Cosmetic genital surgery

Abstract

Female cosmetic genital surgery (FCGS) is a rapidly expanding field of cosmetic surgery. The increased demand for FCGS has caused a number of ethical and scientific controversies. The use of emotive terms and the lack of standardised terminology make the assessment of these operations challenging. Women seek FCGS for aesthetic, functional, sexual and cultural reasons despite the well-recognised lack of robust evidence regarding their efficacy and safety. Considering the wide natural variation of female genitalia, increased access to female body images and personal predisposition of physicians may change perceptions of what is normal and desirable. Women should be carefully counselled and screened pre-operatively for underlying psychological problems and sexual dysfunction. FCGS should ideally be provided by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) of healthcare professionals with relevant training, demonstrated competence and with the required clinical governance arrangements in place.