Background/Objectives: Labiaplasty is an increasingly popular female genital plastic surgery; however, the motivational factors for women who undergo this procedure are controversial and not fully understood. This review aims to analyze the current medical research addressing the motivational factors behind the increasing prevalence of this procedure. Methods: Included studies met the following components: Population (women of any age who have undergone labiaplasty), Exposure of Interest (labiaplasty), and Outcome (motivational factors). The following databases were screened to identify relevant studies: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, using the search strategy (Motivation OR Rationale OR Motive OR Reason OR Incentive) AND Labiaplasty. After analyzing the retrieved studies (n = 221), two studies (n = 2) strictly met the established eligibility criteria and were included in the results section. One additional study was incorporated after reviewing the reference lists of eligible studies. Results: The observed motivations for labiaplasty included purely aesthetic reasons, purely functional impairment, and a combination of both. However, when both factors were considered, functional impairment was typically identified as the primary reason, while concerns about appearance were considered secondary. From a more concrete perspective, it has been noted that negative comments and experiences contribute to the distress surrounding labial appearance. Conclusions: The majority of patients undergoing labiaplasty do so for a combination of functional impairment and aesthetic reasons. These motivations may be influenced by external factors. Additionally, there is a scarcity of studies focusing solely on women who have undergone labiaplasty within the broader context of genital cosmetic surgeries.

In recent years, the practice of female genital cosmetic surgery, particularly labiaplasty, has increased in Spain, as reported by aesthetic surgery associations. The aim of this article is to describe and represent the labia minora in online information and assess whether it includes elements that may contribute to body dysmorphia. To achieve this, a qualitative content analysis was conducted on the most accessible Spanish-language websites, selected based on their PageRank. The results show that 71.4% of the analyzed websites promote labial reduction, with the majority being commercial sites from medical aesthetic centers. A significant bias towards the medicalization of female genital diversity is revealed, contributing to the creation of the problem: labial hypertrophy is presented as a pathological condition without objective medical criteria, while critical information regarding risks is often omitted. There is a need to reassess the representations, assumptions, and sociocultural values that inform these medical practices and influence their narratives.

Background: The labia minora are cutaneous folds richly innervated along their entire edge and are important for the protection of internal structures. Several studies have emphasized the wide interindividual variability in labia minora appearance. Aim: We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of research that has quantitatively described labia minora in healthy premenopausal adult women. Methods: Following Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 (PRISMA 2020) guidelines, we searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science without date or language restrictions using the following terms and Boolean operators: (“labia minora” OR “vulva”) AND (anatom*) AND (measure* OR morphometr*). The search was last conducted on 27 October 2025. Observational studies reporting clinical measurements of labia minora length and/or width in women undergoing routine gynecological care were included. Results: The total number of records identified was 567. Seven cross-sectional studies comprising 991 women met the inclusion criteria. All studies collected measurements in hospital or outpatient clinical settings in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. All the measurements were conducted in the lithotomy position using standardized instruments. The range of labia minora length across studies varied from 36.5 mm to 60.6 mm. The labia minora width ranged from 14.7 mm to 21.8 mm. All studies described marked interindividual variability, with wide, overlapping ranges between samples. An important limitation concerns the incomplete assessment of measurement reliability in two of the included studies. A total of three studies, encompassing 307 women, provided the necessary data to permit meta-analysis. The pooled mean labia minora length was 53.23 mm (95% CI: 43.50–62.96), while the pooled mean labia minora width was 18.28 mm (95% CI: 14.93–21.64). The analysis of between-study variability revealed statistically significant heterogeneity (Cochran’s Q test, p < 0.001) and considerable heterogeneity (I² > 75%) for both outcomes, i.e., labia minora length and width. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate substantial variability in labia minora dimensions. The integration of these data into medical education and clinical guidelines may be useful to reduce unnecessary interventions. Register: PROSPERO (registration number: CRD420251174590).

Los genitales femeninos atraen gran diversidad de discursos culturales relacionados con la salud, la higiene, el honor, el decoro, la belleza, el placer o el éxito sexual. Estos discursos reflejan y refuerzan la estructura social y contribuyen a la socialización de la sexualidad. Las asociaciones que (re)producen cambian en el tiempo y en el espacio, mostrando explicaciones a menudo opuestas. En algunas culturas, los labios menores alargados representan la belleza, la salud y se asocian al placer, mientras que la sociedad occidental históricamente ha descalificado los labios menores protuberantes, convirtiéndolos en un signo de depravación, de sexualidad excesiva, de falta de civilización, estigmatizando a las mujeres de culturas que practican la elongación labial. Desde la década de los 70, tras los mismos argumentos de belleza, salud y placer, nuestra biomedicina califica como «hipertróficos» los labios menores que sobresalen de los mayores, recomendando muchas veces su reducción quirúrgica a través de una intervención denominada «labioplastia» cada vez más demandada en las sociedades occidentales. Desde un análisis comparativo cultural, con la Antropología del Cuerpo, la Antropología de Género y el modelo crítico de la Antropología Médica, este artículo profundiza en las concepciones culturales en torno al sexo, género y sexualidad presentes en la práctica de la elongación labial en algunas sociedades del Este y Sur de África; en la interpretación occidental de las mismas en Europa, principalmente en el siglo XIX; y en el discurso biomédico actual en torno a la hipertrofia de labios menores y la cirugía de labioplastia.