Sherry
Legend Member
- Points
- 501
Apparently the number of women seeking genital cosmetic surgery (GCS) is increasing. With so many surgical options available it seems more women are seeking to undergo a "vaginal rejuvenation".
There are several procedures that come under the term GCS. They include:
Labiaplasty – This involves surgery to the labia minora (inner lips) and less frequently, the labia majora (outer lips). Labiaplasty of the labia minora is the most commonly performed GCS procedure. It generally involves reducing the size of the inner lips so they do not protrude below the outer lips. It is also used to correct asymmetry of the lips, where one lip is significantly different in size/length to the other. Some women have labiaplasty because their labia cause them chafing, irritation and also limit their participation in activities such as bike riding. However, many women also undergo labiaplasty because they are embarrassed about the appearance of their labia.
Vaginoplasty – This involves tightening the inside of the vagina and the vaginal opening by removing excess tissue from the vaginal lining. It effectively results in a vagina with a smaller diameter. Vaginoplasty is often promoted as a solution for women who have experienced a loss of vaginal tone due to childbirth. It is also referred to as 'vaginal rejuvenation'.
Hymenoplasty – This procedure reconstructs the hymen (the thin membrane of skin that partially covers the vaginal entrance in a virgin). The edges of the torn hymen are reconnected so that when sexual intercourse takes place the membrane will tear and bleed. While hymenoplasty is predominantly performed for religious or cultural reasons, it is also being promoted as 're-virgination', for women who want to give their partner the 'gift' of their virginity.
Labia majora augmentation – This procedure seeks to plump up the outer lips by injecting them with fatty tissue taken from another part of the woman's body.
Vulval lipoplasty – This procedure involves the use of liposuction to remove fat deposits from the mons pubis (the pad of fatty tissue covered by pubic hair). This results in the mons pubis being less prominent.
G-spot augmentation – This procedure involves injecting a substance such as collagen into the G-spot in order to enhance its size and, therefore, theoretically also a woman's sexual pleasure. The effects will last 3-4 months on average after which the procedure needs to be repeated.
Clitoral hood reduction – This procedure involves reducing the hood of skin which surrounds the clitoris, exposing the glans (or head) of the clitoris that lies underneath. A clitoral hood reduction is aimed at providing more stimulation, therefore, heightening a woman's sexual pleasure. The procedure is also known as hoodectomy.
As with any surgical procedure there are always risks which include:
• bleeding
• wound dehiscence
• infection
• scarring, resulting in lumpy irregular margins of tissue or eversion of inner lining of labia, resulting in an unnatural appearance
• sensorineural complications secondary to poor healing or scarring
• dyspareunia
• removal of too much tissue, resulting in pain with and without intercourse – for example, clitoral hood reductions where too much clitoral tissue remains exposed and rubs onto undergarments and causes pain and discomfort
tearing of scar tissue during childbirth following previous FGCS procedures
• psychological distress
• reduced lubrication.
The long-term outcomes of FGCS have not yet been researched.10 Trends change and the aesthetic ideal that is promoted now might alter with time.
No controlled evaluation of short- and long-term clinical effectiveness of cosmetic procedures can be identified in published literature. According to Professor Helen O’Connell, urological surgeon at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, tissue that is excised in labiaplasty may appear to be ‘just skin’, but the labia minora are derived from the primordial phallus and its excision is likely to interfere with sexual pleasure.
In the past, cosmetic genitoplasty has been criticised and debated because it can result in impaired sexual function. The nerve density, epithelial qualities and vascular compartments of the labia minora that contribute to sexual arousal and orgasm are poorly defined. Surgical procedure development and counselling about surgical risks related to labiaplasty may be based on inadequate information.
There are several procedures that come under the term GCS. They include:
Labiaplasty – This involves surgery to the labia minora (inner lips) and less frequently, the labia majora (outer lips). Labiaplasty of the labia minora is the most commonly performed GCS procedure. It generally involves reducing the size of the inner lips so they do not protrude below the outer lips. It is also used to correct asymmetry of the lips, where one lip is significantly different in size/length to the other. Some women have labiaplasty because their labia cause them chafing, irritation and also limit their participation in activities such as bike riding. However, many women also undergo labiaplasty because they are embarrassed about the appearance of their labia.
Vaginoplasty – This involves tightening the inside of the vagina and the vaginal opening by removing excess tissue from the vaginal lining. It effectively results in a vagina with a smaller diameter. Vaginoplasty is often promoted as a solution for women who have experienced a loss of vaginal tone due to childbirth. It is also referred to as 'vaginal rejuvenation'.
Hymenoplasty – This procedure reconstructs the hymen (the thin membrane of skin that partially covers the vaginal entrance in a virgin). The edges of the torn hymen are reconnected so that when sexual intercourse takes place the membrane will tear and bleed. While hymenoplasty is predominantly performed for religious or cultural reasons, it is also being promoted as 're-virgination', for women who want to give their partner the 'gift' of their virginity.
Labia majora augmentation – This procedure seeks to plump up the outer lips by injecting them with fatty tissue taken from another part of the woman's body.
Vulval lipoplasty – This procedure involves the use of liposuction to remove fat deposits from the mons pubis (the pad of fatty tissue covered by pubic hair). This results in the mons pubis being less prominent.
G-spot augmentation – This procedure involves injecting a substance such as collagen into the G-spot in order to enhance its size and, therefore, theoretically also a woman's sexual pleasure. The effects will last 3-4 months on average after which the procedure needs to be repeated.
Clitoral hood reduction – This procedure involves reducing the hood of skin which surrounds the clitoris, exposing the glans (or head) of the clitoris that lies underneath. A clitoral hood reduction is aimed at providing more stimulation, therefore, heightening a woman's sexual pleasure. The procedure is also known as hoodectomy.
As with any surgical procedure there are always risks which include:
• bleeding
• wound dehiscence
• infection
• scarring, resulting in lumpy irregular margins of tissue or eversion of inner lining of labia, resulting in an unnatural appearance
• sensorineural complications secondary to poor healing or scarring
• dyspareunia
• removal of too much tissue, resulting in pain with and without intercourse – for example, clitoral hood reductions where too much clitoral tissue remains exposed and rubs onto undergarments and causes pain and discomfort
tearing of scar tissue during childbirth following previous FGCS procedures
• psychological distress
• reduced lubrication.
The long-term outcomes of FGCS have not yet been researched.10 Trends change and the aesthetic ideal that is promoted now might alter with time.
No controlled evaluation of short- and long-term clinical effectiveness of cosmetic procedures can be identified in published literature. According to Professor Helen O’Connell, urological surgeon at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, tissue that is excised in labiaplasty may appear to be ‘just skin’, but the labia minora are derived from the primordial phallus and its excision is likely to interfere with sexual pleasure.
In the past, cosmetic genitoplasty has been criticised and debated because it can result in impaired sexual function. The nerve density, epithelial qualities and vascular compartments of the labia minora that contribute to sexual arousal and orgasm are poorly defined. Surgical procedure development and counselling about surgical risks related to labiaplasty may be based on inadequate information.
