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By Dr. Courtenay Poucher, MD, FACOG certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the National Society of Cosmetic Physicians

I want to start by saying that I’m so impressed with your self advocacy at only 19 years old! I’m very proud of you for articulating your concerns to your gynecologist.

I also want to point something out: Two things can be true at once.

You can dislike how your labia minora is asymmetrical and “curls” – and your labia minora can be anatomically “normal,” thus not warranting a referral for labiaplasty through your medical or insurance providers.

But, while you might not have anything medically “wrong” with your labia, that doesn’t mean that your comfort and confidence aren’t affected by your anatomy. Clearly, you are bothered with how your labia looks.

I’ve treated literally thousands of patients who have shared the same experience during their consultations – their labia is “normal,” but it’s still causing them discomfort and/or embarrassment.

Here’s the most important takeaway I want you to receive from this exchange: You deserve to feel comfortable and confident in your body. How we feel about our most intimate parts can dramatically affect our relationships with ourselves and others.

Because you share that only one side of your labia minora bothers you, I would recommend right-sided labia minoraplasty. This procedure, performed in the office with local anesthetic, will result in symmetrical labia minora.

I recently performed a similar procedure on a patient who visited Labiaplasty Center of Los Angeles from New York City. She was 48 and had been bothered by her asymmetrical labia since she was a teenager. She was thrilled to finally feel confident during intimacy. I’m glad that you’re addressing your discomfort early on.

I hope that this answer reaches you in good health and I wish you the very best!

Do you have a question about non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation, labiaplasty or other intimate surgeries you’d like answered by Dr. Courtenay Poucher? Use our Contact form to connect with us. We will answer as many questions via our Blog as time allows.