Hoodectomy

As the name suggests, this method of clitoral hoodectomy sees the excess tissue cut away from either side of the clitoris. During this procedure, the surgeon will take great care to avoid the nerve endings in this most delicate of areas in order to maintain the sensitivity of the clitoris.

In this method, the surgeon will make incisions running parallel to the clitoris before cutting away the redundant folds of the clitoral hood. Once again this procedure will be carried out with great care so as not to damage the nerve endings in the area.

Your surgeon will go through each of these methods at your initial consultation in order to decide which one is best for you.

Your journey with the Cadogan Clinic will start with up to two consultations with one of our leading specialist plastic surgeons at our award-winning premises in Chelsea. These consultations will take between 30 and 60 minutes.

During your consultation, your surgeon will ask about your expectations for your clitoral hood reduction and talk about what will happen during the procedure. They will also explain how the procedure will affect you and the recovery period.

It is important that you are open and honest about what you hope to achieve through surgery to help ensure the best possible result. Your surgeon will be happy to answer any questions you may have at this point. It may be a good idea to write your questions down before attending the consultation. Having established what you want from the surgery, and what is possible given your anatomy, several key measurements will be made and standard clinical photography will be taken. Your medical history will be discussed and a physical examination will be carried out.

If your surgeon feels you are a good candidate for surgery, you are then invited to consider whether you would like to proceed with your hoodectomy or not following a two week 'cooling off' period.

If you decide to go ahead with surgery, the next time you will return to the clinic is on the day of your hoodectomy. It is important that you prepare by taking the following measures ahead of surgery.

• Stop smoking. Smoking can slow the healing process. If you smoke, your doctor will recommend that you stop smoking six weeks before surgery and during the recovery period. You should avoid smoking for at least 48 hours before your surgery.
• Avoid taking certain medications. You should avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements in the week ahead of your surgery. Taking these can increase the risk of bleeding.
• Avoid alcohol. You should not drink any alcohol for 48 hours ahead of your surgery. This is because alcohol can hamper the healing process.
• Arrange for help during recovery. Make plans for a friend or family member to drive you home after you leave the hospital and stay with you for at least the first night of your recovery at home.

In the six hours prior to surgery you must not consume food or any drink, other than small sips of clear fluid which will be allowed up to two hours before you are admitted to the clinic. Clear fluids include still water, black coffee and black tea.

Your hoodectomy will take place at our award-winning clinic in Chelsea. You will be given a general anaesthetic to put you to sleep for the operation. In some cases the surgeon may use a local anaesthetic and sedation if appropriate.

The surgeon will then cut away the excess tissue, taking great care not to damage any nerve endings. The procedure takes around an hour to perform. A hoodectomy may also be carried out as part of a labiaplasty, a surgical procedure to trim excess skin and reshape the labia minora. This will take one to two hours to complete.

After the surgery is complete, the incisions will be closed using dissolvable sutures. This means you will not need to return to the clinic to have any stitches removed.

Following your clitoral hood surgery, you will recover in our ambulatory recovery rooms. You may feel a little drowsy but this often wears off within a few hours.  Once you are able to eat and drink, and our specialist nursing team are happy that your initial recovery is complete, you will be allowed to leave the clinic with a friend or family member.

Compared to other gynaecological surgeries, a clitoral hoodectomy has a quick recovery time.

You will experience some swelling and discomfort in the immediate aftermath of your hoodectomy. Any discomfort can be controlled using over-the-counter painkillers. Despite this swelling, you will notice a difference in the appearance of your clitoral hood immediately. The appearance will continue to improve as your recovery progresses and the swelling reduces.

You should be able to return to work in three to five days following your clitoral hood surgery and exercise and sexual activity can be resumed within four to six weeks, post-surgery.

You will notice that sitting for long periods of time may be painful in the days and weeks following your clitoral hood reduction. You should refrain from driving for one week.

It takes around five to six weeks to make a full recovery from a clitoral hoodectomy.

Our on-call nursing service is open 24/7 during your recovery period to help with any questions or queries that you may have.

It is important that you follow all the aftercare instructions issued by your doctor. Failure to do so may impact on your recovery and the final result.