Many women wonder if the size, color and shape of their labia is "normal" in comparison to other women. Depending on the features of their labia, a woman can be subconcious about it, as it's the most visible feature of your entire vulva. You've heard many people refer to the labia as their "lips" due to the visual similarity between the body parts. And just like lips, the labia can vary in size and shape (approx 7 to 12 centimeters).
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#1 How's My Labia?
Many women wonder if the size, color and shape of their labia is "normal" in comparison to other women. Depending on the features of their labia, a woman can be subconcious about it, as it's the most visible feature of your entire vulva. You've heard many people refer to the labia as their "lips" due to the visual similarity between the body parts. And just like lips, the labia can vary in size and shape (approx 7 to 12 centimeters).
#2 Some Hate The Size
"As a women's activist and feminist, I avoid operating on women for purely cosmetic reasons unless I have a really compelling reason to do so," Dr. Levy said. "For women who really feel like their lips are getting in the way, I would say that's worth a conversation with a provider. But removal of any of that tissue is removing sexually functional tissue, and it's going to leave a scar that could potentially be painful and may be a long-term problem."
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#3 Shape And Color
Many women's Labia is not even in shape or color on both sides. "Just like our faces are asymmetrical, our breasts are asymmetrical, and our feet are asymmetrical, we got one lip that's a little bigger than the other," Dr. Levy said. Some women even have Labia Minora, meaning your inner lips are more pronounced than the outer.
#4 Texture
The skin of the Labia Majora is the same skin found around the rest of your body, so the good news is you can moisturize it if there is ever dryness or irritation. But do not put any product on the Labia Minora (inside) as it can cause an infection that will change your life forever...ok that's a little dramatic but you get the point.
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#5 Hair Removal
Shaving your vulva does not make it any cleaner, so it may not always be the best to shave them. "There's actually a sexual function to the hair," Dr. Levy said. "The hair collects some of the fluid from the vagina and from the labia and that fluid has odors in it that are very attractive to other people." Think about your natural vaginal aura the next time you want to get a Brazilian wax.
