Experts describe the field of female genital cosmetic surgery as the “Wild West,” but the lack of regulation and consensus has not kept it from exploding in recent years.
More than 10,000 labiaplasties were performed in 2016, a 23% jump over the previous year, and the procedures are offered by more than 35% of all plastic surgeons, according to data from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. As another indicator of increasing attention to the appearance of female genitalia, a 2013 survey of U.S. women revealed that more than 80% performed some sort of pubic hair grooming ( JAMA Dermatol. 2016;152[10]:1106-13 ).
What’s driving the surge in demand for cosmetic gynecologic procedures? Highly-curated, and extensively retouched, images on social media and the mainstream media are leaving many women and men with little idea of the real range of normal female external genitalia, Cheryl Iglesia, MD , said at the annual clinical and scientific meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Dr. Iglesia recounted being contacted by a National Gallery of Art staff member, who, when confronted with Gustave Courbet’s L’Origine du Monde, an 1866 below-the-waist portrait of a nude woman, asked, “Is this normal? Do women have this much hair?” Dr. Iglesia said she reassured the staff member that the woman in the portrait did indeed have a normal female Tanner stage IV or V escutcheon. However, she said, social media and other images in the popular press have essentially erased female pubic hair from the public eye, even in explicit imagery that involves female nudity.
“This is an ideal that men and women are seeing in social media, in pornography, and even in the lay press.” And now, she said, “We’re in a new era of sex surgeries, with these ‘nips and tucks’ below the belt.”
Labiaplasty
The combination of a newly-hairless genital region, together with portrayals of adult women with a “Barbie doll” appearance, may contribute to women feeling self-conscious about labia minora protruding beyond the labia majora. Dr. Iglesia , who is section director for female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C., said this is true even though the normal length of labia minora can range from 7 mm to 5 cm.
That’s where labiaplasty comes in. The procedure, which can be performed with conventional surgical techniques or with a laser, is sometimes done for functional reasons.
“It’s a reasonable consideration if asymmetric or hypertrophic labia cause chronic irritation or interfere with the ability to wear certain clothing or be comfortable during exercise,” Chris Zahn, MD , ACOG’s vice president of practice activities, said in an interview.
The waters are murkier when labiaplasty is performed for cosmetic reasons, to get that “Barbie doll” look, with some offices advertising the procedure as “designer lips,” Dr. Iglesia said.
In 2007, ACOG issued a committee opinion expressing concern about the lack of data and sometimes deceptive marketing practices surrounding a number of cosmetic vaginal surgeries ( Obstet Gynecol 2007;110:737–8 ). The policy was reaffirmed in 2017.
Similarly, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada issued a 2013 statement about labiaplasty and other female genital cosmetic surgeries saying that “there is little evidence to support any of the female genital cosmetic surgeries in terms of improvement to sexual satisfaction or self-images. Physicians choosing to proceed with these cosmetic procedures should not promote these surgeries for the enhancement of sexual function and advertising of female genital cosmetic surgical procedures should be avoided.”
However, Mickey Karram, MD , who is director of the urogynecology program at Christ Hospital, Cincinnatti, said that informed consent is the key to dealing appropriately with these procedures.
“If a patient is physically bothered from a cosmetic standpoint that her labia are larger than she thinks they should be, and they are bothering her, is it appropriate or inappropriate to potentially discuss with her a labiaplasty?” Dr. Karram said at the ACOG meeting. For the patient who understands the risk and is also clear that the procedure is not medically necessary, he said he “feels strongly” that labiaplasty should be an option.
Fractional laser
The introduction of the fractional laser to gynecology is also adding to the debate about the appropriate integration of gynecologic procedures that may have nonmedical uses, such as vaginal “tightening.” Used primarily intravaginally, these devices have shallow penetration and are meant to stimulate collagen, proteoglycan, and hyaluronic acid synthesis with minimal tissue damage and downtime. One such device, the MonaLisa Touch, is marketed in the United States by Cynosure.
These energy sources hold great promise for the genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) and other conditions, Dr. Karram said. “Many of these energy sources are being promoted for actual disease states, like vulvovaginal atrophy and lichen sclerosus,” he said.
