Doctors are concerned
that women are not receiving enough psychological support before opting for
labiaplasty.
The operation involves the surgical reduction of the inner labia and is
becoming more popular in the UK, with hospitals seeing a five-fold increase in
patient numbers in the past five years.
Dr Lih-Mei Liao, a consultant clinical psychologist at University College
London Hospitals, said that women seeking a designer vagina need to be given a
better chance to discuss their concerns prior to the operation.
"It's difficult when surgery is being advertised as a straightforward
solution. It makes it hard for these women to engage psychologically with
what's going on," she explained.
Dr Liao added that cosmetic surgery can be a solution,
but it needs to be seen as an extreme option and not the first port of call.
In an interview with the Centrefold Project, consultant gynaecologist Dr Sarah
Creighton said that she would consider the majority of labia she sees to be of
a normal size.
© Adfero Ltd
Cosmetic surgery news : 25 July 2012
