After Brooke Shields recalled being left traumatised this week after her plastic surgeon gave her a 'little bonus' during her labiaplasty, fans of the film star have been frantically Googling what exactly the procedure entails.
As such, someone who had undergone a labiaplasty has lifted the lid on their own experience - which they described as a 'journey to the perfect kitty' - and revealed what the 'hardest part' of the procedure was.
What is a labiaplasty?
For those unfamiliar with the surgery, a labiaplasty describes the reshaping or shortening of either the labia majora or minora - the outer or inner folds of skin beneath the vulva.
Interestingly, the procedure is often confused with a vaginal rejuvenation, a complex procedure whereby female genital tissue surrounding the vagina are tightened or reshaped.
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While the latter - a considerably more extreme procedure - is often sought in a bid to increase sexual satisfaction, a labiaplasty can be medical.
The procedures are available through the NHS in circumstances like to amend abnormal vaginal lip shapes, to repair post-childbirth tears and remove cancerous tissues, amongst other ailments.
Such was the case for American actress Brooke Shields, who - in her upcoming memoir - details the chaffing and bleeding she endured throughout her teenage years due to the length of her labia.
The 59-year-old has revealed this week, however, that as well as eventually undergoing a labiaplasty after welcoming her two children, the doctor that recommended the procedure to her also gave her a 'little bonus', in the form of a non-consensual vaginal rejuvenation.
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You can read about Brooke's heartbreaking experience - which she describes as being a 'kind of rape - here.
That said, however, labiaplasties can be motivated by aesthetics, with some women going under the knife because they don't like the look of their own folds of skin.
Another woman's experience
For one Reddit-using woman, however, her reasoning for the procedure was two-fold - revealing her 'two inch' labia 'stuck out in bikinis' and 'would get pinched in certain clothes like jean shorts'.
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In a lengthy post recalling her 45 minute surgery, the anonymous Florida local claims everything had gone to plan and she couldn't have been more pleased with how pain-free the whole experience was... that was, until she reached the healing period.
"The hardest part of the healing process is actually the fact that you can’t sit at all," she recalled. "It’s lay down time only for about two weeks.
"And the ITCHING. Highly recommend getting the Dermoplast spray for both sanitization and itching."
The poster went on to add: "My doctor recommended this and I can’t stress enough how great of a product this is.
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"When the stitches start to dissolve it is insanely itchy for about a week which is where the Dermoplast and the Tucks wipes help."
Does she regret the surgery because of this, however? Absolutely not.
She said: "It looks amazing, everything is 10/10. Imagine the most beautiful p***y you have ever seen — that’s mine now in my mid-30s.
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"Yeah I am bragging, I paid good money [$4,000] for this!"
NHS advice on recovery
According to staff at the NHS, a full two-week period should be reserved off work in order to enable a recovery.
"It can take a couple of months for the skin to fully heal," the website explains, adding that there are several means of taking care of the wound which mustn't be ignored.
These include keeping the area clean and free from infection, wearing loose underwear and clothes to prevent rubbing, avoiding sex for at least 4 weeks and avoid physical activity for 4 to 6 weeks.
Rhianna Benson