Why are more and more women undergoing genital plastic surgery?

Nowadays, plastic surgery to change the shape and contours of the body has become a very popular and common thing in the female community.

For individuals, they are an opportunity to change the physical appearance, correct (sometimes self-perceived) “deficiencies,” alter appearance and function, resolve physical discomfort, increase self-esteem, look better in clothes, etc.

Women who are interested in genital plastic surgery are just like other women who are interested in plastic surgery. They want to improve their appearance with minimal scarring and time.

Although women's motivations for genital plastic surgery vary, the most common motivation is concern about the appearance of their genitals.

Until recently, little was known about the reasons why women undergo labiaplasty.
Women are often ashamed to discuss their desire for perineal plastic surgery with others, choosing instead to discuss the topic anonymously on the Internet.

There, they can also compare their concerns and anatomy to others.

Women of different ages have very different views on labiaplasty.

Patients who are most interested in labiaplasty are women between the ages of 25 and 35.
Surprisingly, these women were not strippers, but students, nurses, lawyers and doctors.

They are usually sexually active, have researched the procedure thoroughly on the internet, and want as little of their small lips exposed behind their large lips as possible.

People in their 40s and 50s are the second most common group of people seeking labiaplasty.

Teenage patients are among the youngest women choosing labiaplasty.

During puberty, the labia minora enlarge and mature. Distortions in this maturation process can manifest as significant asymmetries.

In such cases, teenagers sometimes become worried and ask their mother if surgery is needed.

Most teenagers don't get surgery because they are too shy to talk or their parents don't understand the situation.

Recent research findings shed light on why women consider labia reduction surgery. and classify them as cosmetic, functional and sexual.

Women want labiaplasty surgery for aesthetic reasons, such as to make him feel less self-conscious, ugly and abnormal in public.

The functional reason is to reduce discomfort, irritation or pain during (non-sexual) activities (such as irritation while wearing clothes or exercising).

Sexual reasons aim to reduce dyspareunia or fear of negative evaluation by a sexual partner or self-consciousness in an intimate relationship.

Women often have bad experiences with negative comments or ridicule about the appearance of their genitals.

Factors that influence the decision to undergo labiaplasty include media, relationships, and mental health.

Women's motivations can be divided into "appearance", "functional", "sexual" and "psychological" motivations.

Concern about the appearance of the labia is the main reason for wanting to have labia, and therefore the most commonly cited reason.

The second most common cause is non-sexual dysfunction, followed by difficulties with sexual intercourse or relationships, and finally psychological problems.

Media depictions of female genitalia have long been thought to have a strong influence on the growing demand for labiaplasty.

Women seeking labiaplasty were exposed to more of these idealized media images and showed a stronger desire to imitate these images than women who did not seek labiaplasty.
Women who have had labiaplasty surgery are more exposed to media images of female genitalia than women who have not had labiaplasty surgery, primarily through the Internet and advertisements for genital plastic surgery.

Researchers have established that the media is a powerful motivator and source of information about genital appearance and strongly influences women's decisions to undergo labiaplasty surgery.

Women say that fortunately, people in relationships rarely receive negative comments about the appearance of their labia from their current partners. They do not have to undergo surgery because they are concerned about their sexual partner's reaction to the appearance of their labia.

Some women seeking genital cosmetic surgery may suffer from body dysmorphic disorder.
It is a pathological preoccupation with a perceived flaw that may seem trivial to others but is greatly exaggerated by the person involved.

However, the perceived imperfections are either extremely painful or impact on social, occupational or other important areas of functioning, so many women choose to undergo plastic surgery.

Body dysmorphic disorder has been reported in many countries and continents around the world.

It is a relatively common somatoform disorder, with epidemiological studies reporting a prevalence of 0.7% to 2.4% in the general population.

People with body dysmorphic disorder often see dermatologists and plastic surgeons.
Approximately 9%-12% of patients in physician dermatology departments suffer from body dysmorphic disorder, and approximately 6%-15% seek cosmetic surgery.

Body dysmorphic disorder is associated with severe and significant impairment in psychosocial functioning.

In an earlier study, 97% of 30 people with body dysmorphic disorder said they had avoided daily social or professional activities in the past because they were embarrassed about their physical imperfections.

About 80% of people with body dysmorphic disorder report past or current suicidal thoughts, about a quarter have attempted suicide, and about a third of people with body dysmorphic disorder report violent behavior.

Cosmetic surgery rarely benefits these patients. Most people who have had plastic surgery say the results are unsatisfactory and do not reduce concerns about their appearance. Patients who come for consultation about aesthetic concerns about the vaginal area often present alone. They are often embarrassed and usually don't want anyone to know that they are requesting genital surgery (the only exception is teenagers who are accompanied by their mothers).

For patients who are accompanied by a partner, the partner has a great influence on the details of the surgery and the appearance of the postoperative area.

Patients must realize that the purpose of plastic surgery is not to directly improve a person's sex life.

The anatomy of the perineal region varies greatly and the incidence of asymmetry is high, so meeting each individual's aesthetic goals can be very challenging.

Counseling should be the first priority for women requesting plastic surgery on their genitals. Topics should include normal and physiological changes in life, as well as unexpected postoperative consequences that may occur in the genital area.

Female genital plastic surgery is increasingly an area of ​​interest for both Western and Eastern women. Various surgeries have been proposed to improve the appearance of the genitals.
Unfortunately, for those suffering from unrecognized body dysmorphia, cosmetic treatments are often the solution.

Education and counseling should be a priority to ensure that women receive reliable information throughout their lives about normal and physiological changes in the vagina and vulva and about the possible adverse consequences of genital cosmetic surgery.

Most people with body dysmorphic disorder do not benefit from cosmetic surgery. They seem dissatisfied and continue to dwell on their shortcomings. Body dysmorphic disorder should be identified preoperatively in patients seeking plastic surgical correction and in patients who may require further psychological evaluation. Only in this way can these women get the best treatment.