Cosmetic surgery for ladyparts

LeeHoffmann

In this month's copy of Elle magazine, there's an article entitled 'Can surgery lead to better sex?'. The author, Avril Mair, heads off to the Laser Vaginal Rejuvination Institute of Los Angeles to interview the doc who makes his living carrying out plastic surgery on ladybits. Dr. Matlock claims to treat up to 50 patients a month and the cost is anything between £6k - £9k sterling. The three surgeries offered are: internal vaginoplasty ('tightening up for improved pleasure'), external labiaplasty ('for aesthetic enhancement') and liposculting (to 'remove unwanted fat pockets'). The article goes on to state that "there were 1118 labiaplasty ops in the UK in 2008 , a 70% increase on the previous year".

So, the questions I have are - is this going to become the new Botox or is it going too far? Will it take off here? And finally, the doc in question (Dr Matlock) states that p0 rn is the reason women are pushing for this type of surgery, saying "I have so much p0 rn in my office - and it's all been brought in by women . They show me magazines and say 'I don't look like this but I want to'". Do you think this is an inevitable consequence of the prevalence of adult movies? Do you think you would ever consider it?

I searched for a link to the article on Elle's UK website but couldn't find one. Sorry! I only have the hard copy mag in front of me

Acoshla

I've seen women on tv who had these and they went wrong, not that I ever would have considered it but watching the damage caused would cement the fact. But if some women are stupid enough to think they should look like p0rn stars and that invasive expensive and dangerous surgery is the way to do it there's not a lot you can do to stop them. There'll always be a surgeon somewhere willing to perform stupid crap like this for the money offered.

EverEvolving

I would NEVER get anything done down there for aesthetic reasons, but if I had a skite of babas and in turn had a loosey goosey and sex wasn't as good then I would consider the internal vaginoplasty ('tightening up for improved pleasure') after researching the pros and cons in detail. I know there are exercises for that, but if they didn't work then ya, I think I’d go for it provided it was pretty safe.

Maple

"Aesthetic enhancement"??

It's a vagina. You can put lipstick and a fancy hat on it and it still ain't going to look like a bouquet of flowers.

That's ludicrous.

28064212

Maple wrote: »

"Aesthetic enhancement"??

It's a vagina. You can put lipstick and a fancy hat on it and it still ain't going to look like a bouquet of flowers.

That's ludicrous.

You could put a bouquet of flowers in it......:o

Having a vagina aesthetically enhanced isn't much more ludicrous that having your nose enhanced, yet rhinoplasty is very popular. Either all elective cosmetic surgery is ludicrous, or none is

(Also, now I'm imagining a hat-wearing vagina, thanks Maple :pac:)

cdaly_

I'm just wondering whose pleasure gets improved here? Does tighter improve things from the female perspective?

LeeHoffmann

Having a vagina aesthetically enhanced isn't much more ludicrous that having your nose enhanced,

Dr. Matlock agrees with you. From the aricle:

"Once you've had your breasts done, your nose and your chin, then you come here for a designer vagina".

Why are so many people worrying about this though? I mean - I would have never thought that this area really needs to be 'fixed' -pretty much the same as what Maple said. Obviously this doc and his patients think differently (the aim is to make everything look 'neat and slick and symmetrical'). I haven't had any kids though - I dunno, does it really make that big a difference?

I'm just wondering whose pleasure gets improved here? Does tighter improve things from the female perspective?

The doctor says it's for both the man's and the woman's pleasure

I know it's cultural and all, maybe, but these women are so worried I'd be more concerned they need a counsellor for self esteem issues than fixing up everything excessively with surgery. There are disorders out there where they're just obsessed with it and are never happy.
Anyway, this isn't about disorders, it just all sounds a bit ludicrous to me.
But if they want it then off they go and get it.

caseyann

Personally i feel if its not broken it doesnt need fixing and instead of encouraging women and men to cut themselves up to feel beautiful,the media should be portraying and movies all women and men as beautiful.
I saw a girl of i think 19 on tv last week wanting butt implants She had a lovely bum already.The world is a shallow ****ty place.
You can not fix whats wrong with you inside by cutting up the outside.

