External genital plastic surgery has been known in the USA and South America for years, but is now also becoming popular in Italy.

Its lawfulness and procedures are still the subject of much discussion even in the USA. For example, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has expressed its opposition against purely cosmetic surgical operations without functional motivations, while the American Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAPRS) dedicated an entire session to the subject at the annual congress held in Baltimore.

The considerations made during the session and shared by all participants were of great interest:

- Female genital cosmetic surgery regards pathologies which are the competence of reconstructive plastic surgeons since this cosmetic treatment originates from decades of experience matured in external genital and vaginal cavity reconstructive surgery treating malformation pathologies and correcting intersex conditions.

- The pathologies to be treated must not be limited to aesthetics, but must have a functional and corrective value for a malformation or considerable psychophysical distress.

- Knowledge of different specialities is necessary (reconstructive plastic surgery, urology and gynaecology).

- My interest is proven by numerous articles appearing over the past years in important reconstructive plastic surgery magazines: in 2007 three articles in the esteemed AAPRS magazine regarding surgery on the labia minora, two articles in the neurophysiology pathology magazine regarding vaginismus and two regarding the techniques for repairing vaginal tears.

- The results of said procedures, if correctly performed and where advisable, are more than satisfactory.

This is clearly a delicate matter, which is difficult not only for the implications regarding reconstructive, cosmetic and functional plastic surgery, but also in terms of the significant underlying psychological motivations which often exist.

Female external genital surgery includes various operations; pubic liposuction, reconstruction and tightening of the hymen and labiaplasty are among the most highly-requested cosmetic and corrective operations.

For men, the most frequent operations are liposculpture of the pubic area and enhancement of the thickness and length of the penis.

External genital surgery