Are my labia too big?

We live in a time where you can change almost everything about your body you don’t like. Plastic surgery becomes more and more mainstream and labiaplasty or labia corrective surgery is quite common. This indicates that labia is a source of insecurity for many women. Can your labia be too big? And what do normal labia look like?

What are labia exactly?

Back to the start: your labia are two sets of skin folds that (sometimes partially) cover your vulva. Your body has inner and outer labia. The outer labia (labia majora) are the most visible part of your vulva. These labia have pubic hair on them. On average, the outer labia are about seven to twelve centimeters long. Your inner labia (labia minora) run from the clitoris glans to the back of your vagina. There is no pubic hair on the inner labia. On average, they are between two and ten centimeters long. Both the inner and outer labia swell up when you get sexually aroused in order to protect the vagina.

Where does labia insecurity come from?

It’s actually not that surprising that some women wonder if their labia are too big. Just watch a couple of porn videos and you’ll notice that the actors all have a neatly waxed vulva. The same goes for the playmates you used to see in Playboy Magazine. None of the people on those photos or in those videos have inner labia that stick out, even though that is actually quite common and completely normal.

What do normal labia look like?

Every body and every woman is different. This is also true for labia. It’s normal to have small bumps on your labia for example, just like the ones you have on your nipples. Inner labia that are larger than the outer labia, which makes them stick out, are also very common. Are your labia asymmetrical? That’s normal as well. In short, labia practically always look normal, even when you think they don’t.

Are my labia too big?

Labia are rarely too big, even when they are larger than the average size that we mentioned above. The only thing that you should really keep in mind is that labia are not supposed to hurt. Some women experience physical pain when they walk, cycle, have sex, or ride a horse. Wearing tight clothing, like jeans or a swimsuit can be painful as well. This is caused by the sensitive inner labia sticking out from under the outer labia. Some women are born with it, but it can also happen later in life, for example after giving birth or when you get older. If it causes considerable discomfort or pain on a regular basis, you could consider labiaplasty.

Also read: Pain after sex: causes and solutions

What is labiaplasty?

Labiaplasty is surgery to reduce the size of the labia. It’s also called labia reduction, vulva surgery, or labia corrective surgery. During the surgery, excess labia tissue is removed, making the labia more proportionate to each other. You can go home shortly after the surgery. Labiaplasty is usually not available on the NHS and costs about 2,000 to 4,000 pounds, often not including the costs of consultations and follow-up care. There are some circumstances where labiaplasty is available on the NHS however, for example to remove cancerous tissue, to repair tears caused by childbirth, or to correct an abnormality.

Women who experience pain due to the shape of their labia aren’t the only ones who opt for labiaplasty. There are also many women who undergo labiaplasty for cosmetic reasons. If you feel insecure about your labia and you want to do something about it, surgery can be a solution. Whatever your reason, be open and honest about it with your doctor.

Labiaplasty is not the same as vaginal rejuvenation, which is currently very popular in the United States. During labia rejuvenation surgery, excess tissue is removed and the vaginal muscles are tightened to make the vagina look younger and tighter.