Have you considered having a designer vagina?

Can men vote?

I've often thought about it..:)

ii have toughtabout it because alot of men these days actualy care about what it looks like and it makes you contious x :)

It's easy for Lisa to say it doesn't matter, she was considered normal!

I have considered surgery, however this documentary was a great insight. I would not consider this now having seen the art within the documentary, very eyeopening and inspiring. I feel the reasons women may feel the need to have surgery is the fact that the vagina is the only part of the body not seen openly by the average woman, the only way of viewing this sort of image is through pornography, which is not representative of the average woman. i think the images shown within the documentary should have been seen more, showing woman how different each one is.

WOW - Gobsmacked that a woman can feel so disgusted by their parts. This documentary has really opened my eyes as to how women feel and also how some men may perceive our parts!!!! I personally feel that we should learn to accept our bodies that we have been given, we're not perfect but so what!! I know i'm not....... It seems like such drastic actions to improve something that is personal and individual to each of our bodies when there is no need really as we are all different!!!!!! Good job and all as it would all be so boring if we were all the same....... After watching this documentary which i think was presented fantastically i am more than happy with myself and hope that it changes other womens perceptions too..........

before i thourght my vagina was ugly n unhappy but after watching it, it made me realise that mine was normal. and that i am more comfortable at looking at it ... and i have more confidence within myself. thank you!

i dont think tht women should care bout how there vagina looks .... i am a man and i do not think it matters how it looks as every 1 is difrent.

Interesting that Lisa considers waxing to be the norm. Maybe I'm unusual, but I wouldn't do that - painful, and the ingrowing hairs afterwards - ugh! I don't think any of my friends are into that either. Maybe I'm just old...

I find it interesting that your statistics show an increase in labiaplasty over the past 5 years. 5 years ago I remember watching another channel 4 programme - designer vagina. It was the first time I had ever heard of cosmetic surgery being done of this type and it convinced me I'd never consider any type of cosmetic surgery let alone on my vagina. The programme also showed me that every vagina is different and that I was as normal as everybody else. Normal is nothing more than what you have. We need to stop comparing ourselves to everyone else and start accepting who and what we are. I hope that in the same way the previous programme may have contributed to the increase in these types of surgery, that your programme tonight helps women to accept themselves and to love those parts of them which only those intimate with them will ever see.

That Lisa Rogers is a hypocrite.Telling us that we should love our vaginas but she was incapable of showing her own to the public but quite happy to exploit those women and show theirs. What a hypocrite!

Im 17 and the more i see about it the it concerns me, i am conscious about how i look and people can be very critical, but no two people are the same so should surgery be so readably available to people unless it shows a medical concern x

i thought i was the only one with a wierd vagina and it has opened my eyes to see that i am not the only one i thought of having surgery because of the people i know and if they fount out about it i would get called about it but i am only 14 so of course i am going to be scared of what lads my age are going to think.

I am freaked out by my bits because I can see a face. Yes I know it sounds nuts but I can and it's scary. Why have I only just noticed it when I have been looking at my bits for years? I would love to do a plaster cast. I have told my mum and will show her my face but I don't like it. Spooked out so I don't look any more. Excellent documentary but I will not be having any surgery to remove the face.

I watched the documentry hoping to shed some light on my thoughts, as i am booked in at the end of september to have my insides tightened, as ever since i had forceps delivery 6 years ago after my first child , that i no longer enjoy sex, i feel baggy and wet down there, my partner is quite big yet there is still no enjoyment , i also loose tampax up there and have to fish them out with my fingers, im only 33 , and i feel having this surgery done will make me have so much more enjoyment in sex, and day to day life, i too have large labias flapping around, but surgeon on nhs has said he will not cut them back as he has seen worse and thinks im worrying over nothing, but has agreed to do inside, but he put me off alot with side affects of possible loseing feeling down there, deep scarring, uncomfortable sex , 3 months recovery, im now totally confused and need some help and advice, was hoping the documentry would help but it was more about the outside of it, rather then the inside being done, time is approaching near , i have one week to make my choice , please does anyone have more advice for me, thankyou,

why do woman want to do this. if they had vulva cancer they would leave well alone when you have a reconstruction of your vulva your life changes and it looks awful even though you are grateful you are alive you should make woman aware of vulva cancer as it is on the increaseand this has no publicity in the cancer area

i am 23 and have wanted the surgery since i was 12. i've seen my GP, several surgans and psycologysts and all are reluctant to treat me under the NHS, but are very willing to treat me privately. my labia disgusts me i can't look at it and do not allow my partners to see, touch or perform any oral acts on m for this reason. te documentory was very intertesting but i don't feel that it really hit the other views on the problem. thanks for giving me the oppertunity to express my self slightly. at least i know that other women feel the same.

i am 23 and have wanted the surgery since i was 12. i've seen my GP, several surgans and psycologysts and all are reluctant to treat me under the NHS, but are very willing to treat me privately. my labia disgusts me i can't look at it and do not allow my partners to see, touch or perform any oral acts on m for this reason. te documentory was very intertesting but i don't feel that it really hit the other views on the problem. thanks for giving me the oppertunity to express my self slightly. at least i know that other women feel the same.

i am 23 and have wanted the surgery since i was 12. i've seen my GP, several surgans and psycologysts and all are reluctant to treat me under the NHS, but are very willing to treat me privately. my labia disgusts me i can't look at it and do not allow my partners to see, touch or perform any oral acts on m for this reason. te documentory was very intertesting but i don't feel that it really hit the other views on the problem. thanks for giving me the oppertunity to express my self slightly. at least i know that other women feel the same.

