Clitoral Reduction
Clitoral Reduction Surgery
Clitoral reduction refers to the surgical process of removing part of the protective clitoral hood. The clitoris of some women is mostly or completely hidden and this operation makes the area more exposed and accessible. It is often done for either aesthetic or functional reasons and not often as the solution to a medical problem. The official name for a clitoral reduction is clitoridotomy and should not be mistaken for clitoridectomy, which is the traditional practice in some regions of the world where a woman’s clitoris is entirely removed. The procedure can also refer to removing part of a clitoris in the rare case that a woman was born or developed an abnormally large clitoris.
In most cases, the procedure of clitoral reduction is completed on an outpatient basis and happens in a local doctor’s office. Patients are given a local anesthesia and the doctor removes small parts of the hood’s tissue on each side of the clitoris. Another commonly used method involves the removal of one or more of the clitoral hood’s layers. The entire procedure rarely lasts longer than two hours and patients are generally sent home the same day. Clitoroplexy is another procedure that can be done to realign or center the actual position of the clitoris.
Clitoral reduction is often accompanied by the labiaplasty procedure to improve the aesthetic appearance of the sexual organs and also to enhance the sexual experience of a woman. A labiaplasty procedure involves removing excess skin from the labia minora to appear more aesthetically pleasing. A large labia minora may be a condition that a woman has been born with or it could also be a condition resulting after childbirth. The excess skin may prevent a woman from wearing tight clothes. Many clinics offer both operations as either separate procedures or as one complete package completed in one session.
For some women, this operation can have negative results. The increased exposure of a clitoral reduction can cause discomfort or chronic clitoral erections, known as clitoral priapism. However, for an overwhelming 98% of woman who had the procedure done, it was described as a success and improved clitoral stimulation. A recent study reported that no more than 4.4% of women experienced complications or negative effects after completion of the surgery.
The knowledge of clitoral reduction varies wildly from country to country. For example, 95% of Dutch women are aware of the operation while it is not very commonly known in the United States. Societal response to this recently popularized operation has been positive. A woman who is considering this operation should speak to a local specialist and be tested for sexual dysfunction. A clitoral reduction, either alone or combined with labiaplasty, may enhance a woman’s clitoral stimulation, but only if the woman already is comfortable with sexual activity.