Posted: 12:21, August 16, 2022 | Updated: 12:49, August 16, 2022
The number of women seeking ‘designer tricks’ has doubled in recent years due to the growing popularity of sports leggings, a leading plastic surgeon claims.
Labiaplasties involve reducing the size of the labia minora – the flaps of skin on either side of the vaginal opening – and cost up to £4,000.
Dr. John Skevofilax, chief surgeon at Signature Clinics, said he performed about 50 of the procedures in 2021.
However, a surge in demand over the past year meant it had already surpassed that figure by the first half of 2022.
Dr Skevofilax told MailOnline that women are increasingly seeking lipoplasty because tight clothing such as leggings are uncomfortable and “draw attention to the lips”.
“Workout clothes are a little bit tighter and are suitable to put pressure on the area,” she said.
“They feel pain, discomfort in general, bloating, many women will actually feel so uncomfortable that they avoid wearing this type of clothing.
“It’s all really interconnected, choosing a pair of tights that causes discomfort and that in turn draws attention to the labia and the need for surgery.”
An increase in the use of tight tights that put pressure on the lips causing pain and discomfort could be why more women are seeking labiaplasty, a leading surgeon claims (stock image)
Famous stars like Kim Kardashian have been partially credited with popularizing the use of tight leggings during exercise and everyday wear.
What is lipoplasty?
Labiaplasty is surgery to reduce the size of the labia minora – the flaps of skin on either side of the vaginal opening.
It involves cutting away the unwanted tissue with a laser scalpel in a procedure that takes about one to two hours.
Some women get lip augmentation because they don’t like the way their lips look.
However, the NHS advises that it is perfectly normal to have noticeable folds of skin around your vaginal opening.
As in most cases this does not cause any problems, lipoplasty is rarely available in NHs.
Women considering lipoplasty are advised to speak with their doctor first, who may encourage them to speak with a counselor or psychologist before undergoing surgery.
In the UK, a lipoplasty costs around £2,000 to £4,000, although the cost can vary depending on the extent of the procedure.
Labiaplasty is generally offered only in exceptional cases, such as removal of cancerous tissue in cases of vulvar cancer.
Leggings are believed to have become fashionable in the 1970s thanks to some of the biggest celebrities of the decade, such as Debbie Harry and the late Olivia Newton-John.
But in recent years they’ve been replaced by skin-tight sports leggings that coincided with the rise of gym culture.
Sometimes referred to as ‘athleisure’ – a combination of fitness and casual wear – the style has been popularized by reality stars, the Kardashians.
Dr Skevofilax said 80 per cent of women seeking lipoplasty were now trying to correct discomfort from wearing tight clothing rather than for cosmetic reasons.
Designer vaginas were once thought to be fueled by unrealistic body images in pornography.
But Dr Skevofilax said this was “dangerous and misleading” as it encouraged a sense of shame for women seeking help for the pain they experience in their lives.
“Women should be able to wear whatever they want,” she said.
“If they’re choosing tight clothing, for example yoga pants, because they’re following a certain fashion trend or just because it’s more appropriate for that type of exercise, they should be able to do so without stress and ‘lip-biting’ what’s next .
“Actually, I’ve never had a patient say, ‘I want my vagina to look like the other porn star.’
Instead, Dr. Skevofilax attributed the increase in labiaplasty to the fact that women were more open about their experiences with pain from tight clothing and solutions.
Where women want liposuction for cosmetic reasons, Dr Skevofilax said he had a long conversation during the consultation to ensure the treatment was right for them.
“By doing this we can make sure people are making the right decisions for themselves,” he said.
Dr Skevofilax is a surgeon with 15 years’ experience, with Signature Clinics having locations across the UK including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Cardiff.
Labiaplasty involved using a scalpel or laser to reduce the size of the labia minora – the flaps of skin found on either side of the vaginal opening.
The procedure can be done under either general or local anesthesia and can last from one to two hours.
A labiaplasty generally costs between £2,000 and £4,000 in a private clinic, although the total price may depend on the extent of the work being done.
As this is considered a cosmetic procedure, it is only available on the NHS in rare cases.
These include removing cancerous tissue if a woman has vulvar cancer.
