Have you ever thought of getting anything modified…down there? Apparently a lot of teenage girls have. Vaginal reconstruction surgery has been on the rise. Enough to cause concern in the health community. Labiaplasty has risen 80 since 2014 and shows no signs of slowing down. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has issued a statement to doctors, “urging them to teach and to reassure patients, suggest alternatives to surgery that may alleviate discomfort, and screen them for a psychiatric disorder that causes obsession about perceived physical defects.” This advice has been met by some doctors with praise and suggestions for young girls to look at pictures of unretouched vulvas to remind them of the natural anatomy of female genitalia.
Our plastic surgeon, Dr. Jennifer Walden offers her own pragmatic take on vaginal rejuvenation. Dr. Walden dismissed the idea that girls who wanted the surgery had a psychiatric disorder. “If they’re coming to a cosmetic surgeon, they do not like the cosmetic appearance of it,” said Dr. Walden. Dr. Walden only performs the procedure on patients deemed emotionally stable and had their parents’ consent. “But that often goes hand in hand with a functional element in teenagers as well,” Dr. Walden adds. It seems like the labiaplasty trend is here to stay amongst youth. The best course of action remains to listen and trust the patient’s concerns.
What do you think about the growing popularity of vaginal rejuvenation amongst youth? Leave your comments down below. Make sure to check out the article on the New York Times and Daily Mail.
