Cosmetic vaginal surgery draws protest
This week saw a NYC street protest by a grassroots anti-plastic surgery movement that seeks to end female genital cosmetic surgery.
The protest was organized by the New View Campaign, which is "opposed to the growth of the unregulated and unmonitored genital cosmetic surgery industry that is medicalizing women's sexuality and creating new risks, norms and insecurities." Specifically, the group seeks to bring critical debate to the recent batch of new below-the-belt plastic surgery procedures: Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation, Designer Vaginoplasty, G-Spot Amplification ("G-shot"), Revirgination, or Cosmetic Labiaplasty. The group's spokesperson, psychologist Dr. Leonore Tiefer, compared the before-and-after images promoted by surgeons to what others would call "female genital mutilation.‟
The campaign intends to go after specific medical practices that offer a laundry list of procedure marketing terms including: “Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation”, “Designer Laser Vaginoplasty”, “Vaginoplasty”, “Vaginal Rejuvenation Surgery”, “Vaginal Tightening”, “Core Restore”, “Laser Reduction Labiaplasty”, “Labiaplasty”, “Labia Reduction Surgery of Labia Minora”, “Labia Majora Remodelling”, “Laser Perineoplasty”, “Augmentation Labioplasty”, “The Other Face Lift”, “Clitoral Reduction”, “Expert Clitoral Hood Reduction”, “Vulvar Liposculpturing”, “Vulvar Lipoplasty”, “Expert Reduction of Mons Pubis”, “Pubic Liposuction and Lift”, “G-Shot”, “G- Spot Amplification”, Laser Hymenoplasty”, “Hymenoplasty”, “Hymen Repair”, “Hymen Reconstruction”, “Hymenorrapghy” [sic], and “Hymen Restoration”.
The group has also singled out doctors in New York City, including franchisees of Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Institute of America (named include: Dr. Radoslav Jovanovic and Dr. Kevin Jovanovic and Dr. Robert A. Jason). The marketing by these providers is scrutinized by the New View Campaign, which takes issue with statements like
“In one of our patient surveys, women were asked; do women want to be loose or relaxed or do women want to be tight? Women answered 100% - women want to be tight.”
In 2007 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) issued a press release to warn that vaginal cosmetic surgery procedures "are not medically indicated, nor is there documentation of their safety and effectiveness." ACOG called it deceptive for doctors to give the impression that the vaginal rejuvenation procedures are accepted and routine surgical practices. Potential complications include "infection, altered sensation, dyspareunia (pain), adhesions, and scarring."
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34 posts
20 May 2009
Why do these women care? It is ones own choice to do what they want with their bodies. In some cultures, hymen restoration can save a woman lots of embarrassment.