With the rise of pornography and picture-perfect photos on the likes of OnlyFans, many young women are feeling the pressure to have a 'designer vagina'.
Despite everyone's body being different, many women are desperate to go under the knife to find 'perfection' for their intimate parts.
There is a campaign running which is calling for one of the most common surgeries, a labiaplasty, to be outlawed in the UK in the same way as female genital mutilation (FGM).
A labiaplasty is described by the NHS as 'a surgery to reduce the size of the labia minora – the flaps of skin either side of the vaginal opening'.
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One woman who underwent the procedure told the Independent how it has left her in 'excruciating pain', after she had been wanting the surgery from the young age of just 14.
The woman, who did not want to be named, told the paper how the operation has left her with many regrets. She said she felt a labiaplasty would 'fix' her problems, as she was 'insecure' about the size of her labia, after 'vulgar' friends compounded her worries when she confided in them.
Referred to as 'Riley' in the interview, she went under the knife at 22, and says she was told she was 'the perfect candidate' for what was claimed to be a 'super simple' surgery.
Instead she found she was left feeling 'extremely drained and uncomfortable' following the operation, and now regularly experiences irritation, dryness and recurring infections at the site and 'can’t sit directly on it for long'.
It has had a shocking impact on her love life, too, as she says she now finds sex to be 'excruciatingly painful and mentally distressing'.
She explained: “I’m so sad. Penetration was never painful before. I feel so angry at the surgeon, the system and myself for making this decision, it makes me so angry how casually this procedure is promoted as increasing sexual confidence, improving hygiene, and even making underwear more physically comfortable.”
However, it's worth noting that some women need to have a labiaplasty for medical reasons, as they experience severe pain or chafing during penetration, or infections and bleeding from chafing on underwear or clothing.
It has also been recommended as a medical necessity in cases where the appearance is causing 'severe psychological distress'.
Riley has said another surgeon has suggested she could undergo reconstructive surgery of a similar kind used on victims of FGM.
Plastic surgeons previously warned that the procedure is set to be 'the world's fastest-growing cosmetic procedure', and youngsters on TikTok have been sharing posts about the surgery, seeking what many call a 'Barbie' vagina.
FGM is illegal in the UK, but labiaplasty surgery can be performed on any consenting patient over the age of 18. In 2024, there were 634 such operations, according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS).
Sema Gornall is the Chief Executive of a charity called The Vavengers, which is fighting for the procedure to be outlawed.
"There are over 10,000 nerve fibres on the female genitalia. If I can’t consent to cutting off my arm without a medical reason... I can’t consent to cutting off my genitalia as well”, she said.
A spokesperson for the World Health Organization said: "Decisions about labiaplasty and other forms of plastic surgery are not the focus of WHO’s efforts to end FGM”.
Topics: Health, NHS, Social Media, Sex and Relationships
Jen Thomas