And now this
A good looking vagina lol right

Maple

28064212 wrote: »

Having a vagina aesthetically enhanced isn't much more ludicrous that having your nose enhanced, yet rhinoplasty is very popular. Either all elective cosmetic surgery is ludicrous, or none is

I disagree. I'm not against all cosmetic surgery, sure I do think some of it is just plain nuts but I know friends who have gotten their noses & breasts "fixed" and it has made a world of difference to their self confidence.

28064212 wrote: »

(Also, now I'm imagining a hat-wearing vagina, thanks Maple :pac:)

Mine wears a beret.

LeeHoffmann

Either all elective cosmetic surgery is ludicrous, or none is

Missed this earlier. I don't agree. Some elective surgery is easy to understand - to fix facial disfigurement or restructuring noses etc after an accident, but getting 'butt implants' (:pac::pac: never heard of this before either!!) or getting your vagina tightened is in a different league I'd think

Edit: oops just saw Maple's post

baby and crumble

Am I the only one who thinks that vaginas don't look as weird and manky as boy bits? I quite like them...

Ok, i may be biased, and all, but still... designer vaginas, honestly! What's next you sew a little man playing polo on your bum cheeks? Who the hell sees your vagina anyway, usually like, one or 2 people, and really if they're close enough to you to be seeing your parts up close, then surely they actually like you for you and don't give a monkeys if one lip is bigger than the other or something?

LittleBook

LeeHoffmann wrote: »

They show me magazines and say 'I don't look like this but I want to'".

Oh FFS. :rolleyes:

On a lighter note, this reminds me of a joke story I read years back ... lady has gyno appointment at 9.30 and the clinic calls to tell her that the appointment's been moved to 9.00, can she make it? She says "yes", runs the kids out the door to school and dashes to the bathroom for a quick wash using a cloth she finds by the sink and then throws in the laundry.

She goes for the appointment and the doctor's doing what needs to be done down there and says smilingly "My, my ... we have made an effort today, haven't we?" She thinks this is odd but says nothing.

She heads home, her daughter meets her at the door and says "Mom, did you see my sparkles? They were in a cloth in the bathroom"

Now that's aesthetic enhancement.

:pac:

focusowner

LittleBook wrote: »

LeeHoffmann wrote: »

They show me magazines and say 'I don't look like this but I want to'".

Oh FFS. :rolleyes:

On a lighter note, this reminds me of a joke story I read years back ... lady has gyno appointment at 9.30 and the clinic calls to tell her that the appointment's been moved to 9.00, can she make it? She says "yes", runs the kids out the door to school and dashes to the bathroom for a quick wash using a cloth she finds by the sink and then throws in the laundry.

She goes for the appointment and the doctor's doing what needs to be done down there and says smilingly "My, my ... we have made an effort today, haven't we?" She thinks this is odd but says nothing.

She heads home, her daughter meets her at the door and says "Mom, did you see my sparkles? They were in a cloth in the bathroom"

Now that's aesthetic enhancement.

:pac:

Hilarious bit like a vagazzle - think thats what its called

lace

There was a really interesting documentary on Channel4 a few years back about the whole world of the "designer vagina". It was so sad to see a girl in her teens going for cosmetic surgery on her ladyparts because she felt that all the boys her age are used to seeing "perfect" vaginas in porn and that hers wasn't acceptable as it was.

I can't find the show itself or any reference to it on the Channel4 site but it is mentioned in this interesting article around the whole subject:

http://radicalpsychology.org/vol8-1/brauntiefer.html

What really worries me about this whole trend is the perceived image of the "perfect vagina" these women are buying into. This image created by the porn industry is really creepy. I don't understand why people want vaginas to look perfectly tidy and compacted and bare......like children. It makes me more than a little uncomfortable to think that people are out there chopping bits off because they want to look like that.

baby and crumble

lace wrote: »

I don't understand why people want vaginas to look perfectly tidy and compacted and bare......like children. It makes me more than a little uncomfortable to think that people are out there chopping bits off because they want to look like that.

