It is perfectly normal for the labia to stick out. Every vagina is different. The vulva is the visible external part of the female genitals. The vulva has two parts:
- Labia minora (inner lips)
- Labia majora (outer lips)
Vulvas and vaginas are unique in shape, size, texture, and color. Labia come in different shapes and sizes. Labia can be:
- Dangling
- Puffy
- Thin
Some women may have their inner labia coming out of their outer labia whereas some may have their inner labia placed inside. There are no standard measurements for the size of the labia minora because there can be a lot of different sizes. The protruding out of the labia minora is known as labia minora hypertrophy, which is quite usual.
Is there any specific cause for labia minora hypertrophy?
Labia minora hypertrophy is a usual growth and doesn’t have any specific cause. The width and length of the inner lips may vary in different women. There are no standard measurements for the size of the labia minora because there can be a lot of different sizes.
Does labia minora hypertrophy cause any problems?
Most of the women will not exhibit any symptoms; however, the look of the labia minora can be an issue for some. It may also cause physical or emotional problems. Some women may also experience symptoms, such as:
- Irritation or chaffing
- Infection due to chaffing and accumulation of the secretion
- Trouble cleaning the labia well
- Pain with activities and sports
- Distress
Many women may feel embarrassed due to the inner lip bulging in the underwear.
What conditions of the vagina or vulva can be bothersome?
Some women may feel that their vagina has a tongue. In short, the vagina slips down through the vaginal opening so that it looks like a small tongue, which may be normal or indicate a vaginal prolapse.
With advancing age, the uterus may protrude down in the vagina which may be felt as a knob or knot around the vagina. It doesn’t require treatment unless other symptoms are seen.
Some women may have an unusual membrane around the hymen that may resist the insertion of tampons and sexual intercourse.
QUESTION
What percentage of the human body is water? See AnswerSeattle Children’s. Labia Minora Hypertrophy. https://www.seattlechildrens.org/pdf/pe1217.pdf
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Elective Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery. December 19, 2019. https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2020/01/elective-female-genital-cosmetic-surgery#:~:text=ABSTRACT%3A%20%E2%80%9CFemale%20genital%20cosmetic%20surgery,%2C%20and%20G%2Dspot%20amplification
Cleveland Clinic. Vaginal Prolapse: Management and Treatment. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17597-vaginal-prolapse/management-and-treatment
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Common Medical Abbreviations & Terms
Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include:
- ANED: Alive no evidence of disease. The patient arrived in the ER alive with no evidence of disease.
- ARF: Acute renal (kidney) failure
- cap: Capsule.
- CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure. A treatment for sleep apnea.
- DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis.
- DM: Diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- HA: Headache
- IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
- JT: Joint
- N/V: Nausea or vomiting.
- p.o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os.
- q.i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily.
- RA: Rheumatoid arthritis
- SOB: Shortness of breath.
- T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the "vital signs."
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Labiaplasty is a surgical procedure to alter the shape and size of the labia minora. Labia minora are the inner “lips” of the vulva, a woman’s external genitals. Labiaplasty is the removal of excess tissue from enlarged labia minora to make them symmetrical with the labia majora, which are the outer lips of the vulva.
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