Women getting ‘designer vaginas’

A steady supply of women have been undergoing surgery in order to be blessed with 'designer vagina', one of Jamaica's leading plastic surgeons has confirmed.

In order to obtain 'designer vagina', women undergo labia reduction procedures to shrink the flaps on the inside of the vagina.

Dr Jan Hochtritt said labia reduction "is the correction of the small labia, which in some women can be very long and protruded, and cause some problems like soreness".

Other than these health considerations, some women also opt for the surgery to make the labia seem more attractive. Some women feel dissatisfied with the appearance or feel of their genital area, which can have a negative impact on their day-to-day lives, not to mention their mental health.

"They feel like it just doesn't look good," Hochtritt said.

He said that women between the ages of 18 and 40 predominantly have the procedure done.

"Normally, someone who does the procedure should be healed within two to three weeks," said Hochtritt.

The 'designer vagina'-seeking trend has been detected by Designer Bodys, a well-known cosmetic surgery company operating out of the Dominican Republic. Its CEO Michelle Dior noted that labiaplasty procedures are done by making the labia symmetrical, correcting abnormalities, or by decreasing their size.

"We have had a lot of inquiries for both the labiaplasty and vaginal rejuvenation. However, it [labiaplasty] is a common procedure that we have been performing for years," Dior told THE STAR.

She said that labiaplasty are often done by women who want to boost their confidence and comfort level.

The Aesthetic Society is said to have published data which indicates a 36 per cent rise in labiaplasties performed in the US in 2021 when compared to 2020.

While data on the Jamaican situation was not immediately available, Hochtritt said that many women choose to do the procedure because they feel uncomfortable in tight-fitting clothing.

"Underwear can be a problem, or riding the bicycle," he said of the challenges posed when the skin folds that surround your urethra and vagina become too large.

He said, however, that men normally don't have a problem with their partners having enlarged labia.