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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Labiaplasty... to make spin class more "comfortable"???

150 replies

NormaNameChange · 16/03/2018 20:18

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/plastic-surgery-labiaplasty-soulcycle-spin-exercise-women-a8178751.html

So apparently...Labiaplasty ties into grooming trends where women want everything to be clean and neat and streamlined

Now, I'm all for clean and neat but...AIBU to pass on the labiaplasty?

OP posts:
VioletteValentia · 17/03/2018 07:12

BUT there are NO lips in porn!

and some women don’t have them.

I always used to wonder what people were going on about talking about lips, because I don’t realky have them. My DP asked me if I’d had surgery to make them this way. There’s no need to body shame women with small/no lips.

BertrandRussell · 17/03/2018 07:20

Yet another way of telling women that their bodies are unacceptable unless modified.

HolyGoats · 17/03/2018 07:57

pickachew I can confirm that in my case my scarred lips are much more comfortable
to cycle on than my enlarged ones were. I’m sorry you’re struggling to believe it.

CapnHaddock · 17/03/2018 07:57

No lips are fine. Each and every type of vulva is beautiful Smile

I'm really sorry to hear that some of you have had such pain and had to go through painful operations but the rise in labiaplasty is not down to comfort, it's down to porn. Children as young as 9 are asking for surgery

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-40410459

shouldnthavesaid · 17/03/2018 08:59

Funnily enough it was first discussed with my mum when I was 3. Told I had a congenital abnormality (possibly just a normal variation on the very far end of normal?) that would probably need corrective surgery but I would get the option at 18. It can cause problems from a very early age - nappies etc. Did get markedly worse with puberty - they told me at 17 they'd prefer I waited until 19 or so incase I still wasn't fully developed. That was in 1994, that it was first mentioned. I suppose at that time to do that op would have been vanishingly rare though. Even in 2011 when it was done the hospital said they hardly if ever see it - no idea for aftercare etc. In the end local midwife took it on... They're now saying several years on I probably have some sort of 'syndrome' causing several issues but no clue what, as I've internal issues with bladder too. Suppose if you're born with it could easy cause problems at 9, but I wouldn't advocate surgery at that age at all.

Certainly I didn't know what pornography was until I was 18 (Catholic household) - I didn't even know what labia were for, or why I had them, just that it was always very sore. Think it was GP who explained to me before op, as my sex education was sorely lacking!!

Aware that probably isn't the case for everyone though - unfortunately girls sometimes will point out anything different too in a changing room etc and if no-one else looks like you, you would feel odd.

Am so so relieved to see so many positive responses though, was terrified this thread would be the total opposite FlowersFlowers.

BertrandRussell · 17/03/2018 09:04

This is like the threads about infant circumcision, isn't it?

Of course there will be people for whom circumcision or laibiaplasry are medically advised.

CapnHaddock · 17/03/2018 09:06

Indeed Bertrand

Allfednonedead · 17/03/2018 09:07

If you find cycling uncomfortable, it’s much cheaper and just as effective to tilt the saddle of your bike forwards so you’re not putting any pressure on the labia.

HairyBallTheorem · 17/03/2018 09:09

Flowers shouldnthave and others who've had to have this done for medical reasons.

I have tried to be careful to preface all my posts with "obviously there will be people who need this for medical reasons" before going on to say "but the majority of these procedures are for supposedly aesthetic reasons" - and we should worry about women lopping bits off their sexual organs to look more pleasing to men.

As Bert says, it's a bit like the circumcision threads.

HolyGoats · 17/03/2018 09:21

allfed I can assure you if you have labia several inches long no amount of saddle tilting will help. There are absolutely people (myself included) who have had their lives changed by this operation. It can really affect which activities you do and which clothes you wear.

But, this thread is about people who do it for cosmetic reasons so I didn’t mean to derail. It’s just galling to see myself lumped in with people who want a Barbie fanny. I’m not vain, I could have green pubes and blue flaps and I couldn’t give a flying fuck. But I do like to be able to wear normal clothes and take part in normal activities so I had labiaplasty.

BertrandRussell · 17/03/2018 09:22

"It’s just galling to see myself lumped in with people who want a Barbie fanny."

You aren't being.

HolyGoats · 17/03/2018 09:28

Well, the title says ‘Labiaplasty to make spin class more ‘comfortable’??’ That very much suggests that the op doesn’t believe that is a valid reason to have labiaplasty. As someone who has had a labiaplasty I’m saying cycling (as well as a whole load of other things) can very much be uncomfortable enough to consider an embarrassing consultation, a painful operation and a week waddling around like John Wayne.

LimonViola · 17/03/2018 09:58

*Yesterday 21:33 VivaKondo

Limon is it a bigger issue?
What are the risk for boys who are circumcised and the risks for adult women having that surgery?
Personally I have no idea but I would doubt that there is any higher risk in boys than in women.*

Sorry, I can't quite believe you're questioning whether carrying out a permanent medical procedure like circumcision on a baby who is obviously too young to understand or consent is more or less or an issue that grown women choosing labiaplasty. I just can't.

