Clitoral Hood Reduction Surgery and Clitoral Lift in Seoul
Clitoral hood reduction removes extra skin and folds of the clitoral hood that cause bulk, trapped secretions or rubbing, and can lift a hood that sits low. At S Women's Clinic in Seoul, Dr. Hye-Yeon Lee, a female OB/GYN specialist, performs it in about 20 minutes under sleep sedation or local anesthesia. The clitoris itself is not made smaller.
Who asks about clitoral hood surgery, and who may not need it
The clitoral hood is the fold of skin that covers and protects the clitoris, joining the labia minora on each side. Its thickness, length and the number of folds around it vary widely between women, and ACOG groups surgery on this area with other elective genital cosmetic procedures that are not medically necessary when done only to change appearance (ACOG, 2020). A fuller or wrinkled hood is not a defect.
The reasons women give at consultation tend to be practical:
- Thick or heavily folded hood skin that feels bulky in fitted underwear or swimwear
- Secretions collecting between the folds after urinating, with odor despite washing
- Itching or irritation around the folds
- Hood skin that hangs low, so the area looks crowded after earlier labiaplasty
- A hood that looks out of proportion with labia minora you plan to reshape
When the doctor may say no
If the folds cause no rubbing, odor or irritation and the main worry is that the area looks different from images online, Dr. Hye-Yeon Lee may advise against an operation. The same applies when the hope is a change in intimate sensation: studies have not shown that hood surgery reliably changes sexual response, and too much skin removal can leave the clitoris overexposed and sore. Surgery is also delayed during pregnancy, while an infection is present, or until healing after childbirth is complete.
How clitoral hood reduction and clitoral lift are performed
Every plan starts with an examination in which the doctor looks at three things together: how much spare skin sits over the clitoris, how many vertical or side folds run beside it, and how high the hood sits in relation to the labia minora. From that, she explains which steps your anatomy calls for, and you agree on how much tissue will be removed before any marking.
The three steps that can be combined
- Fold removal: the excess side folds beside the clitoris are trimmed, while the blood vessels and nerves underneath are left in place.
- Partial hood trimming: where thick hood skin covers the clitoris heavily, a small amount of it is removed so the hood no longer bunches.
- Clitoral lift: when the hood and clitoral area sit low and are surrounded by folds, the skin is tightened upward so the area sits higher.
A clitoral lift on this page means repositioning the hood and surrounding skin, and it does not involve operating on the clitoris itself. Which of the three steps your anatomy needs is decided at examination, and the single clitoral surgery fee covers the lift as well as the trimming.
Clitoral surgery on the day
The procedure takes about 20 minutes. You choose sleep sedation or local anesthesia with the doctor; for sedation, arrive having fasted for 4 hours. The tissue is cut with the Vesalius LX Plus, a quantum molecular resonance (QMR) radiofrequency surgical device that cuts and seals small vessels in the same pass, and it is a radiofrequency device, so no laser is involved. The edges are closed with fine buried absorbable stitches, which dissolve on their own. After a short rest you can walk out and carry on with ordinary daily activities that day.
If you also have enlarged labia minora, the same operation can reshape them; the clinic lists that combination as full labiaplasty correction. Dr. Hye-Yeon Lee sees you at consultation, performs the operation herself and reviews your healing afterwards.
Vesalius LX Plus
Clitoral hood surgery at a glance
| Procedure time | About 20 minutes |
|---|---|
| Anesthesia | Sleep sedation or local anesthesia (4-hour fast before sedation) |
| Recovery | Ordinary daily activities from the day of surgery |
| Resuming intercourse | After about 2 to 3 weeks, once the doctor confirms healing |
| Follow-up visits | A check at the clinic the day after surgery, then photo follow-up for 6 months |
| Earliest flight home | From the day after surgery, once the doctor has checked you that day |
Clitoral hood reduction cost in South Korea
- Clitoral surgery on its own, lift included: ₩1,500,000 before VAT, ₩1,650,000 with VAT
- Full labiaplasty correction, covering the labia minora together with the hood folds and position: ₩2,000,000 –
3,000,000 before VAT, ₩2,200,000 – 3,300,000 with VAT (set after examination) - Sleep sedation, only if you choose it: ₩200,000 before VAT, ₩220,000 with VAT, on top of the surgery fee
For hood surgery the clinic quotes its fee schedule without tax, so the figure with 10% VAT added is printed next to each line. Foreign visitors stopped being able to reclaim VAT on cosmetic procedures at the end of 2025, and the VAT-inclusive figure is the amount you pay.
When hood surgery is combined with labiaplasty, the doctor tells you after examination which of the two fees applies to your plan. Ask at that point whether medication and follow-up care are included in the quote.
Healing timeline after clitoral surgery
- Day 0
About 20 minutes of surgery and a short rest, then back to your hotel the same day; after sedation you may leave on your own, while patients under 18 come with a guardian. Cold packs wrapped in cloth ease swelling.
- Day 1
Return to the clinic so Dr. Hye-Yeon Lee can check the wound; this visit is required before you travel. Once she is satisfied, you can fly home from that day, wearing loose clothing that does not press on the area.
- Week 1
Keep the area clean and dry, and skip saunas, hot tubs and swimming pools while the stitch line closes. Mild soreness and swelling should fade day by day.
