Nice labia

No part of a woman's body is exempt from unrealistically high standards - and that includes the vagina. Thanks to porn films showing generally hairless women with 'perfect' rosebud labia, both men and women alike have adopted an expectation that this is what every vagina should look like. But in the same way our faces look different, so do our genitals - and it's completely natural to do so. The rise in labiaplasty surgery - an operation to reshape or shorten the lips of the vulva - is worrying confirmation that, for young people especially, the aesthetic of their vagina is a source of low self-esteem. As reported by the Victoria Derbyshire Show last year, more than girls under the age of 18 underwent the procedure on the NHS in - of whom were reportedly under

Maggie Kirkman is a member of the Australian Psychological Society. We may be less familiar with the idea that similar judgements are made about the vulva. The vulva includes the inner lips labia minora and outer lips labia majora , the clitoris, and the vaginal opening. Labia can be long or short, wrinkled or smooth, dark or light. One side is often longer than the other, consistent with the asymmetry of most body parts.

Every day for the last year and a half, Hilde Atalanta has painted a picture of one vulva. At first, inspiration came from her imagination; then, from the internet; and, most recently, from women who send her photos of their goods. For the Amsterdam-based illustrator who also paints full bodies and faces, vulvas are compelling portrait subjects. A vulva, by the way, is the name for the visible part of what most people just dub "vagina.

A WAXING professional has lifted the lid on the five types of vaginas, what they should look like and which is the most common. And contrary to popular belief, the most common vagina is not a neat Barbie-like package with everything tucked in. Instead there are a range of shapes that waxing professional Mel, who is keeping her surname anonymous to protect her clients, witnessed. The most common shape she saw is the Ms.