Assessing Common Characteristics in Female Anatomy

Women of all ages have shown increased concerns about external genital appearance; adolescent females often share these concerns with their primary or secondary care providers. Labiaplasty, a surgical procedure to adjust the length or shape of the labia minora, is on the rise, and many distressed adolescent patients request the surgery to correct what they perceive is an abnormality.

Our researchers conducted a 34-month study that included 44 female patients aged 10 to 19 who underwent a routine surgical procedure. The study aimed to examine a small sample of normal adolescent females for genital measurements and structure descriptions, focusing on the size and morphology of the labia minora.

Labia widths, lengths, color and texture differed significantly, and there was no correlation between labia minora size and patient age, height, weight or race. Researchers concluded female genital anatomy widely varies, and there is not an established normal range. Researchers proposed extreme caution should be given to the role of labiaplasty in adolescents.