- Weeks 2 to 3
The buried stitches are dissolving. Intercourse can resume after about two to three weeks, once the doctor has confirmed that the wound has healed.
- Month 6
For six months after surgery, Dr. Hye-Yeon Lee personally reviews the photos and questions you send by messenger. Seek a local doctor at once for heavy bleeding with clots, pain that keeps increasing, or a fever.
Clitoral hood reduction risks and limits
The tissue around the clitoris is small and densely supplied with nerves, so the margin for error is narrow, and the plan aims to remove less tissue when in doubt. The doctor goes through these risks with you before you decide:
- Swelling, bruising and soreness in the first days
- Bleeding or a small blood collection under the skin
- Infection along the stitch line
- Wound separation that may need re-stitching
- Overexposure of the clitoris if too much hood is removed, which can cause lasting sensitivity or discomfort
- Reduced or altered sensation, including from nerve injury
- Asymmetry of the folds on the two sides
- Scarring that feels firm or remains visible
Good-quality studies measuring how hood surgery affects sensation are lacking, and no specific appearance can be promised. Tell the doctor about blood-thinning medicines, previous genital surgery or slow wound healing, because each of these changes the plan.
The doctor who consults you is the one who operates.
Dr. Lee has treated women in Gangnam since 2008. She plans each surgery around natural shape and symmetry, explains every option — including when a procedure is not needed — and recommends only what fits your goal.
- 2000
Medical license No. 70918 — Ministry of Health and Welfare, Korea · Chonnam National University Medical School
- 2001–2006
Internship and OB/GYN residency, Samsung Medical Center · Master's degree, Chonnam National University (2004)
- 2006
OB/GYN specialist certificate No. 5679 — Ministry of Health and Welfare
- 2006–2008
Bomvit Hospital · Associate director, Floche Women's Clinic
- 2008
Opens S Women's Clinic in Gangnam
- 2012
Attended the 2nd Asia-Pacific Congress on Gynecoplastic Surgery, Seoul
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Clitoral hood reduction FAQ
Who performs clitoral hood surgery at the clinic?
Dr. Hye-Yeon Lee, a Korean board-certified OB/GYN specialist practicing near Gangnam Station since 2008, does the examination, the operation and the follow-up herself. She is the clinic's only doctor, so there is no handover to another surgeon between consultation and surgery.
What is a clitoral lift?
It is a repositioning of the clitoral hood and the skin around it. When the hood sits low and is surrounded by folds, the skin is tightened upward so the area sits higher. The clitoris itself is left untouched, and whether you need a lift is decided at examination.
How many nights should I plan in Seoul for clitoral hood surgery?
At least one night after the operation. You come back to the clinic the next day so Dr. Hye-Yeon Lee can check the wound, which is required before travel, and once she has cleared you, you can fly that day, long-haul included. Wear loose clothing that does not press on the area.
When can I have sex again after clitoral hood surgery?
After about two to three weeks. The stitch line needs to have closed fully, and the doctor confirms this first, either in person or from photos you send. If the area still feels tender, waiting longer is reasonable.
How much does clitoral hood reduction cost in Seoul?
Clitoral surgery on its own is ₩1,500,000 before VAT, which comes to ₩1,650,000 with VAT, and that fee includes the lift when you need one. Sleep sedation is charged separately if you choose it. The final quote is given after examination.
Will clitoral hood reduction make sex feel different?
It cannot be promised. Studies have not shown a reliable change in sexual response after hood surgery, and the clinic offers it for bulk, hygiene and comfort concerns. Changes in sensation, including reduced sensation or soreness, are listed among the risks and are discussed before you decide.
Is clitoral hood surgery done under general anesthesia?
No. It is done under sleep sedation or local anesthesia, chosen with the doctor. Sedation requires a 4-hour fast and carries an extra fee, and you can go back to your hotel alone afterwards unless you are under 18, in which case a guardian must come with you.
Can clitoral hood surgery be combined with labiaplasty?
Yes. Hood folds and enlarged labia minora can be treated in one operation, and the clinic lists that as full labiaplasty correction with its own fee range. The doctor tells you after examination whether you need one procedure or both.
Can I discuss clitoral surgery in English?
Yes. Before booking you can write in English through the form on this page or on WhatsApp, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. On the day, staff can help you in English, Japanese or Chinese, and the doctor explains the plan before anything is marked.
What happens to my deposit if I change or cancel the date?
Under the clinic's current practice, moving your surgery date keeps the deposit in place, and cancelling before the day of surgery means it is returned. A cancellation on the surgery day is not refunded. Cards issued outside Korea are accepted, and the coordinator gives the deposit amount at booking.
Can I have clitoral hood surgery during my period?
Yes, the timing can be planned. Let the coordinator know when your next period is due, and the operation is booked for a date that keeps your period away from the surgery day and the two or three days of early healing that follow. A late or early cycle is handled by moving the booking.
Is a larger or wrinkled clitoral hood normal?
Yes. The size of the hood and the number of folds around it vary a great deal between women, and neither is a medical problem in itself. Surgery is an option when the folds trap secretions, rub or bother you, and the doctor will say so if she sees no need.
Tell us your concern.
Send your question — no photos needed. We reply in English as soon as possible.