I have always, as long as I remember been embarrassed by my vagina. So much so that it has and still does affect my confidence and my sex life. I have split up with boys in the past for fear of sleeping with them and them judging my appearance... I have sex and have had relationships - there have been no problems. I have discussed the issue with partners and they have only ever loved my vagina, HOWEVER, I still feel some kind of shame. I too saw a documentary on the subject five years ago. I remember being so relieved that I had heard these operations could be done, or were only available, in Sweden. I spent a while really looking into it, but at 18 (and even now) I could not afford to go privately. The trouble is the dilemma. Do I stick up for woman kind and carry on feeling this way or do I get the snip and feel like I've let myself down as a woman even though I know surgery would really sort things out.. but then, if I have daughters.. how could I ever tell them what I did when no doubt their vaginas will turn out the same as mine? Sorry this is such a long post - it's a bit of an issue for me as you can tell. But to finish can I say that I have been feeling slightly better about things more recently thanks to my now ex boyfriend (no our break up was not to do with my ladybits!) I am gradually becoming more relaxed and accepting of my body and trusting that I wont be judged. Still, surgery crosses my mind though. x

To me a woman's vagina isn't the most important thing about them. Its not the first thing I think about when I begin to talk someone. If they have a nice vagina, then happy days, bonus. But if they haven't who cares, you love/like them for who they are not for what every part of them looks like. Everyone has a unique vagina and so they should, you should be happy with what you've got. If the blokes dont like it, then they're not worth being with, and this is coming from a 17 year old boy. F***ing 'ell!!!

hello im 16 years old and i have always been concious of my vagina, i have has previous sexual partners but never had the confidence of letting them see down there, i am too imbarrised because the only other vaginas i have ever seen are in porn etc and they look nothing like the way mine looks and its scary. i am definetly thinking about having sergery i would do it now if i had the money because i am so concious. can anyone give me advice please? xxx

I am 29 and have very large labia and hooded clitirous, I have always felt ashamed of my bits. I have never let the small amount of partners I have had see me naked from the waist down. I find myself disgusting and would love to have the surgery, I am too embarassed to go to my GP for fear of being laughed at or being told I'm being silly! I have felt this way since my early teens and was only made worse when I was 17 and my first partner made comment on the size of my labia compared to that of other partners he had been with. Further more I find sex uncomfortable at times and believe this to be the reason. I am curious though and maybe future posts could help me? I have never been able to orgasm during sex and wondered if the hood part could be a factor in this (as in reducing sensitivity?). Again wish I could have this surgery I feel it would make me so much more confident, even to wear swimwear without being worried of bits showing!

I am a gynaecologist with interest in cosmetic gynaecoloigcal procedures. I looked forward to the programme to try to understand what is the general public perception of the subject. Although I missed the first 10-15mins of the program, I was a bit diasppointed that the program talked about "Perfect Vaginas", mostly talk about vulvas. Very little on vagina itself. Most ladies people do not get to see their vaginas, as this is usually felt, but not seen, without an instrument to expose it. There is no perfect vagina as most vaginal are similar in design. However, there are differences in vagina sizes and length and the presence of after-effect of childbirth such as vagina prolapse or inside tears of vagina support, causing vagina relaxation or laxity. This often affects what women complain about. About vulvas though, it is very true that all vulvas are different, in the size or amount of skin over the hood, inner and outer lips. Jamie's cast resemebles my set of clinical photgraps collection. However, despite Lisa's final comment, it is important to empathise with the group of ladies, out there, who explain the reason for their request for surgery, when, for example, their little boy or girl, ask questions such as "Mummy, why have you got a willy" referring to the hanging that some ladies find very embarrasing. What about discomfort and hygiene issues? I feel women need to be talked through their anatomy. Abnormal vulvas are very rare indeed, but there is so huge difference, and women should be respected and supported, if they feel strongly about wanting surgery to achieve their preferred vulva look. Most ladies I come across want to undergo surgery for themselves, not for anyone else, and are generally happy with the result. Information is the key.

Ladies!! as long as you do your keigels and keep it tight, we don't care if it looks like Ernest Borgnine. Stop the insanity!

I'm 16 and didnt even know there was a problem with my vagina until i saw the show. I mean i kno wt it looks like so i wasn't completely oblivious to what it actually looks like but i was just happy with it. I didnt know women have these problems contemplating having surgery and having labia tucks here n there. didn't even know it was an option! So anyway, content with my Vagina i decided to take a look for myself and only then noticed everything wrong with me. These lips i considered normal n was quiet comfortable with i now realize are not so Pretty.I think i know how these women feel and i've decided to get it sorted. The program was helpful i must say and now i'm going into this with my eyes open and understanding. i also think regarding Lisa... its easy to be anti designer vagina and deter girls from ripping their bits apart when she's too scared to fix hers because i'm sure if she had the balls she'd tackle her almost perfect vagina n go under the knife! Keji B

Thankyou so much for showing this documentary!! x I have just turned 16 and since the age or 14 i was convinced i was going to have surgery on my vagina when i had the money. I have a labia that hangs through the lips... i hated it. Vaginas are ugly anyway , in my opinion, nevermind the extra hanging uglyness of mine on top. I thought it was freaky and ugly. No-one would want to know me once they saw it. This documentary totally changed my mind and taught me my vagina was not unordinary. The plastering art stuff was extraordinary. It showed everyones big, flappy, different bits. no-ones was the same. Also i was plesantly surprised with the grilling of Lisa's male mates. They did not seem botherd by a womans vagina. I was glad they are not so shallow after all. Well done... I am now definately not going to change who i am and make my vagina what it shouldnt be. And i thankyou for the documentary and i am sure many young and older insecure females have also seen that their vagina is beautiful. Thankyou from stopping me making a big mistake..x amiee xx

