Vaginal Rejuvenation Glossary

Female genital reconstruction: Another name describing vaginoplasty and labiaplasty.

General anesthesia: Complete unconsciousness through medication; a machine breathes for the patient, who is closely monitored by an anesthesiologist

Hymenoplasty: Restoring a woman's hymen to a virginal state

Incontinence: Inability of the body to control the bladder (see stress incontinence and urge incontinence)

Kegel exercises: Physically contracting and releasing the pelvic muscles, which can help to strengthen and tighten the area non-surgically

Labia: The "lips" of the female genitalia; inner and outer, or minora and majora. Vaginal rejuvenation does not address the labia; these are addressed with labiaplasty.

Labia majora: The outer, hair-bearing "lips" of a woman's genital area

Labia minora: The inner "lips" of a woman's genitalia

Labia reduction: Surgically decreasing the size of the labia, if a woman presents with disproportionately large labia typically caused by genetics, age or childbirth

Labia rejuvenation: Another name for labiaplasty

Labiaplasty/labioplasty: Surgery to alter the appearance, size and shape of the inner and outer labia (lips of the female genitalia)

Local anesthesia: A specific area of the body is numbed, or anesthetized, so the patient feels nothing; the patient can be awake, or he or she can be sedated

Perineal muscles: The muscles in the area between the anus and the opening of the female genitalia (perineum)

Perineoplasty: Surgical reconstruction of the perineum

Stress incontinence: Involuntary inability to control the bladder with physical activity such as laughing, heavy lifting or sneezing

Tissue necrosis: Death of living tissue or a portion of living tissue

Urge incontinence: Presenting a strong, sudden, uncontrollable need to relieve the bladder

Vagina: The internal, non-visible part of a woman's genital area

Vaginal lip reduction: Another name for labia reduction

Vaginoplasty: Plastic surgery of the vagina, typically referring to the vaginal opening and the structure and tone of the walls

Vulva: The external part of a woman's vagina, including the "vestibule" or entrance