The Role of Pornography, Physical Symptoms, and Appearance in Labiaplasty Interest

Abstract

With the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reaffirming its 2007 opposition to labiaplasty in 2019, the procedure continues to be controversial. Particular emphasis on pornography as a major influencer on women seeking labiaplasty contributes to its controversy and distracts from other motivations. Few articles have established pornography's influence relative to functional and appearance-related symptoms. The objective of this study was to investigate the relative influence of pornography on women's decision to seek labiaplasty relative to other factors compared with a control cohort. In this prospective study, 124 consecutive patients consulting about labiaplasty and a control cohort of 50 women were questioned about 11 labia-related symptoms and the possible influence of pornography. The mean age was 34.2 and 38.9 years in the labiaplasty and control cohorts, respectively. Women in the labiaplasty cohort had on average 2.8 of the 6 queried physical symptoms and 3.2 of the 5 queried appearance-related symptoms compared with control patients who reported an average of 0.3 of the 6 queried physical symptoms and 0.2 of the 5 queried appearance-related symptoms (P < 0.001). Less than one-half (47% of the labiaplasty and 42% of the control cohort) never viewed pornography. Pornography was not an influential factor to seek labiaplasty in 42% of the labiaplasty cohort and 54% of the control cohort. A minority (11% in the labiaplasty cohort and 4% in the control cohort) said that pornography influenced them to seek labiaplasty. There were no statistically significant differences between these 2 groups. Pornography influences some women to seek labiaplasty, but relative to other motivating factors its role is minor.