Thankyou so much for showing this documentary!! x I have just turned 16 and since the age or 14 i was convinced i was going to have surgery on my vagina when i had the money. I have a labia that hangs through the lips... i hated it. Vaginas are ugly anyway , in my opinion, nevermind the extra hanging uglyness of mine on top. I thought it was freaky and ugly. No-one would want to know me once they saw it. This documentary totally changed my mind and taught me my vagina was not unordinary. The plastering art stuff was extraordinary. It showed everyones big, flappy, different bits. no-ones was the same. Also i was plesantly surprised with the grilling of Lisa's male mates. They did not seem botherd by a womans vagina. I was glad they are not so shallow after all. Well done... I am now definately not going to change who i am and make my vagina what it shouldnt be. And i thankyou for the documentary and i am sure many young and older insecure females have also seen that their vagina is beautiful. Thankyou from stopping me making a big mistake..x amiee xx

I thought this documentary was good and shows everyone is different, cosmetically mine looks ok i think, its just as the gynaecologist said above, i have problems after giving birth quite a few times, I have had problems in that department since i was younger and was abused, but now its getting that bad, i consider giving up my life as i find the whole thing embarrassing and havent discussed any of it to my doctor.

Thank you Joe Daniel for some really thoughtful comments. I felt The Channel 4 programme could have been very more balanced rather than one person's anti surgery campaign. I ended up being really angered by the programme last night for 2 reasons. I am a counsellor who works a lot of the time with women who have low self esteem and poor body image and to hear the crass, judgemental comments made by Lisa about its a bit of your body that nobody sees so it doesn't matter, shows how little insight she has into other women! Self esteem is a fragile thing. Women see and touch their vagina every day whilst washing, getting dressed etc. If they feel disgusted by it or are ashamed of it then for that individual there is something not quite right. Because this is INDIVIDUAL. If a woman's belief that how her vagina looks is getting in the way of relationshps, having a really good sex life, even getting stripped off at the gym then for the individual there is something wrong. This is not about having the perfect vagina - this is about feeling really good about your own body. Cosmetic surgery is a minefield - the motivations behind it. This is one procedure that the majority of women have done for themselves - not for men. Some men care what a vagina looks like - others don't. Most wouldn't know the perfect one if they saw it! So this is a very personal choice. Lisa can rant on all she likes about hoping her programme prevents women having this operation - just who does she think she is. If she had listened to the women who were brave enough to be on the programme she would have realised that they were doing it for themselves and not because they were being persuaded into it by men. The second reason I am angy? I had labiaplasty 18 months ago. I had hated how I looked since I was a teenager. Believe me girls as you get older 40+ and your body starts to lose fat and collagen your hanging lips get to look worse! It was painful - yes. Do I regret it - NO! I have no problem stripping off in the gym, in changing rooms,in front of my partner , wearing very tiny knickers becauseI love the way I look. My partner thinks its great - he never said anything about how I looked but loves the new appearance. I have more confidence even though no one really sees my vagina except my partner - I know that I look good there. Another bonus - my sex life has improved hugely! Choose your surgeon wisely. If in doubt about why you are doing it do talk to a counsellor rather than trying to get advice from friends and family. I found having the surgery such a positive experience that I wanted to share that experience and how the whole process affected me with other women (and with men too) so that others could make a balanced judgement. I approached a number of high quality magazines to suggest an article - not one of them would discuss the idea! How sad is that?

Joe Daniels , can you recommend or give me any advice on firstly im due to go in at the end of sept to get my insides tightened, have the muscles pulled in, but feel i need to know more about this procedure as my surgeon on the nhs, did not explain enough about it to me, but left me coming away totally worried about it, as i only heard the bad bits, nothing positive, also i would like to know of any surgeons that are near to kent, who would cut back my labia, private, as nhs refuse to do this for me, Thankyou

hello i really need some help i'm only 16 and i really want surgery as i hate my labia it disgusts me i don't feel like a young women i have been with my boyfriend for 2 years and he says there is nothing wrong with me and he loves me no matter what. But i feel i wil be alot more happier with myself and deep down i think my boyfriend will be to. The documentary last night really upset me because i could never learn to love my bits and bobs as sometimes i feel i could cut them off myself i'm starting to get depressed with it all i would go see my gp but i don't think it would get me any where soon as i want a reduction fast if anybody could help please do and tell me how much it would cost for me to have it done private.get back to me by emailing me on techen@hotmail.co.uk thank you please help ...

hi im 14 and after watching the show it still hasnt change my mind about having surgery i admit it is because i have been thinking about having sex and what the lad will think of it i just dont want it to be how it is no more i hate it so much i personaly do think i would be better off if i had surgery to make it look normal on the show lisa explained that everyones is different but the funny thing is she has got a normal one like the doctor said so she wouldnt know how it feels i just wish i could love myne like alot of women do but i will never be able to love myne

Im 15 and even after watching the show i have to admit it was was difficult to watch and see people go threw the procedure of having there labia trimmed however this has STILL not changed my mind about having surgery. If i could have it done now i would just the thought of changing myself is what is stopping me. everytime i think about it it makes me more and more cautious about my future with partners. At least i no its not just me going through this.

