Sex.co.nz

If porn magazines are anything to go by, female pussies are hairless slits with only the faintest pale-pink lips.

And many real women are beginning to think that there’s something wrong with them down there because of it.

Labiaplasty, or reduction of the labial folds, is a recognized medical procedure for certain conditions, but more and more women are requesting plastic surgery on their private bits in order to make their vaginas more aesthetically pleasing.

Porn stars and sex workers have long known that protruding labia are unattractive.  Just like having a boob job, getting a labiaplasty has become de rigueur in the industry.

But what many porn consumers don’t realize is that the pussies shown in these movies and magazines are NOT a gift of nature.  In its natural state, a mature woman’s pussy will range in color from pink to brown, and the size of the labial folds can range from a few millimeters to a few centimeters.

Cultural trends such as thong underwear and bikini waxing are exposing women to the unairbrushed reality of their vaginas like never before.  Further emphasizing the relationship between sex and art, Charlotte gets a painting done of her vagina in an episode of Sex and the City.

So what’s wrong with getting a little plastic surgery done on one’s private bits to make them more appealing?

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a LOT.

No research has been done to prove that the labiaplasty is a safe cosmetic procedure.  Complications can arise, such as scarring, incontinence, and decreased lubrication.

Furthermore, with the World Health Organization and UNICEF lobbying against the genital mutilation of girls that takes place in places such as Africa, it seems ironic that Western women are paying up to $10,000 to have a similar procedure done.

Expect the debate to continue as “designer vaginas” become an increasingly visible part of the cosmetic surgeon’s practice.