More and more women are seeking cosmetic surgery to alter the appearance of their vagina—and one doctor says it’s all because they want to look great in their yoga pants.
Vaginoplasty, which includes several types of surgical procedures used to change or reconstruct the vagina, has become increasingly popular around the world.
In the UK, demand has shot up by five since the late 1990s and early 2000s. In the US, 10,774 women had labiaplasty in 2016, a 23.2 per cent increase compared to the previous year’s 8,745, according to the American Society For Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Trend: More and more women are seeking cosmetic surgery to alter the appearance of their vagina—and one doctor says it’s because they want to look great in yoga pants (stock picture)
As such, labiaplasty was one five surgical procedures that saw the most significant increases over the course of last year in the US.
Young girls are getting more and more interested in the procedures as well.
In 2015, 400 girls aged 18 or younger had cosmetic genital surgery in the US, which amounted to an 80 per cent increased compared to the previous year, the New York Times previously reported.
Most patients are thought to go under the knife for cosmetic reasons, with some reporting some deep-rooted insecurities due to the shape of their privates, including their labia.
Some women also elect to undergo the procedure to get rid of physical discomfort.
The pornography industry was thought to be a driving factor behind the increasing popularity of vaginal cosmetic surgery, by exposing people to only one type of labia, which has since become thought of as the new normal.
Sweat sesh: Cosmetic surgeon Paul Banwell says many women become interested in the procedure because they want to look their best during their workouts (stock picture)
However, cosmetic surgeon Paul Banwell, who is based in London, UK, says many women become interested in the procedure because they want to look their best during their workouts.
‘A few years ago, everyone was talking about the so-called impact of the porn industry. Personally, I’d say I don’t see that in my patients. They are concerned about functional things,’ Dr. Banwell said during the British Association of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgeons’ conference, according to The Sun.
‘The boom in physical exercise in the past 10 years has driven it. I think porn is an influence, but that influence is very small.
‘What is driving things is yoga, sport, exercise and outdoor living.’
While some women might feel self-conscious about their appearance in athletic wear, some celebrities have celebrated their camel toes—a shape that can often appear in private areas when someone wears tight pants, leggings, or workout clothes.
Owning it: Model Iskra Lawrence, 27, proudly shared this photo of herself in tight exercise pants last summer, explaining she wasn’t ashamed of sporting a camel toe
Not a problem: Khloe Kardashian made it clear she is not embarrassed about sporting a camel toe by sharing an entire gallery dedicated to ‘Camille the camel’ on her website last year
Message: The 33-year-old reality star (pictured left in archive photos) wrote: ‘There’s no hiding it. in’t no shame in the camel toe game, LOL’
Model Iskra Lawrence, 27, proudly shared a photo of herself in tight exercise pants last summer, explaining she almost didn’t post it because her camel toe is visible on it.
‘I only took this one photo quick before had to start shooting so looked at it then was lil damn I can’t post that everyone’s gonna comment on my [camel] toe but wait I am I bothered… nah let me go post that!’ she wrote on Instagram ‘Don’t let anyone else’s opinions of you stop YOU from doing what you want!’
Meanwhile, Khloe Kardashian made it clear she is not embarrassed about sporting a camel toe from time to time by sharing an entire gallery dedicated to ‘Camille the camel’ on her personal website last year.
The 33-year-old reality star then shared nine photos focusing on her nether regions and wrote: ‘There’s no hiding it. in’t no shame in the camel toe game, LOL.’