I’m a firm believer that if a woman decides that her life will be improved by labiaplasty, then those around her should support that decision. A woman has the right to decide what is best for her body.
However I’m also the first to admit that not everyone should get a labiaplasty. Sometimes people want the procedure for wrong reasons, to produce solutions that no operation can produce. So if you have a friend that you know is considering labiaplasty, what should you do? how should you counsel them? Here are my suggestions for you.
1) Be non-judgmental. Most women who have reached the point of considering labiaplasty have already heard all the criticism anyway. So tell her you want to talk to her objectively about the procedure to help her decide if this is right for her. Promise you won’t be critical. And stand by that promise.
2) Ask her to list her reasons for wanting a labiaplasty. Only by getting those reasons out in the open can you help her decide if they are good reasons. For instance, if she complains of physical discomfort caused by overly large labia, then this is usually a legitimate reason for having the procedure. So is the fact that she will feel more comfortable going on job interviews. But if she thinks that this will be the cure to personal issues in her life–that only with it will she be able to meet new people–she probably has an exaggerated sense of what the procedure can accomplish.
3) If, as mentioned in number 2, you feel the woman’s reason for the labiaplasty revolves around believing that she cannot function on a personal level without a labiaplasty, discuss with her why this is not true. Talk to her about all of the good things about her. Tell her why she does not need any plastic surgery to get out and meet new people. And remind her of how many people in her life already love her as she is.
4) Anyone considering labiaplasty should know of the possible consequences. Labiaplasty has been proven to be a fairly safe procedure, however, any surgery carries with it some inherent risks. As a friend to the prospective patient, you can help her make a smart decision by researching the possible risk factors and letting her know of these ahead of time. Don’t scare her, though, since the procedure does have a proven safe track record. But just make sure she knows all sides of the issue.