I have to admit, that creeps me out too. it's why I don't like the hollywood wax, is that the name for it? Where everything is gone? I mean you get to see everything which is great, but it is a bit pre-pubescent.

gargleblaster

LeeHoffmann wrote: »

Missed this earlier. I don't agree. Some elective surgery is easy to understand - to fix facial disfigurement or restructuring noses etc after an accident, but getting 'butt implants' (:pac::pac: never heard of this before either!!) or getting your vagina tightened is in a different league I'd think

Everyone draws that line in a different place. Some think only reconstructive surgery would be reasonable. Others think that some kinds of medically unnecessary plastic surgery are ok and other kinds are not. Still others think that if it can be done and if you can afford it and want it, why not do it?

What I find interesting is that in general it seems to be socially condoned, as we saw in the thread about plastic surgery. However, indiivudally, it seems a little different, as we saw when someone posted once asking about how much breast augmentation costs and most people seemed to be more discouraging of the idea.

It's a tricky issue to be sure, probaly mostly because there is so much societal pressure on women to comform to an ideal appearance-wise - so there's always going to be speculation as to the real motivation behind surgeries like this, and whether or not the motivation can be considered healthy.

28064212

baby and crumble wrote: »

I have to admit, that creeps me out too. it's why I don't like the hollywood wax, is that the name for it? Where everything is gone? I mean you get to see everything which is great, but it is a bit pre-pubescent.

This argument makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, I hate seeing it used. Does a man look pre-pubescent when he shaves his face? Does a woman look pre-pubescent when she shaves her legs? There is absolutely no comparison become a woman's and a girl's vagina, regardless of the amount of hair

Maple wrote: »

I disagree. I'm not against all cosmetic surgery, sure I do think some of it is just plain nuts but I know friends who have gotten their noses & breasts "fixed" and it has made a world of difference to their self confidence.

LeeHoffmann wrote: »

Missed this earlier. I don't agree. Some elective surgery is easy to understand - to fix facial disfigurement or restructuring noses etc after an accident, but getting 'butt implants' (:pac::pac: never heard of this before either!!) or getting your vagina tightened is in a different league I'd think

Slight error on my part, what I meant was "Either all types of elective cosmetic surgery are ludicrous, or none is", i.e. getting labiaplasty is no more ludicrous than getting a nose- or breast-job (note that I'm solely talking about aesthetic improvement, reconstruction etc. is a whole different ball-game). I have no doubt that there are women out there who got labiaplasty and it made a world of difference to their self-confidence

lace

An interesting article discussing the ethics of labiaplasty :

http://www.bermansexualhealth.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=99

Morag

Ideally female porn stars should have short small labia, what way it's easier for the camera to get in close and it's easier to light and easier to pull back for the shots of the the clit and fingers/dildos/penis going in and out.

So to a lot of people 'neat' vulvas with short labia are considered to be attractive,
when there is a whole range of what is 'normal' with labia being various size, length, thickness and even colour and so normal women think that how their genitals look is 'wrong'.

It's screwed up.

Ickle Magoo

There is no way in hell I would let a scalpel anywhere near my ladybits but then I like how it looks and feels so I have no reason to - I have heard of some nightmare stories of women with labia so long they actually make normal activities like cycling or swimming awkward...so for that, I can completely understand wanting surgery...otherwise, I guess it's no different than wanting a new nose or a tummy tuck...but still, cutting nerves and scarring on the bits you rely on for orgasm? No thanks! :eek:

LeeHoffmann

would it make any difference if it was a laser rather than a scalpel? 'Cause that's what they use

But I get what you're saying. Not my cup of tea either

caseyann

I dont think things like that would take off in Ireland anyway luckily,as they never do.Irish people wont even bring themselves to doctors until they are either dying sick or driven in an ambulance.:D

Ickle Magoo

LeeHoffmann wrote: »

would it make any difference if it was a laser rather than a scalpel? 'Cause that's what they use but I get what you're saying. Not my cup of tea either

Presumably they don't use internal lasers for vaginoplasty and so on? I mean, how would they get a laser...actually, never mind.

Seriously tho, no. There would have to be really serious issues that I simply couldn't live with before I'd be willing to chance loosing any degree of sensitivity as a best case scenario - and risk suffering the horrors of a worst case scenario.

tiny_penguin

LittleBook wrote: »

Oh FFS. :rolleyes:

On a lighter note, this reminds me of a joke story I read years back ... lady has gyno appointment at 9.30 and the clinic calls to tell her that the appointment's been moved to 9.00, can she make it? She says "yes", runs the kids out the door to school and dashes to the bathroom for a quick wash using a cloth she finds by the sink and then throws in the laundry.

