WORDS BY LIZZIE MULHERN
“I definitely don’t have any regrets about my decision, but that’s not to say there aren’t days where I wonder if I would have still wanted it if I’d grown up in a more inclusive and body-positive era.“
Paige*, 32, was a child when she started to feel self-conscious about her labia. “I remember seeing the women inside my dad’s adult magazines, and back then they were all photoshopped and neat and tidy. You see that when you’re quite young and think, ‘Wait, I don’t look like that?‘. I guess that started the ball rolling.”
By the time she was in high school, that self-consciousness had become crippling. “Kids would talk and joke about bodies. I remember the boys would talk a lot about ‘innies’ and ‘outies’, and the latter being like ham sandwiches.
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“I think it became a real issue when I was 16. All of my friends were getting into relationships, having sex and all that stuff. But I wasn’t, because I was so uncomfortable with myself. It impacted all of my relationships growing up; I’d never be intimate with my partners. I didn’t feel comfortable telling them why, so I would generally end up terminating the relationship.”
After learning about the labiaplasty procedure, Paige sought a referral from a GP when she was in her early twenties. Unfortunately, it didn’t go well. “The first doctor I went to was really awful. She gave me the God speech: ‘God made you the way you are. If your partner lost his legs, would you still love him?’ and I just left that appointment thinking ‘Am I being really vain?’ I thought ‘Maybe I’m being silly and really selfish or something‘.”
People are often considered superficial for undergoing plastic surgery but for Paige, this procedure felt particularly fraught. “It’s funny because when people get their boobs done they’re happy to talk about it, there’s no shame. But when it comes to this procedure there still seems to be some stigma, although it’s really a similar thing.”
Despite having physical discomfort in tight clothing – “I never wore bikinis,” she tells me – it took Paige a few years to regain the confidence to book another consultation. Thankfully, this time it was with Dr Anh, with no shaming in sight.
“Dr Anh was great. She talked me through the procedure and reassured me that while it wasn’t a dire necessity and not an extreme case, it was completely up to me what I wanted to do. She was very supportive and told me to think about it.”
Paige had her procedure in 2019. She was 28 at the time. “In some ways, I wish I did it sooner. It had taken such a toll. I didn’t have sex until I was 28 after I had booked the surgery. Just knowing I had it booked and that it wouldn’t be an issue was like a weight lifted off my shoulders.”
Paige was happy with the results immediately. Visually, she felt so much more comfortable and said her confidence improved tenfold. “Funnily enough, the guy I slept with just before I had the procedure is still my partner to this day. He said he wouldn’t have even known there was anything wrong.
“I definitely don’t have any regrets about my decision, but that’s not to say there aren’t days where I wonder if I would have still wanted it if I’d grown up in a more inclusive and body-positive era. I hope women in [the] future thinking about the procedure are doing it purely for themselves and not for what other people think.”
Abbey* 25, had her labiaplasty last year and never looked back. “My sex life has completely changed. Before, I didn’t want anyone to go down on me or [to] have sex with the lights on. Now, I’m so much more confident. I’m able to let my partner pleasure me without feeling self-conscious. I get out of the shower and don’t have to wrap a towel around myself – I can just walk around naked!”
Much like Paige, Abbey wanted to have the procedure to improve her confidence. “I had a pretty toxic relationship at quite a young age, which really impacted my sex drive and confidence. He cheated on me at the age of 16 and said some nasty things about my body and what made him do it.
“As I got older, I was with people who didn’t care. But there’s still that self-comparison when you watch porn and think ‘Mine doesn’t look like that’. When I told my partner I wanted this procedure, he said ‘There’s nothing wrong but if it makes you feel better I support it‘.”
While Abbey had no doubts about her decision, she was careful to do her due diligence when choosing her surgeon. “I was a bit concerned beforehand as, with any surgery, [there are] things that can go wrong. But as soon as I found Dr Konrat at Brisbane Cosmetic Clinic I felt confident. She’s a real pioneer in this space and has innovated a technique for the procedure that a lot of others now use.
“Dr Konrat said ‘You’re completely fine and you really don’t need it, but if it’s going to make you feel better that’s worthwhile’. She’s a mum and has a really calm and caring nature, there was no pressure and no judgement.”
Abbey’s procedure went smoothly. She was finished in an hour and said the recovery was more uncomfortable than painful. “There was swelling that went down after two weeks, and having the stitches removed felt a bit like laser [hair removal],” she tells me. Though Abbey kept her decision to herself prior to the procedure, she felt comfortable sharing it afterwards.
“I didn’t want to tell anyone beforehand, but after I got it done I told half my friends. A lot of them didn’t even know it was possible. I tell everyone to go to Dr Konrat! If anyone is considering a labiaplasty but you’re scared, don’t overthink it. For six or seven months I felt too self-conscious to go and talk to someone about my vagina. But if there’s something that’s going to make you feel better, do it.”
Asking an expert
Labiaplasty procedures are growing in popularity among women of all ages for a number of reasons, explains Dr Anh. “There’s a greater awareness of what is now possible with body modification, largely due to social media. It has also become more popular due to the accessibility of pornography, and physical trends which circulate there,” she says.
“However, as we all know, all that is seen in pornography is not always true! Airbrushing of the genitalia is common, and gives the perception that women are supposed to have what is referred to as an ‘innie’, where the labia is not on show. Less genital hair is also a trend driven via pornography together with wild screaming orgasms which is also not the case for everyone.”
The procedure is common in women aged 21 to post-menopause, and the most common reasons for it are disliking the aesthetics or appearance, discomfort when wearing jeans and certain underwear or during sex, hygiene concerns and self-confidence with intimacy.
The procedure – which can range from $4000 to $10,000 depending on the specific requirements – involves reshaping the vulva area to look less conspicuous with less tissue, reducing the clitoral hood, and reducing the length and width of the labia minora. “Surgery can be done under local or general anaesthetic and takes about 90 to 120 minutes,” explains Dr Anh.
The recovery is generally two weeks of rest and no exercise, gym, swimming or sexual intercourse for six weeks. “Labiaplasty is a great tool to improve function, comfort and aesthetics of the female genital region if these things are an issue for you, but it is also important to have realistic expectations,” says Dr Anh.
“Women are more empowered today and can change how they want to look and feel. There are all sorts of technologies on the market which are working towards removing the stigma of women who want to both look and feel better. For example, Cliovana is a non-invasive sound-wave treatment which enhances the sensitive area around the clitoris, making it easier for women who may normally struggle to reach orgasm reach orgasms and beyond.
“Above all, when it comes to a labiaplasty or any invasive surgical procedure it is especially important to do your research. Make sure that your practitioner is a registered specialist surgeon, not just a ‘cosmetic surgeon’, and look for the title FRACS after their name. These experienced specialists have an additional eight to 12 years of experience and will guide you through a consultation that will reach a positive outcome for all of your concerns. You can find a specialist registered plastic surgeon using the ASAPS website.”
*Names changed to protect privacy.
The medical information in this article is general in nature. Please consult your GP for advice specific to you. For more information on labiaplasties, try this.
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