For most teenage girls being self-conscious about their acne, weight issues, and even breast size are fairly common in this day and age. So much so that many seek advisement from Board Certified Plastic Surgeons, such as Dr. Richard Swift. However, one such cosmetic issue that is on the rise especially amongst teenagers, and college-age women, is labial reconsutruction or labiaplasty. It may seem strange, but recent studies have shown that more and more teenage patients are requesting labiaplasty. As one of the foremost cosmetic surgeons for labiaplasty in NYC, has seen this rise at his practice, first-hand.
Given their age, and being in their most “formative” years, it is nothing new for teenagers to find issue with their bodies, however, as out society advances, as does the request for more modern surgical enhancements such as labiaplasty. So much so, that the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, has released a statement on guidelines for plastic surgeons, such as Dr. Richard Swift, on how they should be handling such patients.
For the average American teenage female, body image is an important subject. With the growing desire to fit in, and the media’s portrayal of what they deem to be the ideal female body, the pressure has never been higher. And such pressure, can lead young women to find new areas of dissatisfaction with their bodies. In recent years, the cosmetic surgery and enhancement market has begun to trend towards procedures offering things like vaginal rejuvenation, and the options for women to alter and better the appearance of the genital area have seemed to have “exploded”, with labiaplasty being one of the foremost procedures available. Also, the women’s beauty media has never had as much information on bettering the appearance of the genital area ever before. Such ideas in the media, regarding bettering the vaginal area after things like child-birth, or simply just to improve the area aesthetically have never been as prominent at any time before. And just like any other news, teenagers have access to this information far easier as a result of the internet.
Dr. Richard Swift is considered to be one of the best surgeons NYC has to offer, especially in terms of procedures like labiaplasty. However, most plastic surgeons believe procedures like labiaplasty are rarely a good idea for girls in their teenage years. The labia majora and labia minora change throughout a woman’s existence, and so soon after puberty, most teenage girls are still growing, and still developing, especially in the genital area. Variations in size, or shape, or symmetry are completely normal and most teenage girls shouldn’t be viewing these characteristics as such important issues, especially having not fully formed and developed their bodies yet. Most plastic surgeons, like Dr. Richard Swift discourage cosmetic surgery on women especially while they are still in their most formative years. Surgery during this time of body formation/transition, will cause an exponential rise in the need for repeated, corrective procedures later in life, often yielding unsatisfactory results. This is why for instance, most surgeons will require women to wait a period of 6 months to a full year, to undergo any major procedure, after any significant weight loss, or change in body composition. These same ideas apply to teenagers seeking a labiaplasty. They are still in a state of growth both physically and emotionally, and shouldn’t decide on such life altering cosmetic enhancement until they’ve reached full mental and physical maturity.
Despite Dr. Richard Swift and most other surgeons desire for teenagers to wait until they’ve reached full maturity. In certain instances, a labiaplasty may be necessary, such as if teenagers may be suffering from some type of physical deformity in the vaginal area. Of course these scenarios should still be fully thought out and discussed with their parents as well as their surgeon. If you are seeking cosmetic enhancement, including labiaplasty, contact one of NYC’s most well-regarded plastic surgeons in Dr. Richard Swift, today!
