What is the Difference Between Vaginoplasty and Gender Affirming Surgery?

When it comes to vaginal cosmetic surgeries, there is a great deal of treatments available to treat a lot of conditions, as well as cosmetic procedures that can help keep you looking and feeling exactly how you want. Two of these procedures are known as Gender Affirming Surgery and Vaginoplasty.

These are both quite different procedures, although many individuals may use the terms interchangeably. In this article, we are going to take a look at the two different procedures and discuss what makes them different, as well as what each procedure entails.

What is Gender-Affirming Surgery?

The first procedure we are going to talk about is gender-affirming surgery. There are different ways to refer to gender-reaffirming surgery, but for the sake of this article, we are going to refer to gender-affirming surgery from a transgender woman’s point. For a woman who is transgender, a gender-affirming surgery can be a life-altering and even a lifesaving procedure. This type of procedure typically involves the removal of the testicles and/or entire scrotum and the reconstruction of the penis into a vagina. Tissues from the penis are usually reformed into a vagina, clitoris, and labia.

This procedure is becoming more and more commonly performed and is often the final procedure that is undergone by individuals in order for them to feel they have fully transitioned. Gender-affirming surgery is generally considered major surgery, and the patient will often have to spend lengthy periods of time in the hospital to recover. In addition to this procedure, top surgery and facial reconstruction surgeries can also be performed to help the individual fully create their new identity. The procedure is often quite risky, and there are not only a lot of side effects, but there are many risks and considerations that need to be taken by the surgery team to ensure everything goes according to plan.

What is a Vaginoplasty?

The word vaginoplasty can mean several things, including the construction of a vagina, which is why it is sometimes used when referencing gender-affirming surgeries. However, in most cases, it is used to refer to the alteration of the vagina itself, which is typically done in order to tighten the vaginal canal. This procedure is typically done in a doctor’s office and has a very minimal recovery period. There are also very few side effects of the procedure, and there are minimal risks involved. A vaginoplasty is usually an outpatient procedure and only takes sixty to ninety minutes to complete. It can often be combined with other procedures as well, such as labiaplasty.

A vaginoplasty is a very common procedure that women choose to undergo, as it allows them to correct any vaginal laxity that might come about due to a variety of reasons. Some women who seek out a vaginoplasty do so for the following reasons:

• Childbirth
• Aging
• Urinary incontinence
• Lack of satisfaction during sexual intimacy

Most women who choose to undergo the vaginoplasty procedure do so when they are finished having children and want to change their bodies so that they can restore their youth and sexual satisfaction. Women who opt for the procedure are usually between thirty and fifty years old, but it can be done at any time. It is also a frequently sought treatment for urinary incontinence or leakage, as the tightening of the muscles can help reduce any urine leakage that may occur.

When it comes to risks, there are two types of vaginoplasty procedures: the ultimate vaginoplasty, which is a surgical procedure that uses CO2 laser technology to tighten and shape the vagina, and non-surgical vaginoplasty, which uses radiofrequency waves to alter the vagina.

If you would like to learn more about the difference between gender-affirming surgery and vaginoplasty or to schedule a consultation for a procedure, call the office of Dr. Ghozland today at 310-393-9359, and we will be happy to help!