Labiaplasty · Treatment
Labia Minora Reduction in Seoul: Technique and Design
Labia minora reduction removes excess tissue from the inner labia so they sit within the outer labia, using an edge trim, a central wedge, or both, chosen for your anatomy. At Somssi Women's Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, Dr. Yoon marks the final shape first, removes only what lies outside it with a laser, and closes with fine absorbable micro-sutures. The procedure takes 40–60 minutes under local anesthesia with same-day discharge.
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.
- Procedure time: 40–60 minutes
- Anesthesia: Local (long-acting); sedation optional
- Hospital stay: None; home the same day
- Techniques: Lateral (edge) trim, wedge excision, or combined
- Sutures: Absorbable micro-sutures; no removal required
- Healing: About 2 weeks; intercourse after 2–3 weeks
- Who it suits: Elongated, asymmetrical, thickened or protruding labia minora
Labia minora reduction at a glance
Removes excess inner-labia tissue so the labia sit within the outer labia, by edge trim, wedge or a combination.
- labia minora reduction
- inner labia surgery Korea
- asymmetric labia
- wedge labiaplasty
- edge trim labiaplasty
- labiaplasty Seoul
- 40–60 minProcedure time
- Local, sedation optionalAnesthesia
- Same dayDischarge
- Trim, wedge or bothTechnique
- Assess the shapeLength, asymmetry, thickness and hood are examined together.
- Mark the resultThe new contour is drawn before surgery.
- Remove only the excessNerve and blood supply are preserved.
- RecoverAbout 2 weeks to heal; intercourse after 2–3 weeks.
Illustration: Somssi Women's Clinic, Seoul. Schematic, not to scale; your plan is set by Dr. Yoon Ho-joo after examination.
What is labia minora reduction?
Labia minora reduction is the core procedure within labiaplasty. It reduces the length, width or thickness of the inner labia so that they no longer protrude past the labia majora, rub against clothing or fold unevenly. This page explains how the operation is actually designed and performed; the labiaplasty page gives the broader overview, including hood exposure and revision.
Somssi Women's Clinic is a surgical gynecology clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, founded in 2000 and led by Dr. Yoon Ho-joo, MD, PhD. Dr. Yoon's approach to the labia follows the same principle he applies to all genital surgery: preserve the patient's own tissue, nerves and blood supply, and remove only what is truly in excess.
Who is a good candidate?
Labia minora vary enormously, and most variations are normal. Surgery becomes worth considering when the shape causes a real problem. Good candidates typically describe one or more of these patterns:
- Elongated edge: the free border hangs well below the labia majora and catches on underwear or a bicycle seat.
- Central enlargement: the middle of the labium is wide and heavy while the edge itself looks normal.
- Asymmetry: one side is clearly longer or thicker than the other, often since puberty or after childbirth.
- Thickened or darkened rim: years of friction have left the border thick, wrinkled or deeply pigmented.
- Functional symptoms: urine spraying, labia pulled into the vagina during intercourse, recurrent irritation in hot weather.
- Excess clitoral hood that would look bulky once the labia are reduced.
If you are unsure whether your anatomy falls into these groups, read What causes enlarged or uneven labia minora? and Do I need labia minora reduction?
How Somssi designs and performs labia minora reduction
Step 1: Assessment
Dr. Yoon examines the labia both lying and standing, because tissue that looks modest on the examination table can hang differently when you stand. He notes where the excess really is (edge, body or base), how the two sides differ, how the labia meet the clitoral hood above and the perineum below, and the thickness and pigmentation of the rim. Pre-operative photographs are taken for planning and comparison.
Step 2: Marking the design
The new outline is drawn before any anesthetic distorts the tissue. The rule is to design the labia to a normal size first and then remove only the tissue outside that line. Enough labium is always kept to protect the vaginal opening and to look natural; a labium that is reduced to nothing looks operated and cannot be rebuilt. The attachments at the top (toward the hood) and at the base are planned so the result is continuous, with no step or notch.
Step 3: Anesthesia
Long-acting local anesthetics are infiltrated so the area is numb during surgery and for hours afterward. If you prefer, sedation is added so you sleep through the procedure.
Step 4: Removing the excess
The method follows the design, not the other way round.
- A lateral (edge) trim removes the protruding border along its length. It is chosen when the whole labium needs to be smaller and when the dark, thickened rim is part of the concern, because that rim is removed with the excess.
- A wedge excision removes a V-shaped segment from the widest part of the labium and joins the natural edge above and below. It is chosen when the middle is enlarged but the edge looks normal, and it keeps the original border and its color.
- A combined approach is used when both the edge and the body are enlarged, or when the two sides need different techniques to match.
Cutting is done with a laser for a clean edge, which also helps limit bleeding. The guide Trim vs wedge labia minora reduction compares the two in depth.
Step 5: Closure
Closure is where the result is made. Dr. Yoon uses fine absorbable micro-sutures placed close together and without tension, closing the deeper tissue separately from the surface where the labium is thick so that the edge heals flat. In his experience, suturing accounts for most of the final appearance; coarse or widely spaced stitches are the usual cause of a scalloped or wrinkled edge. The sutures dissolve on their own, so nothing needs to be removed.