Im 16 years old and i'm still a virgin. I am concious about how my vagina as a whole looks because i don't know what men want or expect when they see a womens downstairs. As men these days are so critical it makes me concious and paranoid that mine looks weird compared to those porn stars. Although in many porn photoshoots women tuck theres in, many men dont know that!!

Hi, I'm 16 and I wasn't even aware that a 'different' vagina (larger labia minora in my case) could be viewed as a problem until earlier this year, when the 'Embarassing Bodies' show on Channel 4 featured a woman who had a labiaplasty. After that I got very insecure and decided that I 'should' have one too. But this programme has shown that vulvas come in all shapes and sizes, and that there is no such thing as 'normal' - a message that could well be extended to all areas of plastic surgery. And to the people asking what right Lisa had to try to persuade women not to have such surgery - it is often because women's insecurities stem from ignorance of the variety that exists among vulvas. I can understand why a woman would want a labiaplasty/vaginoplasty after having children or if they are being caused physical discomfort by their vulva. But a lot of the stories in the documentary - Rosie being laughed at by a crowd of teenage boys, the Australian woman being laughed at by her GP (!) - resulted from ignorance and immaturity, and the 'peer pressure' that this gives rise to. If more women (and men) can be educated about the natural differences between vulvas, perhaps some of the social and psychological stigmas that lead to some women's desire for labiaplasty can be removed. Ultimately, this is a very expensive and painful procedure that a great many women can do without. The image of that girl standing in the toilet with blood pouring from her wound will stay with me for a long time.

As a woman of 61 I watched this programme with some interest. I'm part of the womens lib generation, and I'm sure none of us would remotely consider surgery, except for genuine medical reasons. Several things struck me; We in the west have too much money to spend, and there is always someone out there willing to exploit that fact. What has happened to womens confidence in themselves? Nobody is perfect! Why all this plasticisation of women? I agree with Lisa "The Brazillian" has a lot to answer for. It reminded me of the horrendous operations carried out on young girls, Genital Mutilation. Excellent work by Jamie McCartney, very few women get to see normal vaginas in huge numbers. C'mon Jamie make it a thousand! An excellent programme, very well handled, with a light humorous touch, and sympathy for the women. A great pity Channel 4 ever showed the earlier programme from the USA about these operations in the first place!

Im 16 and when i was 15 i had labiaplasty. This program really really upset me, my form of prominant labia was very severe and extreamly irritating! My labia used to hang out ang rub inbetween my legs all of the time, i used to have to sneak off several times during the day and tuck it in to stop the pain! Being caught by my friends doing it one day was so embarrasing and still to this day they think i was playing with myself and still take the micky out of me! I used to refuse to go swimming because i would be scared of my labia falling out or people noticing. It ruined my teens and really brought down my confidence. I never wanted to get close with boys or have a boyfriend. I could not imagine still living with it, or anyone living with it for that matter. Having the opperation was one of the best things i have ever done which changed my life for the better. I think the program was awful as it made it look like if you had it done you was an awful person. It come across as if it was a terrible thing to do, but they didnt seem to get the other side of the story. I went to bed thinking that i had done something awful and felt horrible about myself but then thinking it over again it WAS one of the best decissions iv ever made and without doing it i would still be the shy, misserable, uncomfortable teen i used to be. I totaly sympathise with the other women on the program and hope they get what they have aslways wanted! Not even lessons to learn how to love your body can change the uncomfortableness and humilliation of having prominant labia!

although im only 16 it is something ive considered a lot seeing as my lips hang down quite a bit and i didnt see this as normal however after watching the show it seems more normal to me and im lucky to having a understanding boyfriend who seems to like it anyway so although im not entirely happy with the way it looks after watching the show i dont feel the need to have surgury either

I want to say thank you for making this documentary. Ever since I was little I thought I looked very strange down there even though I never knew what it was supposed to look like and still up to this day (I am 18) I still hate it. In fact I never knew it was actually normal until ONLY one year ago, then I read about labiaplasty and seriously considered it and I still do unfortunately. What I think is the biggest problem is that people just aren't educated enough on this issue. I believe girls and boys should be learning about this stuff as they grow older as it affects so many people n so many different ways. I think if I manage to make enough money I might do the surgery. Even so I still thank you for making the documentary, people need to know. I just wish I knew I was normal earlier in my life. I hate that there are people out there who torment girls about their insecurities, its sickening.

ive already writen twice on this but after reading all the messages other people have put it is amazing how many people have written about there own experiances the message by "april catling" really does relate more to me because she said that it rubs against her legs and she has to tuck it back in i dont have to tuck it back in but if i wear a perticular thong my lips get stuck to the lace bit at the front and they started to bleed because i was out with my mates i couldnt do anything about it and when i got home i had to rip the lace to get them out it really really hurt so as soon as i can ia m going to have surgery the most worrying thing is telling my mum because i am scared of what she might say, CRINGE!

i am so pleased that this programme has been shown as i have recentley been considering having this labiaplasty surgery and didnt really know much about it and was shocked at how many other girls like me are wanting it done and that im not the only one out there that feels this way.I have always felt that i must look different to every body else i never thought that vaginas could honestly be this ugly, even though i am only 21 but after having my little boy 4 years ago it has just made me feel worse.When i was growing up it was always a no no talking about your privates so it always made me feel arkwardcause i never knew if everybody else looked the same way.They realy do need to have moreinfo/tlks in school about your body as young girls are just assuming that every one should have a perfect vagina when the fact is every one is different, i think this surgery is a good thing but i just hope that girls that are having done because they really feel they want and need to have it done and not just because they feel that everybody else is getting it done so i must be abnormal and need it done too.it did make me think again about having this surgery but at the end of the day if it makes you feel ugly and u can do somthink about it then do it!

