Botched Barbie Labiaplasty
” @drdisaia My friend needs advice from an experienced surgeon – please help! “
An e-mail message followed:
“I’ve recently had labiaplasty and wanted the Barbie look. I fear it has gone wrong. What do I do?”
This post originally included some of the woman’s description from her post at an outside forum. She removed it from there as she is looking to sue her surgeon.
I am sure the idea when she originally tweeted me was for me to tell her what to do. I am not clairvoyant. I originally previewed her images at the other site (no longer online.) With that being said, she will likely have a sub-optimal result. With the lack of information provided, I really can’t tell how sub-optimal.
Asking for a “barbie labiaplasty” is asking for trouble in my opinion. Pushing any cosmetic operation to extremes increases the risk of problems. This woman had labia majora reduction, labia minora reduction and clitoral hood reduction all in one operation. That is probably too much to have at once without expecting significant distortion.
My opinion is that a woman needs a certain minimum amount of tissue “down there.” As this woman may have discovered that tissue protects delicate structures and without it things can hurt. Her clitoris might adjust much like a man’s glans adjusts to a circumcision. This adjustment is not necessary though if more coverage is left in place.
“Barbie labiaplasty” is code for potential trouble in my book. I do a pretty nice labiaplasty, but respect the limits of the tissue. My procedure preserves sensation and while it reduces bulk and provides a sleeker look, it leaves tissue in place. I specifically do not call it a “barbie labiaplasty.”
This patient will need to stay close to her doctor’s office while her healing becomes complete over weeks to months. The doctor might have changed due to the lawsuit. Things tend to improve over time hopefully to the point at which minimal or no revision will be possible.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
P.S. I am not always on twitter. It is better to submit requests via the contact section here at the blog. 
I have read the tweets between you and the third person on Twitter. Your feedback on the co-called “Barbie look” is insightful, however I think you should do the right thing and remove certain details from the woman’s original post as requested. It wouldn’t make a difference in regard to your answer.
I see nothing wrong with wanting the “Barbie look”, as long as it’s done by a qualified surgeon.
Like “Have it your way ugly coochie.”
I would rather have a good doc not the hack who did that surgery. But if she asks for it all off do you do it?
Nope. If I can’t be happy with the result and I see that coming, I decline on the case. This is a rare occurrence fortunately.
So by the barbie look you mean remove all the lips? Girls want that? Sounds like a franken coochie.
I do not do it but some docs are like Burger King even when it leads to a horrible place.
This lady has apparently removed her post from the original forum. I leave this post up as a resource for other potential labiaplasty patients to avoid the problems that can occur with requests for the “Barbie look.”