Dr. Iglesia is not so sure: “This is not the fountain of youth.” She pointed out that the vasculature and innervation of the vagina and vulva are complex, with the outer one-eighth of the vagina being much more highly innervated. Laser treatment with a shallow penetration depth may not get at all of the issues that contribute to GSM.
“Is marketing ahead of the science? I would say yes,” she said. “There’s too much hype about this curing vaginal dryness and making your sex life better.”
Dr. Zahn also urged caution with the use of this technology. “The data are very limited, but, despite this, it’s become a very popular and highly-advertised approach. We need larger studies and more longitudinal data. This is especially true since one of the proposed ways this device works is by stimulating fibrosis. In every other body system, fibrosis stimulation may result in scarring. We have no idea if this is the case with this device. If it is, its application could result in worsening of bodily function, especially in regard to dyspareunia,” he said. “We clearly need more data.”
In 2016, ACOG issued a position statement about the fractional carbon dioxide and yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser systems that had received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration. The statement advised both ob.gyns. and patients that “this technology is, in fact, neither approved nor cleared by the FDA for the specific indication of treating vulvovaginal atrophy.”
Both Dr. Karram and Dr. Iglesia are investigators in an ongoing randomized, placebo- and sham-controlled trial comparing vaginal estrogen and laser therapy used both in conjunction and singly.
‘No-go’ procedures
Though Dr. Karram and Dr. Iglesia disagree on whether cosmetic labiaplasty is appropriate, they were in agreement that certain procedures are so untested, or have such potential risk with no proven benefit, that they should not be performed at all. The procedures on both physicians’ “no-go” lists included clitoral unhooding, G-spot amplification, “revirginification” in any form, vulval recontouring with autologous fat, and the so-called “O-shot,” injections of platelet-rich plasma that are touted as augmenting the sexual experience.
What’s to be done?
There is also agreement that a lack of common terminology is a significant problem. Step one, Dr. Karram said, is doing away with the term vaginal rejuvenation. “This is a terrible term. … There’s no real definition for this term.” He called for a multidisciplinary working group that would bring together gynecologists, plastic surgeons, and dermatologists to begin the work of terminology standardization.
From there, he proposed that the group develop a classification system that clarifies whether procedures are being done for cosmetic reasons, to enhance the sexual experience, or to address a specific disease state. Finally, he said, the group should recommend standardized outcome metrics that can be used to study the various interventions.
Dr. Zahn applauded this notion. “It’s a great point. I agree that multiple disciplines should be involved in examining outcomes, statistics, and criteria for evaluating procedures.” And gynecologists should be leading this effort, Dr. Karram suggested. “Who knows this anatomy the best? We do.” He added, “If it’s going to be addressed, it should be addressed by us.”
But, Dr. Iglesia said she worries about vulnerable populations, such as adolescents and cancer survivors, who may undergo surgeries, for which the benefits may not outweigh the potential risks. For labiaplasty and laser resurfacing techniques, there have been a small number of studies on outcomes and patient satisfaction that have generally been conducted at single centers with no comparison arms and limited follow-up, she said.
“I also am concerned about pain, scarring, altered sensation, painful sex that could develop, wound complications, and what happens over time,” especially when these procedures may be performed on adolescents or women in their 20s or 30s who may later go on to have children, Dr. Iglesia said.
The question, she said, is not just whether gynecologists are better equipped than plastic surgeons or dermatologists to be performing female genital cosmetic surgery, “but should we be doing this at all?”
Dr. Zahn emphasized the need for evidence to guide decision making. “There has to be data that there is benefit and that the benefit outweighs the potential harm. There is no data on most cosmetic gynecologic procedures. If there are no data, they shouldn’t be done because we would not have the information necessary to appropriately counsel patients,” he said.
Dr. Karram has a financial relationship with Cynosure, which markets the MonaLisa Touch system in the United States. Dr. Iglesia reported that she had no relevant financial disclosures. Dr. Zahn is employed by ACOG.
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