Just to response to Claire's enquiry, which was posted on 18:08:08 @ 04:29ET. There are fine surgeons throughout the country who do this surgery and do it very well with good results. I suggest you make local enquiries before your surgery in Sept and if this does not yield any positive results, you may look towards London for a second opinion. Your consultation should consist of showing you a variety of what is normal. Think carefully what doing the surgery will mean for you, in terms of outcome, funds and possible complications, which are not that many, if done by someone who does them very regularly. Contrary to what the programme showed, labioplasty is not always about "chopping off bits". There are methods such as removing a wedged of skin and reconstructing the remaining labia to look "reduced, rather than removed". It is good if you see a specialist / surgeon who works in the NHS, as well as privately, as s/he is likely to have a high standard for ensuring things go well. Opinion is divided on whether to go a gynecologist or to a plastic surgeon. You will find that a good recommendation from other specialist is a reasonable guide for choice of specialist.

I just wanted to say thankyou for making this documentary. The weight that has been lifted off my shoulders is incredible. I was considering surgery and i am only a teenager. After wastching the girl go through surgery i am no longer considering it. I have learnt to accept me for who i am. Lisa Rogers i love u! You must have inspired so many young girls just like me and i honestly from the bottom of my heart thankyou. It wont be easy growing up but any man that doesn't accept me for who i am is not worth it. So thankyou

I'm so glad I saw this programme. I was always worried about my labia, thinking that they were too big. I was completely uneducated about what women looked like and thought I was some kind of freak. One of my friends went to her doctor about hers when she was a teenager and she was told that her labia would decrease to a "normal" size, inside her labia majora, as she grew out of her teens! Mine didn't so in desperation one day I tied elastic bands around them in the hope that they would drop off. After 24 hours it was so incredibly painful I had to take the bands off. I then tried slashing them off with a razor blade. When I tried to talk to my mum about my worries she offered to take me to the doctors! It was only when I saw a magazine article when I was about 18 that I realised that perhaps I wasn't abnormal after all, although my self-confidence has still always been hugely affected by what I thought were abnormal genitalia. Reading this comments, it's clear that a lot of women are unhappy with their vulvas. I find it worrying that surgery is marketed as the answer and thought that the documentary was very thought provoking in that it attacked why this is presented as the solution. Lisa's emotion was genuine when she came across someone who felt pressure to conform to what is often an unattainable image of perfection. As someone pointed out above, the answer isn't surgery. If every woman who was worried about their labia went down that road, plastic surgeons would be quids in and able to retire early with a few holiday homes scattered around. In my case, mainly thanks to Jamie's plaster casts, I've finally seen that I'm not abnormal. It shouldn't have taken me until the age of 32 to realise that I look normal! I would hate any young girls to put themselves through the self mutilation and worrying that I went through. The increased sexualisation of our society, through the proliferation of lapdancing clubs, cheap lads mags etc just fuels the fire of girls' insecurities. More education is needed, for girls and boys, so that neither have unrealistic expectations. Men are not under the same pressure to have their scrotums tightened or to undergo any other aesthetic procedure on their genitalia. Of course, they all worry about size. But I find it worrying that there is so much pressure on women to conform to what I know now is a myth of what they should look like. StephanieP

I am 16 years old and i have just been reading the comments about the show. I am annoyed by what Sandy said. The women on the show who were uncomfortable about their vagina and tried better approaches to liking their vagina, were happy and content about their vagina in the end, which is a lot better than having surgery and going through a lot of pain. She should be quiet because most of the other women who have written comments found the documentry very useful and so did i.

I never had a problem with mine until after I had my baby at 38. One labia tore in half and I was told this would heal back together without any stitches. Of course it didn't and as the tare was at an angle one side hangs longer than the other and looks like a little tongue poking out. A year later I went to have it repaired on NHS but during the op my consultant got called away and another surgeon did not understand the problem and cut away scar tissue from a different tare. I have been very upset by it all and tried to put it all out of my mind as I didn't feel up to going through it all again. A few years on and I find myself single and interested in dating again but worry about what a new partner will think. Now I look at it I realize the tare is only a minor part of the problem. My whole vagina looks bigger than ever and much darker in colour. I really thought I was a freak and although not brave enough to have surgery I did think I would not bother having a sex life again. I now have a man who is crazy about me but much younger and am worried he is going to be discusted by what he finds. The only way I can think of handling it is to turn it into a joke and persued him he is getting an added extra and also keep the lights low!

