Abstract

Objectives: Aesthetic genital surgical treatments, also known as Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery (FGCS), are defined as any vaginal or labial surgical modification of anatomy that is offered for aesthetic reasons or to treat normal changes occurring throughout the lifespan. The demand for female genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS) has significantly increased in recent years for two reasons: the advancement of surgical operations and the increased attention to women’s aesthetic and sexual wellbeing. Conversely, different approaches can be identified for both vaginal and vulvar surgery. Introduction: Labia minora hypertrophy, which is in the spotlight for FGCS, can affect women’s sexual wellbeing in different main ways beyond the aesthetic purpose: in young and fertile women, it could impair sexual intercourse, especially during initial sexual encounters, due to psychological distress. A significant hypertrophy could hinder sexual intercourse wellbeing due to the physical obstruction it causes. In postmenopausal women, this condition can lead to bruising and bleeding after sexual intercourse. Materials / method: Three autors independently analized different database until 01.04.2024. They selected the relevant data according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Two team members retrieved and evaluated the full text of the articles for eligibility, extracted the data independently, and included populations, intervention type and outcomes using a pre- piloted standard method. Any disagreement over the eligibility of some articles was resolved through discussion with an external collaborator. Results: Considering the growing interest in FGCS procedures, the present review aims to analize the most up-to-date surgical techniques, to provide adequate evidence-based surgical training, in order to avoid complications. Labiaplasty aims to reduce excess labial tissue. However, other surgical treatments have been developed: vaginoplasty, perineoplasty, labia majora augmentation, mons pubis surgery, the clitoral hood reduction, lipofilling and hymen reconstruction. Conclusion: The proliferation of Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery (FGCS) procedures underscores the need for certified academic training and robust, evidence-based medical practices to preclude ineffective and potentially harmful surgeries, conducted by unqualified or inadequately trained aesthetic surgeons and cosmetic urogynaecologists. Our comprehensive review addresses this requirement by presenting current evidence on FGCS techniques. We emphatically support the necessity for thorough surgical training prior to the performance of such procedures.