In a flap
Question
The skin around my vagina seems to hang low and it's horrible! My boyfriend always wants to go down on me and I spend all my time worrying about what he's thinking looking at it. What can I do about it?
Answer
Many people have doubts about their body and it isn't unusual for young women to have worries about the way their vagina looks. The female genitals, like other parts of the body, will vary from person to person. Vaginas are all different shapes and sizes, so there is no real set appearance.
The vulva is the area that is most visible to you: where the vaginal lips (also called the labia) and clitoris are situated. You can get a better idea about this by looking at this diagram of women's sex organs.
A woman's sex organs are protected by two thick folds of skin or 'lips'. The outer lips are covered with pubic hair. Inside these outer lips are the inner lips. The inner lips are thinner, without pubic hair, and are usually slightly different lengths.
The inner lips are darker in colour than the outer lips, and can vary from a pink, reddish or a brownish colour. Some women have small ruffles, others have a lot of skin which can hang low.
In some women, the outer lips are together so you can't see any part of the inner lips. In other women, the outer lips don't meet, and the inner lips hang low and can always be seen. It isn't unusual at all for a woman to find that the inner lips hang low outside the outer lips. This is completely normal, and there is nothing for you to feel worried about if this is how yours look.
Have you spoken to your boyfriend about how you feel? Talking and sharing your concerns with your partner is important, and communication can be an important part of solving difficulties. You'll probably find that your boyfriend is shocked that you think your labia looks horrible and isn't concerned about the appearance of your vagina at all.
If you are still worried you can always speak to a nurse or counsellor at your local family planning clinic about how you are feeling. If you are under 25 you can also visit your local Brook Centre and have a chat with a counsellor there about anything to do with sex and relationships. The centres offer free, confidential advice and counselling.
Updated: 07/06/2011
Question answered by YouthNet in association with Brook