She goes for the appointment and the doctor's doing what needs to be done down there and says smilingly "My, my ... we have made an effort today, haven't we?" She thinks this is odd but says nothing.

She heads home, her daughter meets her at the door and says "Mom, did you see my sparkles? They were in a cloth in the bathroom"

Now that's aesthetic enhancement.

:pac:

That was a scene in a book. I cant remember what the name of the book was but it was a chick lit thing about a man having an affair and that was what happened to the wife in one of the scenes!

Fluorescence

What??? No seriously, what?



Unless there was something seriously wrong down there, why would anyone voluntarily let someone near their genitals with the intention to mutilate them....

Alopex

lace wrote: »

There was a really interesting documentary on Channel4 a few years back about the whole world of the "designer vagina". It was so sad to see a girl in her teens going for cosmetic surgery on her ladyparts because she felt that all the boys her age are used to seeing "perfect" vaginas in porn and that hers wasn't acceptable as it was.

that's really sad alright. must have all been in her head too. they show all different kinds of vaginas in porn. all that seems to matter is that they have good bodies.

Little Acorn

lace wrote: »

There was a really interesting documentary on Channel4 a few years back about the whole world of the "designer vagina". It was so sad to see a girl in her teens going for cosmetic surgery on her ladyparts because she felt that all the boys her age are used to seeing "perfect" vaginas in porn and that hers wasn't acceptable as it was.

I can't find the show itself or any reference to it on the Channel4 site but it is mentioned in this interesting article around the whole subject:

http://radicalpsychology.org/vol8-1/brauntiefer.html

What really worries me about this whole trend is the perceived image of the "perfect vagina" these women are buying into. This image created by the porn industry is really creepy. I don't understand why people want vaginas to look perfectly tidy and compacted and bare......like children. It makes me more than a little uncomfortable to think that people are out there chopping bits off because they want to look like that.

I think this is the documentary, it's called "the perfect vagina" by channel 4, I remember watching it back then.

Link to full documentary:

http://www.google.ie/url?url=http://vimeo.com/4704237&rct=j&sa=X&ei=YR1cTsPjG4PNhAeD-uAi&ved=0CDAQuAIwBA&q=channel+4+the+perfect+vagina&usg=AFQjCNF5s_tOHHdX3Zq8QpTiCOKDez8KTw

Leslie91

Alopex wrote: »

that's really sad alright. must have all been in her head too. they show all different kinds of vaginas in porn. all that seems to matter is that they have good bodies.

It's clear what the vagina looks like is important too hence why you read about girls/women wanting theirs to look like those in porn.

Having said that the only reason I can see for having it done is if there is a problem down there e.g. certain bits too big/long/making doing certain things uncomfortable/painful. I don't see getting a nose and vagina done as comparable. Everybody can see your nose but v few your vagina. Yes the woman might get a boost to her self esteem but it is that that will attract (if that is the intention) not the fancy/neat looking vagina!.

jackiebaron

EverEvolving wrote: »

I would NEVER get anything done down there for aesthetic reasons, but if I had a skite of babas and in turn had a loosey goosey and sex wasn't as good then I would consider the internal vaginoplasty ('tightening up for improved pleasure') after researching the pros and cons in detail. I know there are exercises for that, but if they didn't work then ya, I think I’d go for it provided it was pretty safe.

Would you not just get a man with a thicker cock?

Morag

EverEvolving wrote: »

I would NEVER get anything done down there for aesthetic reasons, but if I had a skite of babas and in turn had a loosey goosey and sex wasn't as good then I would consider the internal vaginoplasty ('tightening up for improved pleasure') after researching the pros and cons in detail. I know there are exercises for that, but if they didn't work then ya, I think I’d go for it provided it was pretty safe.

Oh look that stupid myth that women have looser vagina's after giving birth.

Well someone women do if they don't listen to thier drs and do the kegel excerises, those that do often end up tighter.

28064212

Sharrow wrote: »

Oh look that stupid myth that women have looser vagina's after giving birth.

Well someone women do if they don't listen to thier drs and do the kegel excerises, those that do often end up tighter.

