The rise of ‘Designer Vagina’ surgery

PLASTIC SURGERY

Vaginal rejuvenation has been given a rather bad reputation by the media, but a rise in treatment awareness and information on the availability of different procedures seems to be leading an increased interest in vaginal surgery.

What do the stats say?

A report of The Consulting Room’s – the UK’s longest-standing and largest cosmetic treatment information hub – online traffic has shown that vaginal surgery (Labiaplasty) had the fourth most researched FAQs on their website.
Similarly, the cosmetic treatment community platform, RealSelf, lead a survey among plastic surgeons, which showed that 39% of them expected to see a rise in vaginal rejuvenation requests in 2016. They also predicted that vaginal rejuvenation would be the second most asked about area by women – buttocks being the first.

What does Labiaplasty involve?

The outer tissue protecting the mouth of the vagina is known its labia or ‘lips’. Labiaplasty is performed to remove excess skin from the labia, restore their symmetry and to generally ‘neaten’ the area.
It’s a simple procedure that can be performed in 30 minutes, up to an hour, that sees only excess skin being removed, not the labia themselves, as they have a vital role to play in sexual arousal, as well as shielding the vagina from outside threats such as infection.

What the media would have you believe

Media outlets have had somewhat of a field-trip in trying to blow vaginal surgery, and the reasons why women opt for them, out of proportion. Commonly, such women have been branded as pornography-crazed or vain, with headlines stating reasons such as wanting to look good in yoga pants as the ‘real’ motivation behind such a procedure.
By labelling the vaginal treatments as ‘designer vagina’ surgeries, it sounds as if the purpose of the procedure is purely cosmetic and simply a matter of vanity. Yes, there are cases in which this is true, like when Gemma Collins promoted her ‘designer vagina’ on The Only Way Is Essex, but as they say, the exception proves the rule.

So why do women have Labiaplasty?

Often the procedure is undertaken after childbirth, due to natural aging, a hereditary condition, or excess fat and in situations where the skin of the inner labia is much more prominent than that of the outer labia, or if the latter is overly enlarged.
Low-hanging labia can cause tearing, friction, pain and discomfort during intercourse or under clothing. They can even cause hygiene issues such as thrush and make participating in certain sports difficult.
The aesthetic and practical issues that arise from such a condition can leave a woman distressed, in pain and riddled with insecurities – no least because it’s a sensitive topic to discuss.
It still seems to be considered one of the taboos of women’s health, with prejudice preventing many talking openly about it. These women aren’t opting for surgery on a whim and it is easy to wonder ‘why do people care’ when you’ve never encountered the problem yourself, but it can affect women on multiple levels.
While it’s not for everybody, it seems a shame that negative pre-conceptions may prevent women who would greatly benefit from coming forward.
Thankfully it seems as if the taboo is slowly being lifted – as shown by the increased interest in vaginal rejuvenation – and more women are becoming aware that surgery might be a potential solution for them living happier and more comfortable lives.

The Private Clinic

Our Consultant Plastic Surgeons understand how delicate of a subject Labiaplasty can be and you can rest assured that they will treat your case with the utmost respect and discretion while delivering the best possible results. Our esteemed medical team includes: