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| Dr Gemma Sharp giving a TED talk against a backdrop of labia models |
by Riya Kiran
Cosmetic genital surgery is on the rise and the most common procedure is a labiaplasty, the surgical reduction of the inner vaginal lips so they don’t overlap the outer lips.
This procedure is on the rise in teenage girls.
A 2016 survey of 443 Australian GPs found that a third have seen patients aged below 18 wanting to trim or shape their genitalia. Almost all the doctors surveyed said they had seen women of all ages express concerns about the appearance of their genitalia. The reasons for this anxiety included a perception of normality based on images seen online, particularly those in sexualised media.
A Monash University study – published in the journal, Body Image – has looked at how a 2 minute video highlighting the variability in labia shape and size, aimed at teenagers could assist in creating a positive genital self-image.