Step 6: Hood exposure when needed
If excess hood skin would unbalance the result, a conservative clitoral hood reduction is performed in the same session, keeping the lines continuous with the labial design.
Anesthesia, duration and hospital stay
The operation takes 40 minutes to one hour depending on whether one or both sides are treated and whether the hood is included. Local anesthesia is standard; sedation is available. There is no hospitalization: you walk out, rest, and leave once you have urinated. One or two visits in total are usually enough, and a check can be done remotely if you live abroad.
Recovery timeline
- Day 0: Shower the same day. Begin the clinic ointment with a cotton swab about four times a day. Ice pack for the first three days.
- Days 1–3: Swelling peaks and starts to fall. Desk work and walking are fine; wear loose cotton underwear.
- Week 1: Most swelling has gone. Avoid cycling, tight trousers and heavy lower-body exercise.
- Week 2: Healing is largely complete; stitches have dissolved or can be removed at a check-up if any remain.
- Weeks 2–3: Intercourse may resume when the edge is fully closed and comfortable.
- Weeks 6–12: Firmness along the edge softens and the final contour settles.
A fuller account is in How long does labia minora reduction recovery take?
Results and what to expect
You should expect labia that are smaller, better matched and contained within the labia majora, with an edge that looks like your own tissue. Clothing discomfort and hygiene problems usually resolve because the cause has been removed.
Results vary. Perfect symmetry is not a realistic promise for any surgeon, because the two sides never start equal and heal at slightly different rates. Color improves when a pigmented rim is trimmed away but cannot be changed where the edge is preserved. The final look is judged at around three months, once swelling and firmness have fully resolved.
Risks and how we reduce them
Risks include bleeding or hematoma, infection, wound-edge separation, asymmetry, visible scarring or notching, over- or under-correction, altered sensation or tenderness at the edge, pain with intercourse during healing, and reactions to anesthesia. Over-correction is the most serious because it cannot be reversed.
Our safeguards are conservative marking before anesthesia, a technique chosen for your anatomy rather than one method for everyone, laser cutting with careful control of bleeding, fine tension-free absorbable sutures, and written aftercare with prompt review if anything concerns you. More detail is in Is labia minora reduction safe? and Does labia minora reduction affect sensation?
Why international patients choose Somssi
You meet Dr. Yoon himself for consultation in English, and surgery is usually possible within a day or two of that visit. Same-day discharge and absorbable sutures mean a short stay in Seoul and follow-up from home by message or video.
The clinic sits 100 m from Gangnam Station Exit 1, has treated women since 2000, and is registered with Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare for foreign patients. Dr. Yoon's published research on female sexual function informs a technique that prioritizes preserving sensation. See our international patients page or contact us with your questions and photos.
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.
What is the difference between labiaplasty and labia minora reduction?
In everyday use they mean the same operation. Strictly, labiaplasty is the umbrella term for reshaping the labia, and labia minora reduction is the specific procedure that reduces the inner labia. At Somssi, labiaplasty may also include clitoral hood exposure or revision of an earlier operation, while labia minora reduction refers to the trimming or wedge technique on the inner labia themselves.
How does the doctor decide how much to remove?
The design is drawn before anesthesia, with you looking in a mirror if you wish. Dr. Yoon marks a normal-sized labium that stays within the outer labia and protects the vaginal opening, then removes only the tissue outside that line. The guiding rule is that under-correction can be adjusted later but over-correction cannot, so the design errs toward keeping tissue.
Can only one side be reduced?
Yes. When one labium is clearly longer or thicker, reducing only that side to match the other is common and gives the most natural result. Sometimes a small adjustment to the other side is suggested so the two edges have the same character. The decision is made during the consultation examination.
Will the dark edge of my labia be removed?
With an edge trim, yes: the pigmented, thickened rim is part of the tissue removed, and the new edge is formed from lighter inner tissue. With a wedge technique the natural edge is kept, including its color. Which approach suits you depends on where the excess is and how you feel about the rim.
Do the stitches need to be taken out?
No. The micro-sutures are absorbable and dissolve on their own. Some women ask to have remaining knots removed at a two-week check for comfort, which is optional. This is one reason the procedure works well for patients who live far from Seoul.
When can I exercise after labia minora reduction?
Walking is encouraged from day one. Light upper-body exercise is fine after a few days. Cycling, horseback riding, squats and other activities that press on or stretch the area are best postponed until the edge has healed, usually about two to three weeks, and resumed gradually.
Keep reading
Related treatments and guides
- How Is Labia Minora Reduction Surgery Performed? — a step-by-step walk-through of the operation
- Trim vs Wedge Labia Minora Reduction: Which Is Better? — how the technique is matched to your anatomy
- How Much Does Labia Minora Reduction Cost in Korea? — what shapes the quote and what is included
- Does Labia Minora Reduction Leave Scars? — what the healed edge looks like
- Labiaplasty (Labia Reshaping Surgery) — the broader overview, including hood exposure and revision
- Labiaplasty Revision — correcting a previous result
- International Patients — consultation, travel and follow-up from abroad
Sources and medical review
- Yoon HJ. Perineal plastic surgery (colpoperineoplasty) and female sexual function. Korean Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2005;48(6).
- Te Linde's Operative Gynecology (textbook) — surgery of the vulva
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) — 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.
