can send updates at any point if something concerns you. Intercourse can usually resume after about four weeks. See How Long Does Labia Majora Reduction Recovery Take? for the full timeline.

Costs, payment and budgeting

The clinic does not publish prices. Labia majora reduction is a non-covered (비급여) procedure in Korea, so the fee is set by the clinic and quoted in writing after consultation. Budget for the surgical fee, your flights, accommodation for about a week, and ordinary living costs in Gangnam. Details on what shapes the quote are in How Much Does Labia Majora Reduction Cost in Korea?

Questions to ask any clinic

• Who performs the surgery, and is that person a gynecologist or plastic surgeon with genital-surgery experience?
• Will I need volume restoration as well as skin removal, and why?
• What anesthesia is used, and where will I recover?
• What exactly does the quote include?
• How is follow-up handled once I am home, and who do I contact if there is a problem?

At Somssi the answers are: Dr. Yoon, a gynecologic surgeon in practice since 2000 who has published on female sexual function after genital surgery; a decision made on examination; sedation or local with same-day discharge; a written all-inclusive estimate; and direct follow-up by message. More on the surgeon is at Dr. Yoon Ho-joo, and practical details are on the international patients page.

Bottom line

Labia majora reduction is well suited to medical travel: a one-hour procedure, no hospital stay, dissolving sutures, and follow-up that can be done remotely. Plan roughly a week in Seoul, schedule surgery early in the stay, and choose a clinic that examines you properly before quoting. Somssi Women's Clinic in Gangnam has been receiving foreign patients since 2011 and will give you a straight answer about what you need.

Questions patients ask

Frequently asked questions

Short, honest answers. For anything personal, a consultation is the right place to ask.

See the full FAQ →

How many days should I stay in Seoul after labia majora reduction?

Stay until Dr. Yoon has checked the incisions, typically within the first week. Healing is largely complete at about three weeks, but the later stage can be managed at home with the clinic's written instructions and remote follow-up. If you combine procedures, such as labiaplasty or vaginal surgery, a slightly longer stay may be advised.

Can I have the consultation and surgery on the same day?

Often, yes. Same-day surgery after consultation is possible if the examination confirms the plan, you have fasted for two hours and you are medically fit. Many international patients prefer a consultation on arrival day and surgery the following morning so they can rest first.

Do I need to speak Korean?

No. Consultation is available in English, and the clinic offers a real-time translated consultation for other languages. Written aftercare instructions are provided in English.

Is it safe to fly a few days after surgery?

Yes for most women after a normal wound check. The incisions are small and external. Keep the area clean and dry, wear loose clothing, move during the flight and avoid long pressure on the area. Carry your aftercare instructions and the clinic's contact details.

What happens if I have a problem after I get home?

Contact the clinic by message with a description and, if possible, a photo. Most concerns in the first weeks are normal swelling or minor irritation that can be managed with advice. For anything that looks like infection or wound separation, the clinic will advise you and, if needed, recommend that you see a local gynecologist promptly.

Can I combine labia majora reduction with other procedures in one trip?

Yes. Labia minora reduction, clitoral hood reduction, perineal scar revision and vaginal tightening are commonly combined at the clinic. Combining procedures means one anesthesia and one recovery, but it can extend the recommended stay, so raise it early in planning.

Keep reading

Related treatments and guides

• Labia Majora Reduction — the treatment page with technique, recovery and risks
• How Much Does Labia Majora Reduction Cost in Korea? — how the quote is built and how to budget
• How Long Does Labia Majora Reduction Recovery Take? — week-by-week recovery
• Is Labia Majora Reduction Safe? — risks and safeguards
• What Is Labia Majora Reduction and Who Is It For? — candidacy before you book
• Labiaplasty in Korea for Foreigners: Complete Patient Guide — the equivalent guide for inner-labia surgery
• International patients — practical information for your visit

Sources and medical review

• Yoon HJ, et al. Characteristics of hypoactive sexual desire disorder in Korean women attending a community gynecology clinic. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 2018. DOI 10.1080/01443615.2017.1389866.
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), guidance on elective female genital cosmetic surgery.
• Te Linde's Operative Gynecology (textbook), chapters on vulvar 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.