Vaginal lips
What’s normal
To be wholly accurate, the vaginal lips should be called ‘vulval lips’. The outer lips are usually fleshy, and the inner lips are usually thin but, like every other part of the body, they come in all shapes and sizes. In some women, the inner lips are completely enclosed by the outer lips. In other women, the inner lips (labia minora) are larger than the outside lips. This is not unusual. It is perfectly natural and normal, but many women worry about it. It is a shame that pictures in men’s top-shelf magazines, TV programmes about ‘designer vaginas’, and advertising by profit-making clinics are making women feel abnormal when they are not. Images of female genitals have often been digitally altered and do not represent the normal, average woman. But, if the inner lips are so large that they are really upsetting you, it is possible to have them trimmed by a surgical operation.
See a doctor
During the last few years, private clinics have started very aggressive marketing of cosmetic operations on the vaginal lips. Mainstream doctors think this is a worrying trend (see Useful contacts for an article to read), because the advertising aims to persuade women that they are abnormal when actually their vaginal lips are perfectly average. If you think your vaginal lips are abnormal, don’t go straight to a private clinic. Start by visiting a genitourinary medicine clinic. These clinics mainly test for genital infections, but deal with other problems as well. Explain to the doctor that you have not come for tests, but because you have another worry. You can then ask the doctor to examine your vaginal lips, and tell you whether or not they are abnormally large. The advantage of going to the sexual health clinic is that the doctors in these clinics examine dozens of women every day, so the doctor you see will be able to give you an accurate opinion. If the clinic doctor says that you are unusual, you can then ask your family doctor to arrange for an operation if you wish.
Surgery
The operation to reduce the labia minora is simple. It can be done by a gynaecologist or a plastic surgeon. There are two ways of doing it.
- The surgeon may simply trim the edges of the labia, in which case you may be left with a scar running along the edges of the labia.
- The other method is to remove a fan-shaped portion of each lip, and then stitch the cut edges together. This reduces the size of the lip without much scarring, but problems with healing are more likely.
Both these operations may have problems such as bleeding and infection. Also, the vaginal lips contain many very sensitive nerve fibres, so these operations remove sexually-sensitive tissue and could lessen your sexual pleasure [MIMS Womens Health 2007;2(4):28–9] They are cosmetic operations, so you would probably not be able to have it done under the National Health Service in the UK. You would have to have it done privately. Try to pluck up courage to ask your doctor to refer you to a suitable private gynaecologist or surgeon. Explain how troubled you are feeling. This is a better course of action than trying to find a good one yourself, which can be difficult.
Written by: Dr Margaret Stearn
Edited by: Dr Margaret Stearn
Last updated:
Friday, February 26th 2010
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Comments on this article
Posted by Optional on 09/03/2010 at 03:55:47 pm
I have large inner vaginal lips, for a while it really bothered me - mainly when I guy commented they are the largest he'd seen. But I have had an active sex life and he is the only guy to have commented. Most secure men love them, and I have amazing orgasms. I had a full sexual health check the other day, including an examination, and she didn’t bat an eyelid! All these add are and surgery ideas are buy people preying on women – the likes of OK and Hello make us feel we should conform to a certain way - just money making nutters out to make women feel abnormal and it is wrong. How many kiss and tell stories have you read where the bitter ex is quoted in the paper saying ‘she had big vagina lips’?!? NONE! I thought about surgery fleetingly and now, well... never. I am me, if a guy is NORMAL is will never come up in conversation as you are normal! Save your money for shoes and handbags girls…
Posted by Anonymous on 02/02/2010 at 11:28:00 am
this problem starts by itching on the lip of my vagina (outer skin) then a pimple follow and later becomes like an ulcer.I t takes +-4 days to heal. It comes like once in 3-4 months. I dont know what this is , please help.
Posted by Anonymous on 31/01/2010 at 08:39:00 pm
how much would the surgery be? i have real problems with my inner labia, i was considering going to the isle of man where under 18 surgery is aperently legal as long as you have parental consent but now my mother wont give it to and its a real problem.
Posted by Anonymous on 31/12/2009 at 12:07:00 am
I have always had fairly large inner labia. There never seemed to be a problem when I became sexually active. However one of my boyfriends said they never seen lips that big before. And at that point I started to feel abnormal about my genital. Personally I thought they were sexy but I guess these days peopl are looking for something smaller. Its stupid for all women to be the same. Our vagnas are all unique as well as our breast. Men should grow up. We shouldn't be getting cosmetic surgery down there just because its the new hip cosmetic surgery next to implants and tummy tucks.
Posted by Tony Pearce on 26/12/2009 at 11:09:00 am
Vaginas and labia come in all different shapes and sizes. As a hetrosexual male i find them all arousing and beautiful. I have had my fair share in this area and have had experience with ladies with very small labia to ladies with extremly large labia, particuly inner lips. To me and all of the male friends i have discussed this with it is really not a problem, honestly.I think only the young inexperienced boys would find this area a problem because they ...... well their fools and dont know when their well off. Ladies if this is worring you please, please dont let it. Hope this helps :)
Posted by Snorky on 17/12/2009 at 05:14:00 am
Should vaginal discharge smell like amonia
Posted by Anonymous on 12/12/2009 at 06:57:00 pm
Lips are awesome on women. Consider your boyfriends lucky!
