Introduction
The reduction of labia minora or labiaplasty has gained popularity in recent years. A complete shave in the genital area emphasizes the aesthetic aspect of the external genital organ. In the most common anatomical variant of labia minora, the inner labia are covered by the outer labia.
In other cases the labia are enlarged and hang down. The protrusion of the labia minora beyond the labia majora is particularly disturbing. Besides the aesthetic aspect, other factors such as increased susceptibility to infections or restrictions in sports and sexual activity play a role.
The reduction of the labia, which in the majority of cases affects the labia minora, can be performed surgically or as part of a laser treatment. Are you interested in further possibilities of labia correction?
- You can find more detailed information under: Labia correction
Anatomy of the labia
The labia are arranged in pairs and belong to the external sexual organs. Together with the mons pubis and the clitoris they are called vulva. Their shape and size varies individually.
The inner (labia minora pudendi) and outer labia (labia majora pudendi) serve to cover and protect the entrance to the vagina, thus preserving its moist and as far as possible germ-free environment. In most cases, the labia majora pudendi are not visible. They are covered by the outer ones.
However, this is not always the case. In other cases, the inner labia protrude beyond the outer labia. Such anatomical variations are normal from a medical point of view, but in individual cases they can lead to suffering.
Between the perineum and the mons veneris are the outer labia majora, which are normally covered with pubic hair. The covering skin contains so-called free sebaceous glands (fordyce glands), which ensure a balanced skin environment. Gland and hair form a functional unit.
In the subcutaneous fatty tissue there are two small fat pads (Corpus adiposum labii majores), whose size corresponds approximately to the labia. They are surrounded by a sheath of elastic connective tissue and serve as protection against mechanical stress. The clitoris, the entrance to the vagina and the opening of the urethra are covered by the outer labia.
The gap between the labia is called the pubic cleft or rima pudendi. The vestibular or bartholin glands are also part of the labia majora. They create a moist environment of the vaginal vestibule.
During sexual arousal the production of moisture increases and the penis can be inserted more easily. The paired inner labia (nymphae) are located on the side of the vaginal vestibule. The thin skin folds contain no fat and converge at the clitoris.
Towards the front, the labia minora are divided into anterior and posterior skin folds. The front ones merge with the foreskin of the clitoris (praeputium clitoridis), while the rear ones lead directly to the clitoris as frenulum clitoridis. The side of the small labia facing outwards shows increased pigmentation and so-called squamous epithelium.
The inner side, on the other hand, is occupied by sebaceous glands, the Tyson glands, and is clearly less pigmented. The cells covering the surface are not keratinized. During sexual arousal, the small inner labia are increasingly supplied with blood and swell up, exposing the vaginal entrance.
As a result of the increased blood circulation, they become darker. The length of the labia minora varies from one to six centimeters. In general, there is a great genetic variability with different morphological characteristics.
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