Travelling to Sydney for Labiaplasty

If you live in regional NSW, the ACT or interstate, you can still have labiaplasty with Dr Reema Hadi, a specialist plastic surgeon, in Sydney. With some planning, you can keep the number of trips small and still have every appointment the rules require.

This guide sets out a sample itinerary, what to pack for the trip home, where to stay near our Miranda rooms, and what to do if a problem starts once you are home. Results and recovery vary, and every operation carries risks.

What the rules mean for travel

Under the Medical Board of Australia's guidelines, you need a referral, two consultations before cosmetic surgery, and at least one of them must be in person with the surgeon. The other can be by video. You cannot give consent until you have had the in-person consultation.

After both consultations and consent, there must be a cooling-off period of at least 7 days before surgery is booked. These rules protect you, and they shape how you plan your trips.

Coming from regional NSW or the ACT

This guide is for women travelling from anywhere in NSW, including the Illawarra and South Coast, Southern Highlands, Central Coast, Hunter, Blue Mountains, Central West, Riverina, New England and North Coast, as well as the ACT and other states.

• By train: NSW TrainLink regional services arrive at Central Station, with suburban trains on to Miranda.
• By air: many regional centres have flights to Sydney Airport, on the southern side of the city.
• By car: plan for someone else to drive you home after surgery.

A sample itinerary

This is one way to plan it with two trips to Sydney. Your dates will depend on availability.

1. At home: see your GP. Ask for a referral to Dr Hadi. Your GP will also be your local contact after surgery, so let them know your plans.
2. Consultation 1, possibly by video. You may be able to have your first consultation by telehealth from home. Dr Hadi explains the operation, the risks and what to expect.
3. Trip 1: consultation 2, in person. Dr Hadi examines you and you go through everything again. The second consultation is at no extra charge. If you decide to go ahead, you can sign consent at this visit.
4. Back home: at least 7 days of cooling-off. Take the time to think it over. Surgery can be booked once the cooling-off period has passed.
5. Trip 2: surgery. Arrive the day before. Surgery is day surgery at the Swan Clinic or at Kareena private hospital, and you go home to your accommodation the same day with a support person.
6. First check-up ideally before you go home.
7. Stay nearby for about a week Long periods of sitting should be avoided in the first week, and staying close means you can be seen quickly if anything changes.
8. Travel home, with someone else driving or with a planned flight (see the checklist below).
9. 12 months: this check up is the most important, however you were welcome to come for follow up any time if you have concerns.

If you would rather make one trip, you can have both consultations in Sydney, then stay for the cooling-off period, surgery and the first week. That means at least 2 to 3 weeks away, depending on appointment availability. Read more about your consultation.

Our rooms and nearby accommodation

Miranda (Sutherland Shire, south Sydney): 331 The Boulevarde, Miranda NSW 2228. Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, with free parking on site. Miranda, Caringbah, Sutherland and Cronulla have hotels, motels and serviced apartments, and Westfield Miranda is close by for a pharmacy and supplies.

When choosing a place to stay:

• Pick somewhere with a lift or a ground-floor room and a walk-in shower.
• A serviced apartment with a kitchen and washing machine makes the first week easier.
• Stay within a short drive of the rooms and of your day-surgery facility
• Book a place your support person can share for at least the first 24 hours.

See our rooms for maps and directions.

Getting to Miranda

• From Sydney Airport: by taxi or rideshare, allow about 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic. By train, take the Airport Line to Wolli Creek and change to a T4 train towards Cronulla, which stops at Miranda.
• From Central Station: T4 trains towards Cronulla stop at Miranda. Regional NSW TrainLink services arrive at Central.
• From Wollongong and the South Coast: South Coast Line trains stop at Sutherland. Change there for a Cronulla-bound train; Miranda is three stops on.
• By car from the south or the ACT: Miranda is on the southern side of Sydney, so you do not need to cross the city.

Travel-day checklist

For everyone:

• Dr Hadi's direct number, your discharge information and a list of your medicines.
• Antibiotics and pain relief in your hand luggage, not your checked bag.
• Plenty of pads, Vaseline and a small water bottle for rinsing after the toilet.
• Loose, soft clothing and cotton underwear.
• A soft cushion or a folded towel to sit on.

Driving home:

• Someone else drives. You can drive yourself when you are comfortable, usually at least 1 week after surgery.
• Stop about every hour to get out, walk around and change your pad if needed.
• Drink water through the trip.

Flying home:

• Ask Dr Hadi when it is safe for you to fly
• Choose an aisle seat so you can get up to walk and use the bathroom.
• Walk the aisle when you can and move your ankles while seated, to lower the risk of a blood clot.
• Arrange for someone to collect you at your home airport.

Follow-up once you are home

Before you leave Sydney, make sure you have a plan for after-care [CHECK 20]. Give us your GP's details, and book a GP appointment for the week you get home so they can check your wound.

Keep following the recovery steps: rinse with water after the toilet, pat dry and apply Vaseline about 3 times a day; light exercise from about 2 weeks; heavier exercise from about 4 weeks; sex, tampons and menstrual cups from 6 weeks. See the recovery guide.

If a problem starts after you are home

Call Dr Hadi's direct number first. She can talk through what is happening, arrange to see you, or work with your GP. Call straight away for:

• a temperature above 38°C
• heavy bleeding
• pain, redness or swelling that is getting worse rather than better
• a discharge that smells unpleasant

In an emergency, call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department and take your discharge information with you. For health advice at any hour, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222. Read what each complication means in our risks guide.

Budgeting for the trip

Your written, itemised quote covers the surgery, anaesthetic and day-surgery costs. Travel, accommodation and your support person's costs are separate, so budget for about a week in Sydney after surgery. See labiaplasty cost.

Is it worth travelling?

That is your decision. Labia vary widely and almost all are normal, and surgery is a personal choice. If you are weighing up surgeons, check their registration and specialty on the Ahpra public register, and read choosing a labiaplasty surgeon.

To plan your dates, read the labiaplasty overview or contact us on 02 9526 6885.

Frequently asked questions

Can I have my labiaplasty consultation by telehealth?

One of your two consultations can be by video, but at least one must be in person with Dr Hadi, and you cannot consent until you have been seen in person

How long do I need to stay in Sydney after labiaplasty?

Plan on about a week after surgery. You have a check-up the next day, and long periods of sitting should be avoided in the first week.

Can I fly home after labiaplasty?

Usually, once Dr Hadi is happy with your healing. Choose an aisle seat, walk when you can and keep your pain relief and antibiotics in your hand luggage.

Can I drive home after labiaplasty?

Not yourself at first. You can drive when you are comfortable, usually at least 1 week after surgery, so arrange for someone else to drive you home.

What if I have a problem after I get home?

Call Dr Hadi's direct number first. For an emergency, call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department. Your GP can check your wound in the meantime.

Where is the clinic?

The Swan Clinic has rooms in Miranda in the Sutherland Shire (331 The Boulevarde)