VulvaLove knows that one of the best ways to reduce feelings of self-consciousness and unhappiness with your genitals is to learn how much female bodies vary. Thorough sex education can lead to greater confidence, contentment, and pleasure. Even though they are external, many women have never seen their vulvas in their entirety. You may have seen your outer labia and some of your inner labia, but somehow the thought of looking at your whole vulva makes you feel uncomfortable and awkward or even weird. That’s okay. It’s important, however, to your overall health and wellbeing to become familiar with your genital anatomy. The more you know about your genitals and how they function, the more likely you are to take care of them and experience the full range of pleasure that they can provide. Here’s a great way to start: make yourself comfortable in a private space—your bedroom, the bathroom, or wherever you feel at ease. Take off your underwear, sit down, and spread your legs. Angle a mirror between your thighs so that your vulva is in view. Make sure the lighting is good. You might have to adjust your pelvis, tilting it up or back so you can see your entire vulva in the mirror. Take a deep breath, and now take another one. There you go! You’re looking at your vulva. With curiosity, an open mind, and purposeful lack of self-judgement, sit with yourself for a while and notice what you see. Try not to compare yourself with anything you’ve seen before. Take note of your individual landscape. Does anything surprise you? What? Is there anything you like more than you thought you would? What are you observing? What colors and shades can you identify? Are your labia majora puffy, flat, or somewhere in between? Are your labia minora long, short, or asymmetrical? What does your clitoral hood look like? Can you find the tip of your clitoris when you pull back the hood with your fingers? Can you see the opening of the urethra? It is often hard to locate, as it sits deep between your clitoris and the top of the vaginal opening. Can you see how the labia minora go up and form the clitoral hood? This is all normal anatomy! It’s you in your natural state of beauty! Whatever you see and feel here, remember that your vulva is unique to you. There’s

It’s crucial to understand that labiaplasty is a cosmetic procedure, not a medical one. When a vulva is cut for a medical purpose, the surgery is not called labiaplasty, but vulvectomy. So, why are so many women and teens seeking this cosmetic surgery? Physical Discomfort Some women have long inner labia. It’s not unusual for the labia minora to hang down past the labia majora. Sometimes, this can feel physically uncomfortable. You might experience mild soreness or chafing, especially in tight clothing or when riding your bike. Physical discomfort is a real concern; however, many women are seeking a permanent surgical solution for minor discomfort that should be addressed with a simpler approach. Psychological Discomfort and Low Self-Confidence Psychological discomfort—shame, embarrassment, worry, self-criticism, etc.—over the size, shape, and color of their vulva is an issue many women describe. A contributing factor to this discomfort is that many women with long or asymmetrical labia have never seen another pair of labia that looks like theirs, making them feel different Another factor that can cause psychological discomfort is hearing cruel comments or off-color jokes making fun of female genitalia. They may come from coworkers, friends, family members, or romantic partners. Such comments are hurtful. Because we rarely talk about our genitals unless using derogatory or demeaning language, speaking back to such hurtful words and deflecting the talk can be difficult. Such comments can contribute to lowered self-confidence and lead to feeling shame about your body, especially your genitals. You may be overwhelmed, hating your labia and feeling alone, broken, or abnormal. These distressing emotions are valid. It’s painful to feel “different” and to hear negative comments or remarks from others. Low self-esteem and poor body image affect many of us. They certainly don’t make it easy to feel good in your skin. Many others seeking labiaplasty share your feelings. According to a study published in the October 2016 issue of Aesthetic Surgery Journal, “[Female genital cosmetic surgery] patients tested at baseline showing body dissatisfaction, negative genital self-image, and poorer indices of sexual satisfaction. Preoperative body image of study patients was in a range considered to be mild to moderately dysmorphic.” Another study, this one published in Psychological Medicine, also found that women seeking FGCS struggled with low body image. In fact, “Of the 55 women seeking labiaplasty, 10 met diagnostic criteria for body dysmorphic disorder.” Body dysmorphia causes fixation on real or

Before you dive into the document, please know we’ve done a ton of research on the subject and have a lot to say. The end result is this comprehensive guide to understanding labiaplasty. We have sections on why women elect to have it done, what the different forms of labiaplasty are, we discuss other procedures performed on the vulva and vagina, and we describe the risks involved including numerous warnings against it. We offer you ways to learn more about your unique vulva in order for you to understand just how normal and beautiful your shape, size and color are. To that end, we have divided the document into three parts. All of the sources for the entire document can be found at the bottom of Part 3. Read on! Today, more than ever before, women and teenage girls are electing to have labiaplasty. Labiaplasty is defined as a surgical procedure to remove or reduce the size of the labia—the lips or folds of skin that surround the vagina. Most often, the surgery involves cutting back the labia minora so that they appear concealed or tucked inside the labia majora. Labiaplasty is one technique included in a group of procedures labeled female genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS). According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, labiaplasty procedures increased 23% from 2015 to 2016, with 35% of the physicians who responded reporting they offered these procedures in their practice. These numbers don’t necessarily suggest that more women are taking charge of their sexual health—that would be a good thing! What it does suggest is that women and teens believe there is something wrong with the size, shape, and color of their vulvas. Like so many others, you might be wondering if your vulva and vagina are normal. Perhaps you’re worried about how you look down there, especially if you’ve never seen anyone who looks the same as you do. So, you’re trying to learn more about the pros and cons of labiaplasty, and any other information you might need before you change your body forever. In this article, you’ll find a lot of information about labiaplasty, from how it works to its risks and limitations. We hope you will use this information to better understand what labiaplasty is and how it may affect you or someone else who is considering the procedure. What Does “Designer Vagina” Mean? Much like it sounds,