By Yasmine Noone.
What is it that drives women to have costly and potentially risky surgery to change the appearance of their vulva?
Every year thousands of women undergo labiaplasties – a relatively new surgical procedure that alters the folds of skin surrounding a woman’s vagina: the labia minora (inner labia) and the labia majora (outer labia).
Derogatory comments about the appearance of their genitals, as well as physical discomfort during certain activities have been identified as key reasons for why women have the surgery.
Research from Flinders University in Adelaide explored the intimate experiences of women who underwent a labiaplasty.
It found unrealistic images of female genitalia on the internet, including pornography, influenced what women thought of as a “normal” labial appearance.
The small study, published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal earlier this year, suggests women often elected to have the surgery after receiving negative comments about the way they looked in a swimsuit or jeans, which caused them long-term psychological and emotional angst.
“The dislike of their genital appearance was so ingrained that their current partner’s reassurance didn’t do anything to change their mind,” study lead and Flinders University clinical psychology PhD candidate, Gemma Sharp, said.
“It’s like telling someone their breasts are normal but they still want a breast augmentation because they just want bigger breasts.”
The research, featuring interviews with 14 women aged 23 to 59, found that women also underwent labiaplasty because of physical discomfort when playing sports, wearing tight underwear or having sexual intercourse.
“There was also a fear of judgement from others, both before undergoing surgery and after. So these women generally told very few people they were having it done,” Ms Sharp said.
Some patients ‘will never be happy’
Although many of the women interviewed had negative experiences prior to their operation, the study revealed most women were very satisfied with their surgical results.
The majority of participants reported significant improvements in their sexual wellbeing after surgery, although some said their emotional discomfort around sexual intercourse did not change.
According to Medicare, around 1,129 women underwent labiaplasty in 2014.
However, Ms Sharp said that figure underrepresented the true number of women who had the surgery, due to Medicare rebate changes and the fact most operations were performed in private practices.
In America, labiaplasty rates increased 16 per cent in 2015 alone.
Sydney gynecologist Dr Rebecca Deans, currently performs labiaplasty for patients she deems to be valid cases.
She said most women were pleased with the results of the surgery, if they went to the right surgeon and were in a good state of mind when they went under the knife.
“But there are also a group of women, with body dysmorphic disorder, who will never be happy, who we worry about having unrealistic expectations about the results of labiaplasty,” Dr Deans said.
Top Comments
I have had labiaplasty for purely cosmetic reasons and I don't regret it at all. And no, I didn't have a boyfriend at the time who pressured me into getting it done, I chose to do it simply because I didn't like my appearance of my vulva and wanted some subtle changes.
Whilst I don't think there is a 'right' way for a vulva to look and I hope nobody is pressured into this surgery, I really hate how much stigma surrounds labia/vaginoplasty procedures and people talk about them in such a dramatic way as 'mutilation'. How is it any different from someone getting otoplasty because they don't like the shape of their ears?
Maybe there should are a law preventing 'touching up' of body parts in porn photos hey... maybe we need an art installation that is just wall to wall photos of women's labia. There's no ideal of course, just like faces. But still, if I had bits that were rubbing and hanging out so far they interfered with activity, then I'd probably fix them. Wouldn't do it to meet a myth of the perfect shape and size though. That's a disservice to men and women. its young boys being fed the unrealistic idea of womens bodies. Bad enough young boys don't even get that women have pubic hair...and what's with bleaching anuses... perhaps that's why plastic dolls are so popular as the new 'f*ck' companion. Who needs real and diverse humans? First its hair that's 'wrong' then it was brown parts around the vulva and anus, and now its inner labia. Fairly expensive surgery given a face lip lift is only $2-3000 and removes the same amount of skin and done with local anaesthetic.
If you get yourself down to Mona in Hobart, there is an art installation of plaster casts of labias. And they are sensational. All of them look different and it's great for women of all ages to have a look at, as it drives home the message that your bits are normal, even if they don't look like the porn stars.