I found the show both informative and thought provoking however, for a subject as sensitive as this one I feel an hour was no where near enough. I think it's great that Channel 4 have finally decided to air such a taboo subject but as discussed above I don't think the programme was as neutral as it should have been, focusing on discouraging surgery rather than tackling the issues. I am 29 years old and very concious of my inner labia (which incidentally are on the outside!!!). Like April Catling, my labia hang down but although they do not rub between my legs I do find myself tucking them in on a daily basis because they are so uncomfortable inside my underwear. I am unable to wear fitted trousers / shorts etc, not because I worry they will be seen but because the clothes are so uncomfortable to wear. I used to have a very healthy enjoyable sex life but I am finding sex incresingly painful as they get in the way! This has then contributed towards a lack of sex drive as the thought of them even being touched puts me off and I find it very difficult to even get aroused. I have spoken to my gynae, my GP and a nurse who have all told me that it is normal however the discomfort that I feel makes me feel otherwise. I have, and still am considering surgery, not for aesthetic reasons as I accept that every vulva is unique, but to relieve the discomfort I feel. And although there is always a risk of complications with the surgery and a painful recovery, to me, two or three weeks of discomfort is a small price to pay in comparison to a lifetime of discomfort and having to readjust me underwear two dozen times a day. I only wish I was one of the many women who are happy with there ladybits and never considered going under the knife. All I can say is you are very lucky women not having to endure the discomfort of large labia. To this point, you (like Lisa) could never understand how it feels and are in no position to judge whether any woman should or should not alter their body, for whatever reason.

I watched the show too & to be honest, it didn't put me off at all - I feel that after seeing it, I would def have the surgery, so much so that I have made further enquiries about it again today. I never been happy with my "ladybits", which needless to say are very much on the outside! I'm 32 and have had 2 partners but would feel very uncomfortable being with anyone else at the moment. If I dont like what I see how could I expect someone else to like it? It was the painters in Lisa's house & the beef curtains comments that got to me, I've heard that before and its horrible. I'm glad to see above that some women have had the surgery succesfully & are pleased with the outcome. I do appreciate that everyone is different but its the extent of the difference & what you have... If this kind of surgery can give me what I want then I'm all for it....

No I haven't, No I wouldn't and No I don't want you to either. I think it soemthing sad about the state of affairs in our society that men or women would consider having their genitals changed purely for cosmetic reasons. i am sick and tired of seeing these stupid ads for viagra and about giving a guy a bigger cock to please the ladies with and I am tired of women lying that what they really want is a gu with a great big cock. The most messed up in the head guys I know are the ones with a big dick, that have been told all their lives they are the best ones, but it's a lie because it has nothing to do with who they are. Stop all this nonsence, and shame on the doctors who are going to get rich off of these surgeries. You aren't helping anyone but yourselves, so stop the alturistic bullshit "If women didn't want it I wouldn't do it". That does not let you off the hook from being a sleezeball. Lets face it folks, having the perfect vagina is easy - love the one you got.

I’m 20 and have just had a labiaplasty…the program actually made me cry especially when they were sat around her table laughing about it, I watched it with my mum and we were both angry at the presenters naivety and complete ignorance...she didn’t touch on any of the reasons for surgery other than for reasons of pure vanity...I had mine because it used to get caught up when I used a tampon, was extremely uncomfortable when I wore certain trousers and knickers..(though before I had it done I went to see a gynaecologist who told me to just wear different trousers and underwear - which I was stunned at, why should I have to change the way I dress because of something I had no control over?!) and also meant that I had never had sex because I was to scared to let a guy anywhere near it and scared of it getting drawn up inside me and being painful and embarrassing.. I am actually annoyed that the presenter was able to make a documentary about something she clearly knew nothing about - channel 4 would have done better to let that girl who had it done on camera present the program and follow her through it and let her interview the other women. I don’t see how any woman can pass judgement on this unless she has experienced this issue for herself and knows exactly how it feels...

i am 15 and i have wanted a labiaplasty since i was 12 and i still havent changed my mind. i get really depressed because my labia hangs and it is really uncomfortable to wear certain underwear and i am also very embarrased to go swimming incase it falls to the side. i dont know how old you have to be or how much it is but i will definitly have the op in the future. when i watched this programme i thought the presenter was the wrong person to present this programme because she was said to be 'normal' so she couldn't understand waht its like for many other woman that dont have a normal vagina.

i totally agree with the comments emz and kay because they just say what is true like kay said lisa could never understand how it feels because she is considired to be normal i just cant believe that so many women are having the problem as me and just the same as kay i am stilll considering having the surgery NO matter how much it costs i just wish there was someone i could talk to but there isnt because i cant talk to my mum at all about it because i am scared i tried to tell her but i backed out. could anyone please tell me if i should tell her or not someone please answer me

Im 16 and i had the labiaplasty operation at the london clinic about 3 weeks ago, I was so embarassed about my vagina before! But now after just 3 weeks im feeling more confident than ever. It was definatley the best decision for me. My operation wasn't nearly as bad as the girl in the documentry i had a general anesthetic and dissolvable stiches and a week with some pain was worth the results im so happy. x

Is it just me but did you all watch this program to see Lisa Rodgers Fadge, what a disapointment

I dont have a girlfriend, so id be happy with any flappy twat, no matter how baggy it was.

some people write the most rediculous things it is really serious to girls and boys you just dont understand

im 15 and booked to have my labia trimmed at the end of october i am getting it done on the NHS, after seeing this show i do feel more at ease with my vagina but still disgusted with it, i feel that it is ugly and unattractive. im worried that there may be terrible scarring. the girl on the proggramme who had the surgery looked in alot of pain and seemed to be bleeding alot. if anyone has had it done any advice?

My vagina has been 'sortet' after being torn appart during childbirth 25 years ago. I have never been SO pleases with myself, when I did it. It is a funny feeling. Nobody sees it, nobody insist to change anything. But you FEEL the difference, when you have done it! I think my eyes shines more, just knowing it...

