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Women all over the world are worried about their faces, their hair, their body image, as if that wasn’t enough, cosmetic surgery to create a “designer vagina” has stemmed an increasing concern for the safety of such procedures.

Labiaplasty, a cosmetic procedure to make the vagina smaller is an expensive and invasive surgery hat may cause long term effects in sexual function and comfort.

Believed to be an irrevocable surgery, many experts are concerned that the cosmetic benefits may not outweigh the potential for life long discomfort. There simply hasn’t been enough long term research to know the effects this surgery has on the future health of a woman’s genitals. Though patients have reported satisfaction with the procedure, it is thought that more research may reveal that the positive reactions are regarding the cosmetic appeal and are not revealing physical symptoms that might occur with such an operation. Discomfort and lack of sensation are thought to be possible side effects of the procedure.

The appeal of this surgery seems to stem from the insecurities that women hold regarding ther bodies. Lih-Mei Liao, a consultant psychologist at UCL, told The Times that insecurities may be fueled by the media that presents “a homogenized, prepubescent genital appearance standard for all women.” Distorted public opinion about what is physically normal for a woman’s body may be behind the surge in this type of surgery.

Tighter regulations are needed to regulate this type of surgery for effectiveness and long term effects. Because so little is known about the procedure, potential patients have no way of being properly informed about the side effects and hazards of this irreversible surgery.

Grwoing number of women are owning up to being unhappy with how their genitalia looks.

BBC’s Newsbeat is reporting that a rising number of women are undergoing vaginal surgery in order to improve the appearance of their genitalia.

Treatments such as labial reduction are increasingly popular in the UK and in America. Women often undergo the treatment in an attempt to get what they might perceive as the ‘perfect’ vagina.

Labial reduction is often performed on women who have irregular or slightly longer labia than usual. Not only can this be uncomfortable, particularly during sexual intercourse, but it can often prove to be embarrassing for women as well. The procedure itself reduces the size of the labia and the effects are often permanent.

According to Dr Helen Colen, interviewed by Newsbeat and is a plastic surgeon in Manhattan, there has always been demand for vaginal reconstruction, but women have not always felt comfortable asking for it
“Today people examine everything and every part of their body. Today the vagina is not such a taboo as it was years ago.”

In the last five years, the number of labial reductions carried out by the NHS rose from 400 in 2000 / 2001, to 800 in 2004 / 2005. It can cost anywhere from £1,000 to £5,000 depending on the specifics of the treatment involved.

Women who have long or unequal lengths of the labia mirrors can have them reconstructed aesthetically. It is not uncommon for a woman to be dissatisfied with the appearance of their genitalia, be it from elongated inner lips or unequal symmetry.

Surgery can restore the ‘normal’ look of the vagina. Once performed, the surgery is often undetectable in most cases, especially once they have healed. Patients have often been very satisfied with the results.

You can read more about labial reduction here at Cosmetic Surgeon. Only after an in depth discussion with your surgeon will you be able to decide if the treatment is right for you. Together with a specialist in the area you can discuss and debate the risks and possible outcomes of the procedure. 1000s of women can benefit from the treatment every year.