It's not about the medical risks and chance of infection and so forth. It's about the vast difference between choosing to mutilate a baby before the age of consent versus an adult who can understand and research the procedure choosing to have it done.

Of course the former is a much more serious issue!

LimonViola · 17/03/2018 10:03

If someone wants to alter their body through any surgical or non surgical procedure and they have the resources to make that happen, it's their choice and I fully support them.

To PP saying porn made them feel self conscious about their labia, I highly recommend if you do watch porn or are just curious to watch amateur stuff, not the big budget actual porn actors and actresses stuff. Just watch normal people having sex. And you'll see that you're perfectly normal

There are also a lot of men out there believe it or not who do love aspects of our bodies that aren't congruence with the 'cookie cutter cunt' (no offence intended to those who've rightly pointed out that's a perfectly natural and normal variance too). I've had lovers who have absolutely loved the shape of my vulva, who've preferred a full bush, as well as those with a preference for something different. That's not to diminish the difficulties PP have had medically with longer labia.

If you watch porn search for long labia stuff and you'll see lots of comments from people finding it sexy and wishing they could experience being with a woman without the small or almost absent labia.

But back to the argument, there is absolutely value in discussing and examining where beauty ideals come from and the adverse effect trying to obtain that might have on somebody. But underneath it all surely the final word is respecting what someone chooses to do with their bodies and not sneering at it or insinuating that persons reason isn't good enough?

Gwenhwyfar · 17/03/2018 10:58

"As someone who has had a labiaplasty I’m saying cycling (as well as a whole load of other things) can very much be uncomfortable enough to consider an embarrassing consultation, a painful operation and a week waddling around like John Wayne."

Well, I can understand if cycling is an important part of your life, but spin class? Just do a different class?

Gwenhwyfar · 17/03/2018 11:00

"I thought Spin Classes meant twirling around. I was really disappointed when I found out it was indoor cycling.sad"

You didn't think people would get dizzy after an hour of twirling around? :)

I tried spinning at a women's gym, but I think the seats were made for men.

LimonViola · 17/03/2018 11:03

Well, I can understand if cycling is an important part of your life, but spin class? Just do a different class?

Maybe she really enjoys this class and wants to continue doing it.

Plus I doubt when it gets down to it that spin class is the sole area of her life in which having elongated labia has a negative impact.

Even if it is, then fine. There's a solution there and it's nobody's choice but hers to weigh up.

Gwenhwyfar · 17/03/2018 11:07

Limon - if it's just for the spinning class then I think it's an unnecessary risk to take.

LimonViola · 17/03/2018 11:12

That's fair for you to make that decision for yourself, definitely!

But not okay to expect others to come to the same conclusion re their own bodies.

willsa · 17/03/2018 11:19

There’s no need to body shame women with small/no lips.
Why do you think you are being shamed? You have a natural designer vagina! Your pussy would go in a porn mag or educational pictures without a flinch, whilst mine would get photoshopped to a single line ( because you see, that is not "dirty" or "too graphic" like my completely run-of-the mill-average vulva).
I have big, natural lips on my FACE. I don't feel shamed by women getting lip fillers or "duck face" comments. Because it doesn't apply to me!

Mishappening · 17/03/2018 11:20

I've often wondered how male cyclists sope with their balls.

FlaviaAlbia · 17/03/2018 11:28

I saw a great article in cycling weekly yesterday which is relevant..
www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/cycling-results-better-sex-lives-women-study-shows-373243

The largest ever study into the relationship between cycling and female sexual health has shown that higher intensity riders have better sex lives, as well as concluding that there’s no relationship between intensity and sexual or urinary function.

And regarding saddle comfort - ^
One of the key findings was that allowing a slight tilt to the saddle made a big difference, as well as using an effective barrier cream and refraining from complete hair removal.^

Good news for female cyclists Grin

VioletteValentia · 17/03/2018 11:31

Why do you think you are being shamed? You have a natural designer vagina! Your pussy would go in a porn mag or educational pictures without a flinch, whilst mine would get photoshopped to a single line ( because you see, that is not "dirty" or "too graphic" like my completely run-of-the mill-average vulva).

Calling it a porn vag and a barbie pussy just seems like an insult. Like you’re looking down on women who look like that

Reminds me of “real women have curves” and skinny women feeling a bit insulted.

All fannies are lovely!

willsa · 17/03/2018 11:34

LimonViola

...but that is a problem ( or will be, for younger generation ) that visuals of NORMAL AVERAGE vulva have to be sought out like it is this weird alternative thing. I'm pretty sure soon enough labiaplasty will become the new norm - young women from age 16 will all be queuing up to get it done before starting their sexual life. And if they haven't had it done by then, they will after first hurtful comments, whatsApp messages or the like.

Good link to see what nude bodies young men and women get to see:

PestFromTheWest · 17/03/2018 11:36

I've done spinning and I thought being fitter would have made it more comfortable. I don't understand where they're coming from. How does taking away part of your body make cycling more comfortable. Totally confused.