People are spending thousands on risky cosmetic genital surgeries

Thursday, October 13, 2016 by: Isabelle Z.
Tags: Botox, cosmetic surgery, labiaplasty

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(NaturalNews) Plastic surgery has become so commonplace that no one bats an eyelid when a woman gets breast implants these days. It's been more than 50 years since the first breast enlargement surgery using silicone implants took place, and it's now the second most popular type of cosmetic surgery across the world.

Now, however, men are starting to get in on the act, with a new procedure that enhances the appearance of the testicles gaining in popularity. Commonly referred to as "scrotox", this involves having Botox injected to the scrotum in order to help ease sweating, fill out wrinkles, and make the area appear larger. The number of men undergoing the procedure has doubled in the past year, with men happily shelling out thousands of dollars in hopes of getting the desired results.

The clinical director of Transform in the UK says that his clinic will not perform the procedure because it's simply too risky. He said that although it might help with sweating, there is too much loose skin on that part of the body that cannot be shifted by injections of Botox. He says the only real solution is surgery to get rid of the excess skin.

Women are also shelling out top dollar to make some changes below the waist. Labiaplasty, which is a surgery that entails reducing the size of the flaps of skin on either side of the opening of the vagina, has been growing in popularity over the past few years.

While some women are getting this done to ease discomfort, many are doing it for cosmetic reasons. Doctors are particularly concerned about the number of teenagers who are seeking the procedure. In response, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recently issued guidance to doctors urging them to reassure their patients that these variations are normal and suggest alternatives to these risky operations that might help with any discomfort. They are also recommending that some of these patients be screened for psychiatric disorders.

Lots of unknowns

The chairwoman of the ACOG's adolescent health care committee, Dr. Julie Strickland, warns that this procedure has a lot of unknowns. She told the New York Times: "The labia have a lot of nerve endings in them, so there could be diminishment of sexual sensation after surgery, or numbness, or pain, or scarring."

The procedures have not been proven safe of effective, and there can be a lot of complications. The NHS reports that women can experience swelling, bruising and soreness for as long as two weeks afterward, and sitting and using the restroom during recovery can be painful. Tissue scarring, infection and bleeding can sometimes occur, and some women might note reduced sensitivity in the area. Like all operations, there is also the risk of having an allergic reaction to the anesthesia or developing a blood clot.

80 percent rise in young girls undergoing labiaplasty

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 400 girls aged 18 and younger underwent a labiaplasty last year. This is an 80 percent rise over the number of girls who had it done in 2014, and it's also important to note that this figure only refers to those who had the procedure done by plastic surgeons; some girls are having it done by gynecologists. This is particularly concerning in this age group because the body is often not done developing by the time these young women get the procedure done.

The prevalence of young girls who shave or wax their pubic hair – more than 70 percent, according to one study – could be behind the increasing concern over the appearance of the labia as it's more visible. The internet is also shouldering some of the blame, with the unrealistic and often airbrushed pictures found online making young girls feel insecure about what are actually normal variations in the size, shape, color and symmetry of this part of the body.

How have we reached the point where people are so willing to get botulinum neurotoxin injected into their scrotum or have their labia cut down so their body can fulfill some misguided ideal? These are risky procedures that can carry serious side effects. There are enough dangers lurking in our food, air and water that we don't need to stack the odds against us even further by going under the knife unnecessarily.


Sources:

TheSun.co.uk

BBC.com

Well.Blogs.NYTimes.com

NHS.uk