Posted by shhhhhh on 28/11/2009 at 11:22:00 pm
i really want this surgery.im 15.im hoping maybe you wouldnt have to wait until your 18.but i also DONT want my mom to know....so awkward.also like how much would it cost?????
Posted by ian on 21/11/2009 at 02:43:00 pm
when my mum was ill in bed i had to attend to her personal care including helping her have a pee which involved lifting back the duvet lifting her nightie and opening her legs then opening her vagina to find her pee hole her vagina was completely bald even though she hadnt shaved it what caused her to lose her pubic hair? she was 84 and had pneumonia anemia and constipation a cat scan also revealed liver problems but the hospital didnt elaborate on what the liver problem was any help would be appreciated
Posted by Anonymous on 18/11/2009 at 12:43:00 pm
over the year i have had vaginal dryness.but also my vaginal lips have gone pale [to me they look ,when hot water is poured on a piece raw meat]
Posted by Blake smith on 05/11/2009 at 05:27:00 pm
I have a big hole in my nut sack an it is very painfull!! I NEED HELP!!!
Posted by Anonymous on 29/10/2009 at 04:33:00 am
The inner lips of my vagina started taking a purplish tint during puberty, and now they're a shade of brown along the edges and outer layers. It disturbs me because it's almost like it's rotting between my legs. Are brown lips normal? Am I okay?
Posted by Annonymous on 19/08/2009 at 02:57:00 am
It says in the article - "these operations remove sexually-sensitive tissue and could lessen your sexual pleasure" It's not about the appearance giirls, it's about the pleasure :) love who you are and just go for it x
Posted by Anonymous on 14/08/2009 at 02:18:00 pm
Is it normal at all for the inner lips to suddenly shrink to nearly nothing or to seem to disapear all together. Could it be because of the change. I also haven't had sex for a number of years, could that cause it. I am extremely worried. Please help if you can, thank you for your time.
Posted by Anonymous on 03/08/2009 at 10:59:00 pm
My inner lips have always been larger ever since I was a little girl. It always bothered me and then I read that it was normal. I tried to ignore them when I was with a guy and I thought if I didn't let them bother me then they wouldn't even pay attention. I have only had sex with two guys and the first one never said anything. The second guy is my boyfriend I am dating now. I told him how they bothered me but he says they don't bother him and he loves me just how I am (and he was one of those guys in highschool that was very shallow). So I learned that if the guy really cares for you he won't mind and if it does bother him then he isn't good enough for you. Just recently I have noticed they are getting bigger and I feel like I look like I have a grandma vigina when I am only 19 so I have been wondering about surgery. And my boyfriend's roommate found an old playboy picture and the woman had larger vigina lips and he wouldn't quit saying how gross it was and how he would never have sex with a girl like that. It made me feal even worse about me problem even though my boyfriend still tells me they don't bother him.
Posted by Amy on 30/07/2009 at 09:38:00 pm
I have this problem and I am only 16. I have only exposed myself to one boy and I am seriously worried about later in life - I don't want anyone to see but to still be able to have sex. I'm already considering surgery
Posted by problemprobe on 13/07/2009 at 06:44:00 am
mine are huge. im considering cosmetic surgery.
Posted by Anonymous on 02/07/2009 at 12:50:00 am
i have the same problem! my inner lips are larger than the other ones and its like a purplish color. im so afraid of having sex. like i dont want the guy to laugh at me or anything. like i think im wierd! :( anything i can do?
Posted by annonymous on 31/05/2009 at 05:31:00 am
alright, well im young and though ive had sex more than my fair share of times, the boy i had sex with was a virgin and so was i... i've had only one PREVIOUS boyfriend, and i am now madly in love with a man who is much more experienced than my ex... and i would love to take our relationship to the next level but i am so insecure about my vagina. I havent seen other girl's vaginas close up and therefor dont have a very good idea of the vaginal structure... and i need to know if mine is normal.. on my vaginal lips there is this sort of ... fuzz... its not hair or anything, its like a bumpy surface of skin ... but i think it is dead skin,it feels sort of like a tongue.. if it is scraped against something... it will come off onto whatever scraped it... sort of like dead skin.. is that fuzzy...stuff... normal? does everyone have it?? please help :(
Posted by Imene on 08/05/2009 at 07:49:00 pm
yes I have this problem and am so ashamed of it I think that my vagina is so ugly cauz my inner lips are lrger plus its purple tell me what to do about it
Posted by Chelsea on 06/05/2009 at 09:39:00 pm
My inner lips seem to hang low and are larger than the outer lips and web pages like this have said that this is completely normal but i still struggle with the problem and find it extremly embarrising and i think that boye will laugh at me. But I Realli Do not want surgery when i am older because of the prices.
Posted by Ovafifty on 15/04/2009 at 06:50:00 pm
I have developed skin tags on my outer vulva lips and at the base of my anus, can these be surgically removed ? Where should I go for such a procedure.I am not in any discomfort, but , as i am still sexually active think they look unsightly
Posted by concerned patient on 10/04/2009 at 06:57:00 pm
when women squirt or ejaculate yellow fluid does that mean the vagina is physically drained
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