I'm 16, and about a year ago noticed my "bits" were different to other pictures i'd seen. Im not a virgin, and nothing has ever been said about them but after seeing the programme, mine arent too different from other women who were considering the labiaplasty operation. I have to admit, it did put me off a little seeing that girl go through so much pain, but ive started to become self concious of myself around my boyfriend. I dont have a clue for the proper names or anything, but my inside lips that are supposed to be neatly tucked away, stick out past the outer lips, and it just seems like theres too much skin and stuff down there :p When i was discussing the programme with my friends, they all laughed and said about theres "not hanging out anywhere", i had no choice really but to sit there and agree. Does anybody know how bad it has to look for the NHS to perform the operation? and is it really as painful as the programme made it look!?

too vicky the girl above i went to my GP and she said mine was average but if it was causing me discomfort and distress she would refer me too the hospital. she said she had seen so much worse were one lip hung halfway down a girls thigh:s. she was more than happy to offer me an operation so im going for it :P just hopeing it dont hurt like that girls on the show. i am thankfully getting knocked out through the operation and having disolveable stitches :D ha x

It's easy to dismiss this self mutilation as yet another microcosmic manifestation of all the vain, consumerist banality that fills our lives these days, but there must be something really deep seated at play here for a significant and growing number of women to put themselves through this. Without being too crude, if any bloke has ever had a long term relationship and spent time with a woman (and her fanny), they'll know that a normal fanny varies just like a bloke's todger, or any other part of the anatomy for that matter. If a girl lets you see hers it's usually because she trusts you and wants to be intimate, and this is a very nice feeling. I doubt large labia would spoil the moment and send a normal boy packing. So please, don't mutilate your fannies for us, I've never EVER met a bloke for whom it is an issue.........

Don't blame me for this! I've been laughed at for having a small penis, for being bald and for being fat. All in all i haven't got a whole lot going for me. Get over it!

im 16, and i reli do hate my vagina, i think my lips r way way way 2 long and its just reli reli ugly, i h8 it so much, surgery wud definately b a concideration, but not now obviously bcos of still living at home and the cost anyone feel like re-assuring me my addy is kim_bully69@hotmail.com

I would love to get surgery, I am just worried about the healing time, I have to sit down all day in my job...ouch! and I can't take that kind of time off work without telling my boss 'oh yeah sir I am off to get vaginal surgery' how humiliating... I have hated my vagina since I was probably 10...one minute it was cute...I was so worried I thought I might not actually be fully female at one point, like the labia was actually meant to develop into balls but didn't quite get there....recently figured out it's normal...just not very attractive....would love to feel sexy in a bra AND undies...not just think...oh my boobs look great...shame about the bottom half. well that's my two cents. (or pennies)

This programme was a brilliant insight into how 21st century women are perceiving their vagina. I am 21 years old, and have myself considered surgical reconstruction on my vagina. I feel as though 'it does not look normal'. Even though, I am now a qualified nurse, and am aware that no two Fufu's look the same, i still felt that this was something that I wanted to do, as I didn't feel as though I was a 'proper' woman. Having watched the programme, I feel very different. Seeing other women's private parts on the tv today - as opposed to the perect versions, and might i add, quite unrealistic, in pornographic material - I feel a whole new sense of confidence, that my vagina is not as awful looking as I had perceived just over an hour ago. It's extremely liberating to know that other women out there feel unhappy with the way they look down there because it means that I'm not alone, but now I hope that those who do feel that way, have watched the programme and feel the same way as I now do. What a worthwhile documentary, and I commend Lisa for her efforts in bringing this sensitive issue to light! And also for her conclusion to 'love your vagina' : ) Thank you Lisa, well done!!

Also just wanted to add...I constantly get cystitis...I take every precaution such as drinking loads of water, staying very clean down there...don't use harsh fragrances...cotton undies....I think it has something to do with my anatomy...so there's a medical reason for getting surgery, I am sure my doctor will tell me differently (even after having to go back to him for 4 different sets of antibiotics in one month)...I think the labia can have an effect of the environment down there....just like ur appendix...you don't need it...if it is causing you grief...get rid of it...don't see why not....as long as it's safe.

hi there im about to turn 17 and for the past few years i havent loved my vagina,its ugly but who really is born witha gorgeous vagina! its not meant to be this way before seeing this programme i had never even heard of having a very large labia and hooded clitirous, but now im pretty sure thats what i have, but who cares!! i have had many sexual partners and neither have had a problem, i now have a boyfriend who i have had for the last 9 months and after seeing this programme i asked questions, and he has told me that there is nothing wrong with my vagina, he loves it and he told me how he has never met a woman who looked the same down there and its never been an issue!!! i dont know where all this rubsh has came from about vagina appearences but girls you were born with it and if you can't find a guy who doesnt love it then chuck him! not all dicks are the same, guys have big ones and small ones but they'd never have it nipped and tucked so you shouldnt either!! deal with it, its not ugly its unique, and there is no 'perfect vagina' c'est la vie!!!!

Congratulations to a frank and honest documentary. I was shocked to see that there was so much ignorance, still around in the 21 century. I don´t think that this typ of uncensoered documentary would be possible here in Germany. Prudence still prevails.

