Vagina reconstruction surgery happens to restore function due to damage or defects in the region.
No Two Females are Exactly Alike
We share some similarities. our lived experiences, passions, personalities, and ability to connect with others are unique to each of us. There’s been a welcome shift toward celebrating our differences without being divisive. This has been a fantastic opportunity to create community and togetherness. Whole movements have started based on embracing the differences in our bodies – all the perfect little imperfections. you’ve changed your perspective on the stretch marks, cellulite, or the asymmetry of certain facial features that make you unique. You have done your best to let go of all the criticisms you’ve collected over the years that weighed you down. This all sounds like a beautiful experience. Something you might be able to get on board with. But what about the individuals who aren’t sure that they want to be okay with certain parts of their bodies that make them unique?
Embracing your Genital Differences
I’m curious if you thought much about your genitals? Your mind might not have automatically gone there. You may or may not know just how different your vulva (the outer part of women’s genitals that we can see) and vagina (the canal that extends from the vulva to the cervix – with the entrance being the part we can see) are from the next person who has one. When was the last time you got up close and personal with your vulva? Have you ever? I’ve received so many questions from clients regarding if their vulvas are “normal.” The truth is, vulvas come in all shapes and sizes! Just like no two humans are exactly alike, no two vulvas are going to be mirror images of each other either. Size, texture, color, the opportunities for differences seem endless.
Reasons for Reconstruction Surgery
What makes someone’s vulva/vagina unique may have a negative and lasting impact on their overall well-being. Some differences are profoundly personal and aren’t as noticeable to others compared to the person living with them. Some cause pain. Others become a hindrance to what could be a happy and healthy sex life. What do you do when your vulva or vagina are sources of mental, physical, or sexual discomfort? Some people have found answers in self-acceptance work, sex therapy, individual therapy, or couples therapy. Others have turned to vaginal reconstruction surgery to address both internal and external challenges. Think treating looseness and loss of sensation in the vagina, removing excess skin or fat from the area of your vulva where hair typically grows, and reducing the size and length of the labia minora and labia majora (sometimes referred to as the inner lips and outer lips).
Is the Choice Yours or Theirs?
How you address the challenges you’re facing with your vulva/vagina is a personal choice that you should make with deep thought and consideration of potential risks and benefits. If you’re contemplating vaginal reconstruction surgery, consider your motivation for change. Are you deciding for you, or are you making the change to accommodate someone else’s perception of how your body should present? Are you in pain or experiencing a loss of pleasure? Consider how challenges related to body image and self-esteem may influence your decision. Working through these questions with a therapist, doing your research, and self-reflection is essential if you want to make an informed decision.
Balancing between Making the Decision
You are in charge of your body, and you get to decide the right decision for you. Seeking out therapy and working on embracing the differences that have been negatively impacting your life is right for you, there’s certainly no shortage of therapists ready to help be a source of support on your journey. If you’ve decided that your overall well-being and the quality of your sex-life would benefit from eliminating extraneous tissue that causes pain or a loss in pleasure, reconstruction surgery might be a good option.
If you’re interested in making a change to your vulva/vagina for solely aesthetic reasons, have discussed your motivations with a therapist, and still conclude that the benefits of increasing self-esteem and ameliorating body-issues are significant to you, reconstruction surgery may also be a good choice for you.
Vagina reconstruction surgery is an option for you to restore function and appearance in a sensitive area. You deserve to have a satisfying sex life and a healthy relationship with your body. Finding that balance looks different for everyone and is worth exploring on your own and with a therapist!
