Designer vagina operations – men don’t care

by | Cosmetic Surgery, Men's Health, Sexual Health, Women's Health

Most men are totally happy with the appearance of their female partner’s genitals, despite a growing trend among women to surgically change the way they look.

Almost all said they would never suggest to their partner that she consider labiaplasty, a cosmetic surgery procedure to alter the labia – the folds of skin surrounding the vulva.

This suggests male and female perceptions of female genital anatomy do not align, say researchers, who surveyed 248 young, mostly tertiary-educated men about what is considered an attractive labia minora (the inner folds of the vulva).

Their Australian study shows that despite rates of cosmetic labiaplasty tripling over the past decade, this cultural shift appears to be primarily driven by women, not men.

In fact, most men interviewed said they were against the idea of female genital cosmetic surgery, with just 14% in favour of it.

While the study indicates that the majority of men do not have a preferred appearance for female genitalia, 30% admitted liking a “small and tucked-in” labia minora, according to the researchers from James Cook University in Townsville.

However, when asked about pubic hair presentation, the majority of men indicated they were not in favour of the natural look.

Forty-five per cent said they preferred their partner to be completely hairless and 25% liked the pubic hair trimmed. Only 5% favoured a natural presentation.

The researchers suggest the lack of pubic hair might allow an undue focus by women on the labia minora.

“It draws attention towards any perceived abnormality such as size, symmetry or colour,” they write in International Urogynecology.

The researchers say their study highlights the need for education about normal variations in female genital anatomy.

Amanda Davey