No such thing as a “normal vulva”, says study of female genitalia

A study that investigated varieties of female genitalia has concluded that there is “no such thing” as a “normal vulva”. 

The research was conducted by a team of researchers at Lucerne Cantonal Hospital in Switzerland and assessed 657 caucasian women aged between 15 and 84 over the course of two years. 

A number of measurements were taken as part of the study, including the clitoris, the length of the labia majora, the length and width of the labia minora and the distance between the base of the clitoris and the opening of the urethra. 

While the researchers were able to note the average lengths of the various elements of the vulva, the measurements ranged drastically between individuals. 

The average length of the inner labia was found to be 43 millimetres. However, some measured at five millimetres, while others reached 100 millimetres in length. The average length of the outer labia measured at 80 millimetres, with the smallest measuring 12 millimetres and the largest 180 millimetres. The average length of the clitoris was seven millimetres, with the diverse measurements ranging from 0.5 millimetres to 34 millimetres. 

Despite this, the number of women opting to have labiaplasties or so-called “designer vaginas” is on the rise, with the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery noting a 45% increase.