Im 26 and since the age of about 8 or 9 have known that i hang down lower than is normal, although I convinced myself that i am normal, and everyones different etc I never really believed it. Ive wanted surgery to get rid of them for years, and was over the moon to find out it could be done. Im a complete lightweight when it comes to pain, so was quite alarmed when i saw just how painful the procedure is. I was really relieved to see that every fanny was different; but without wanting to sound like a drama queen, mine seemed a lot larger than the ones shown. They even get in the way on a day to day basis, such as wiping, getting caught in my knickers and constantly get in the way during sex. Even the doctor said they were amongst the largest shes ever seen. Im sorry for ranting but Ive never spoken about this to anyone other than the doctor and my husband. He doesnt see why im worrying but i dont think he really understands. Sorry, I just needed to get that off my chest. I still want the surgery done, Ive got an appointment with a gyno next week, so i think ill just see what he has to say, but dont know if i could put myself through all that pain. Plus theres time off work, im a chef so constantly on the move, bending and stretching all day. Its a big decision and not one im gonna take lightly. gotta make sure what i do is for the right reasons. Right, thats it, im gonna shut up now, ive said my bit.

Hi everyone, The big bonus of the documentary for me was that it made me realise I wasn't alone!! The bad side of it was that it made me feel like I am a vain person for considering having the surgery!! I think its great programs like this exist, as i'd love to openly talk about having a large labia to my mum, but its a huge taboo. However, I think a more balanced arguement was needed. Im not sure she'd come to the same conclusion if she had a large labia herself! But still, good on her for highlighting the problem. I think people judging others who have the surgery is wrong. MANY women dont have it for asthetic reasons! and its not because we have too much money to spend. I have sex that hurts because of it!!! should I not do anything about that?! sex is a very important thing in life, and I get so frustrated that I can't be more at ease. Also after having a few frank comments from men whilst in bed, it totally tears you apart!! Im 22 and should be at the peak of confidence within myself, im fine with clothes on, but clothes off is a different story! Good luck to all women out there trying to cope with either loving their vagina or doing something about it. For themselves, noone else!!

Im 17 and have always been uphappy with down there ever since i can remember. Untill i watched this programme i had no idea that this surgery existed. This probably sounds silly but i have up days and down days in the way i feel about mine. yes i have a prominent labia and it disgusts me but then some days i look at myself and think its not too bad. Im a virgin still because of it. my last relationship ended after 10 months and although we didnt break up because i would not have sex with him, i still feel that it was the root cause of the break up. I never told him the reason i refused all the time either. Im now gettin quite close to somebody else but im worried that im going to go down exactly same path as i did before and end up losing the relationship. Its just im so scared of exposing myself and risk being laughed at or even if he dont say anthing about it i know that i will be paranoid thinking that he will be thinking about it. Added to the fact that i know he is also a virgin and in terms of what he would expect i think he expects all women to look like porn stars down there. I havent told anyone of these issues i have with myself so watching this programme was great to find out iam not alone. However i agree that lisa should have exposed herself especially as she was exposing other women who had self issues about theirs. I would love surgery to neaten things up but its not somthing i would ever take lightly. For me it would be 100% just for cosmetic reasons as i do not experience any discomfort from my labia and when i weigh this up with the pain of the surgery i cant reach a final decision. I just wish i could have this surgery but where i would actually be asleep and have dissolveable stitches (which i think is possibe) . So if i ever reach a point in my life where i was so unhappy and my partner was turned off by it AND i had enough money, i would do it. However i hope in time that after lose my virginty and get over that first initial fear doing it the first time and revealing myself i will learn to love me. i hope. :S

i had issues with my vagina for a while as seeing women with the "perfect" vagina made me a bit self-concious. But after watching the programme and seeing real women I realised that mine is not that bad after all and i do feel alot better about myself now.

I Have But After Watching That I Have Changed My Mind!! Deffinatly Never Going To Have One !! =]

Hi everyone! Does anyone know what the name of the surgeon was, the guy with a Dutch name, I guess it was Erik or Eric, but does anyone knows his last name??? I really wanna change my vagina... it's just too disgusting, the labia are like 5 cm long.... mine are worse then the example shown in the programme! I would be so grateful if you could tell me his name... Greets from the Netherlands

i think its amazing how many people find there vagina different! yet im guessing guys arnt bothered about it at all! im 16 and ive got a boyfriend and yes im nervous about getting my bits out infront of him but why do so many people want to get there vagina "perfect"? tbh, you should just live with what you have got and if a partner dosnt like it that way then he obv doesnt want to be with you for the right reasons :) im not happy with my vagina but im going to live with it! my boyfriend loves me for who i am, not the size of my vagina!

Breast enlargement surgery is now social acceptable, and that is very rarely for anything other than aesthetic reasons. It seem rather unfair the way women are condemmed for this. Im not concerned about being 'ugly', or anyone elses opinion of my body, Im a confident person and I fully understand that all vaginas are different. The reality is that my labia are uncomfortable, make sex sore, and I am aware of them causing discomfort frequently. I wouldnt hesitate to have surgery, and would love to know how severe the situation has to be to have the procedure on the NHS. I would also be interested to find out the average price of going privately, its hard to find out without having a consultation.

Heart of the Flower is an unflinching exploration of the beautiful diversity of women’s genitals, free of judgement, shame and embarrassment. Forty-two everyday women have posed for up-close and personal photographs that show their genitals from many different and rarely seen angles. Each woman writes candidly with wit, wisdom, passion, even despair, about her relationship with her vulva. The book brings into light the ins and outs of the female sexual anatomy, and demystifies and challenges the way society views women’s genitals. Heart of the Flower is designed to normalise and celebrate diversity at a time when labial reconstructions have reached an all-time high and women’s body image is at an all-time low. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brisbane-Australia/Heart-of-the-Flower/37355251170?ref=s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pkne3IuDKjU www.heartoftheflower.com