....so you're saying it's not a myth?

Morag

It is not true that every woman has a looser vagina after birth, simple as.

28064212

Sharrow wrote: »

It is not true that every woman has a looser vagina after birth, simple as.

It's also not true that every person that eats 8,000 calories a day is overweight. That's because the healthy people eating 8,000 calories a day are doing massive amounts of exercise to prevent weight-gain. I wouldn't call it a myth that 8,000 calories a day causes weight-gain

Giving birth does cause the vagina to stretch. You have to do extra work to regain it's original (or better) tightness. Calling it a myth encourages women to disregard the effect that child-birth can have on their sex-life

Morag

It's not extra work at all. Drs recommend that both men and women should be doing kegles/pc muscle exercises, to strengthen the pelvic floor.

Wibbs

Sharrow wrote: »

It is not true that every woman has a looser vagina after birth, simple as.

Unless I've met some real outliers in my admittedly small sample size I'd fully agree with this. A previous straw poll of my more *ahem* experienced male mates also agreed. I think it's the case for some women out there, so it's not a complete myth, but not nearly to the degree the widespread myth makes out.

Alopex

Leslie91 wrote: »

It's clear what the vagina looks like is important too hence why you read about girls/women wanting theirs to look like those in porn.

Having said that the only reason I can see for having it done is if there is a problem down there e.g. certain bits too big/long/making doing certain things uncomfortable/painful. I don't see getting a nose and vagina done as comparable. Everybody can see your nose but v few your vagina. Yes the woman might get a boost to her self esteem but it is that that will attract (if that is the intention) not the fancy/neat looking vagina!.

the ones in porn are normal that's the thing. you see plenty with big external labia just the same as real life. the girl must have thought her vagina was odd and built it up in her own head.

Alopex

Wibbs wrote: »

Unless I've met some real outliers in my admittedly small sample size I'd fully agree with this. A previous straw poll of my more *ahem* experienced male mates also agreed. I think it's the case for some women out there, so it's not a complete myth, but not nearly to the degree the widespread myth makes out.

unfortunately its one of those myths that makes intuitive sense. One would expect the vagina to be looser after a child comes out of it.

obviously the human body does something to prevent this but people believing the myth don't think of that

looky loo

Am I the only one that crossed her legs when she read the OP's post!!!!

wotzgoingon

Little Acorn wrote: »

I think this is the documentary, it's called "the perfect vagina" by channel 4, I remember watching it back then.

Link to full documentary:

http://www.google.ie/url?url=http://vimeo.com/4704237&rct=j&sa=X&ei=YR1cTsPjG4PNhAeD-uAi&ved=0CDAQuAIwBA&q=channel+4+the+perfect+vagina&usg=AFQjCNF5s_tOHHdX3Zq8QpTiCOKDez8KTw

I didn't watch the whole documentary but the first girl who had surgery shouldn't have had it. It was a bit big and hanging but i quite liked it. I don't know was it worth it in the end, as i said i didn't watch the rest so i don't know if they showed the finished product so i can't tell if i prefered it first or after.

Amarige

Tailgating on a old thread I know but....just wanted to give a positive story. I am 31 and had a labiaplasty here in Ireland last year. I had been unhappy with 'down there' since I was 14 and basically spent 16 years wishing I could do something about it. Not going to go into exactly why I was unhappy, suffice to say certain things were far longer and looser than normal and I used to feel a lot of discomfort wearing tight jeans etc... I also didn't wear a swimsuit or bikini from the age of 14. Finally building up the courage to have the procedure was the best thing that I have ever done (even better than getting my Phd!).

It is not something that should be undertaken lightly ...believe me the pain was UNREAL for a whole month afterwards. I had to wear ice packs in my smalls and couldn't sit down for two weeks. It was excruciating. But it has been so worth it. My decision had nothing to do with vanity or wanting to look like a porn star. I just wanted to be able to live my life without constant discomfort.

im invisible

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

... loosing any degree of sensitivity ...

:pac:

Amarige

im invisible wrote: »

:pac:

I lost no sensitivity! I had been warned I might but actually the opposite happened me. Say no more!

Fluorescence

Please don't drag up old threads. In future, it's best to start a new thread and a new discussion.

Thanks :cool: