Perfect vaginas not a good idea
Beef Curtains
New warning on 'perfect vaginas'
Women are undergoing surgery to create perfect genitalia amid a "shocking"
lack of information on the potential risks of the procedure, a report says.
Research published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
also questions the very notion of aesthetically pleasing genitals.
Operations to improve the appearance of the sex organs for both
psychological and physical reasons are on the rise.
But surgeons said the report overplayed the risks of an established
procedure.
Researchers from University College London reviewed all the existing
studies on cosmetic labial surgery - which generally involves reducing the
amount of tissue that protrudes from the lips which cover the vagina. They
found there had been little work to document any longer-term side effects.
Labioplasty, as it is known, costs about �3,000 privately and is offered
for a variety of reasons: some women complain that wearing tight clothes or
riding a bike is uncomfortable, while others say they are embarrassed in
front of a sexual partner.
This is a procedure which we have been doing since the 1970s - any
operation performed poorly carries risks, but when it's done properly there
are very few issues at all
Angelica Kavouni
Plastic surgeon
But consultant gynaecologist Sarah Creighton and psychologist Lih-Mei Liao
challenged the ethics of offering women surgery to address such
insecurities, suggesting it was adverts for a "homogenised, pre-pubescent
genital appearance" which created these anxieties in the first place.
They also suggested that any pain apparently caused by protrusion may well
have a psychological root - noting that male genitalia protrude far further
without causing major discomfort.
Counselling and support could therefore be a preferable alternative to
surgery, they argue.
Female circumcision
The number of women undergoing labioplasty nationwide is unknown as the
majority of the operations are performed privately, but last year
procedures on the NHS increased by 70% on the previous year to 1,118.
In studies dating back to 1950, examined by the researchers,
dissatisfaction with the way the vagina looked was the primary reason for
surgery, with patients also speaking of low self-esteem and sexual
difficulties.
Advertisements promote labial surgery as easy answers to women's
insecurities about their genital appearances - insecurities that are
fuelled by the very advertisements that prescribe a homogenised,
pre-pubescent genital appearance standard for all women
Lih-Mei Liao
Report author
But rather than curing sexual problems, Dr Creighton suggested surgery
might exacerbate them by damaging the nerve supply to the area, impairing
sexual sensitivity and satisfaction.
She also suggests that women who undergo this procedure might experience
similar problems in childbirth as those who have experienced female genital
mutilation, in which parts of the vagina are ritualistically removed.
It is now well documented that women who have undergone such circumcision
are more likely to experience significant tearing and bleeding after labour
and even the death of their babies, problems which are overcome by
Caesarean delivery.
"Labial surgery needs to be rigorously evaluated in future, and for longer
term," said Dr Creighton.
"Furthermore, quality research is needed to improve our understanding of
the psychological drivers behind women's decision to sacrifice sexually
sensitive tissue that contributes to erotic experiences, for a certain
genital appearance that used to be an obligation only for some glamour
models."
'Terrorising' patients
Douglas McGeorge, past president of the the British Association of
Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, rejected the comparison with female
circumcision, arguing it was a relatively minor operation with few possible
complications.
"They've gone a bit over the top. Essentially this is just about removing a
bit of loose flesh, leaving behind an elegant-looking labia with minimum
scarring. The procedure won't interfere with sexual function.
"Women want this for a number of reasons - some find it uncomfortable to
ride a bike for instance, but for the majority it is aesthetic, that's
true.
"Lads' mags are looked at by girlfriends, and make them think more about
the way they look. We live in times where we are much more open about our
bodies - and changing them - and labioplasty is simply a part of this."
Angelica Kavouni, a cosmetic surgeon who carries out labioplasty, said it
was wrong to "terrorise patients" with suggestions of long-term
consequences.
"This is a procedure which we have been doing since the 1970s. Any
operation performed poorly carries risks, but when it's done properly there
are very few issues at all.
"I have seen women who I have sent away because I don't think they have a
problem, but for women with serious hypertrophy - when the tissue is dark
and hangs down - there is a simple way to deal with it. The feedback I
receive is very positive indeed."
BJOG editor Professor Philip Steer said the study "underlines the need for
multidisciplinary research to investigate the range of factors that affect
women's sexual function and wellbeing.
"Reliable information on the risks and benefits of labial surgery, as well
as alternative approaches, is vital to ensuring informed choice for women."