Genital cosmetic surgeons need greater awareness

Practitioners of female genital cosmetic surgery should be more aware of the wide variation in appearance of female genitalia and be wary of performing surgery on women whose genital dimensions are normal, says a new review co-authored by Sarah Creighton from the UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health. The review is published today in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist (TOG) and also points out that the long term risks of this kind of surgery have not been sufficiently explored. Female genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS) is becoming increasingly prevalent and encompasses a wide range of procedures such as labia reduction, clitoral hood reduction, hymenoplasty and revirgination. Labioplasty is the most common first-line FGCS procedure and involves reduction of the labia and sometimes reduction of the clitoral hood. Hymenoplasty involves creating scar tissue so that a woman whose hymen is no longer intact can bleed the next time she has intercourse. Other forms of FCGS, such as revirgination and G-spot amplification, are more contentious and lack reliable data on their effectiveness say the authors. The review explores the factors which may be linked to this rise in FGCS procedures.