If you could change something about the way you look, what would you do? Most of us could probably think of something. Most desired changes center around weight, but other than going to the gym or starting a diet we don’t do much more. However, increasing numbers of people are finding themselves dissatisfied enough to do something more extreme, even to the most intimate aspects of their appearance. The latest 'must-have' in the world of plastic surgery is the 'designer vagina'. As if we didn't have enough to worry about (bikini-line waxes, highlights, Botox injections), it seems we're now meant to be worrying about our vaginas not being pretty enough. Labia-envy is apparently rife, if you believe the ads in many women’s magazines. And like those who head for the hairdresser clutching pictures of Jennifer Aniston, many women are now taking copies of Playboy to their plastic surgeons, saying: 'I want one like that'. Vaginal plastic surgery has been around for 30 years. Women were often 'tightened' after childbirth after being given episiotomies, and surgery was also offered to women who either suffer incontinence after childbirth, or to those with serious abnormalities. Vaginal reconstruction has now taken on a new light thanks to plastic surgeons like Dr. David Matlock, who runs the Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Centre in Los Angeles. Dr. Matlock's ads spend much of their time, urging women to consider the aesthetics of their vaginas as well as the function. His first ad in the LA Weekly three years ago, featured a woman writhing in orgasmic ecstasy, claiming 'You Won't Believe How Good Sex Can Be!' Ever since, women from all over the world have streamed through his clinic. It seems that just as many men believe that bigger is better, many women are now under the impression that symmetrical shaped labia will make you a better, more desirable lover. The plastic surgeries available for women include; adding fat to small, dried out labia to give them a more rounded and youthful appearance, vaginal tightening, wrinkle removal of the labia, clitoral repositioning, or pubic liposuction of oversized lips and hymen reconstruction. Bigger, smaller, Armani or Gucci, the possibilities are endless. There are a lot of plastic surgeons getting very rich from the perceived notion that smaller, bigger or whatever the current trend is better. Which begs the question, who decides what makes a perfect vagina anyway? Unlike men, it's hard for women to determine what the "normal' vulva looks like, partly because they are tucked away beneath our legs and partly because many of us are taught to hide these bits of our body and have nothing to really compare them with. Often treated as dirty, private, and not to be shown, it's hardly surprising that many women only have pornographic images of vulva's to compare their own to. Part of the problem is that more often than not, these images have been airbrushed, or digitally altered in some other way, so they provide a false sense of the perfect. It's easy to erase a few stray pubic hairs, create symmetrical inner and out lips and tighten up the vaginal entrance when your using a graphics program, but when it comes to working on real women we are entering the realms of a whole new ball game. If you do decide to get yourself a 'Designer Vagina' or any other type of plastic surgery, there are some things you should be aware of and procedures you should go through when deciding which surgeon to choose. Here are some questions you should ask: 1. Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada? 2. Do you have hospital privileges to perform this surgery? If so, at which hospitals? 3. How many procedures of this type have you performed? 4. Where and how will you perform my surgery? 5. Is the surgical facility accredited or in the process of being accredited by a national or state-recognized accrediting organization? 6. What are the risks involved with my procedure? 7. How long of a recovery period can I expect, and what kind of help will I need during my recovery? 8. Will I need to take time off work? If so, how long? 9. How much will my procedure cost? Are financing options available? The bottom line here is making sure this is really what you want. Make sure that you are doing it for yourself rather than for your partner or to create what society would have us believe is perfect. Who knows? Tomorrow things might change and asymmetrical labia might be the in thing. Also it's worth remembering that good relationships aren't based on the size of your labia and take much more effort than simply an hour on the surgeon’s table,money and six weeks recovery.
