Chicago Plastic Surgeon

In the past few months, it is apparent that the media and public have become obsessed with the appearance of the female genitalia.

Why is this? An ever increasing media exposure and subsequent comfort level with this topic is obviously apparent. No matter where you look. It’s a hot topic! You can’t deny it.

Once a rare issue, a panty-less Sharon Stone in the movie “Basic Instinct” generated tremendous controversy. Currently, we have become jaded as genitalia discussions permeate all aspects of the media ranging from pornography to designer fashion to glamour magazines to health & fitness topics to the dating scenes and now even the Disney channel.

There is no doubt about it. Search engines are overrun with people attempting to find the latest pictures of celebrities who intentionally or unintentionally expose their genitalia to the paparazzi. Around the water cooler or at social gatherings, people talk about the latest panty-less pictures of Lindsay Lohan/Paris Hilton/Britney Spears. It doesn’t stop there; not only do people hunt down these photos on the internet but they also make aggressive comments pertaining to genital details in numerous chat rooms and blog sites. Checkout the latest buzz on sites such as perezhilton.com or tmz.com centering around the Disney Channel’s High School Musical star, Vanessa Hudgens. It’s interesting to note how many bloggers feel free to comment on the young star's genital grooming habits. There is more discussion of her pubic hair than her breasts! Now that’s a twist.

So it is no wonder why young and old women alike turn their focus on their own genitalia. As a result, personal hair grooming or anatomical appearance of the vagina/vulva has become an important criterion by which women judge themselves and has generated much interest in their options for perceived improvement. This has driven women, in larger numbers than ever, to seek hair removal and cosmetic surgery of the female genitalia. Procedures such as labiaplasty, vaginaplasty, labia minora or labia majora augmentation or reduction, clitoral hood reduction, anal bleaching and many more are being requested far more frequently in recent years. Criticism and judgments have been made by a variety of concerned groups with some of the most heated comments coming from feminists and Gynecologists. However, this has done little to quench the appetite for these procedures.

It is of note that on September 1, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) declared so-called "vaginal rejuvenation," "designer vaginoplasty," "revirgination," and "G-spot amplification" procedures to be not medically indicated, nor is there documentation of their safety and effectiveness.

This press release prompted numerous articles including a balanced article featuring Dr. Otto Placik and published by the Chicago Sun-Times:
http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/539731,CST-NWS-contro03.article
While I applaud ACOG’s interest in the well being of women contemplating the procedure, I believe it is important to make certain distinctions that are not clear from this press release. As a patient advocate, I have found the following to be true:

1. Women seeking female genital surgery for appearance are typically aware that they are undergoing a cosmetic procedure. They are not seeking justification or confirmation by anyone other than themselves. This comment, quoted in the Chicago Tribune article by a medical professional, infers a psychological problem: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-cosmetic_31aug31,0,7734462.story
   "If someone doesn't like the way they look or their heart is broken, surgery isn't going to fix that," said Dr. Linda Brubaker, professor of obstetrics, gynecology and urology at Loyola University Medical Center. "Those problems are above the belly button, not below." Would this expert say the same for other commonly accepted cosmetic procedures such as breast enlargement or tummy tucks?
2. Women, who come in complaining of pain and discomfort, are insulted by the somewhat condescending comments made by professionals who claim otherwise or downplay their symptoms. In my experience, women who are increasingly fit and participating in extreme physical sports/exercise expose their groomed and bare genitalia to repetitive friction. In the past, a cushion of pubic hair would have protected against these injuries.

This is not to say that this surgery should be undertaken lightly. Any person contemplating these procedures should review the risks, alternatives, and benefits after a thorough consultation and physical examination with her health care professionals.

Please e-mail or call our Chicago or Arlington Heights plastic surgery offices for more information on our cosmetic female genital procedures.