Girls of 14years are having surgery to reshape their genitalia

Figures show 343 operations were performed on girls aged 14 or under in the last six years, possibly for cosmetic reasons.

The procedures involve reshaping female genitalia and requests may be granted on the grounds that the problem is psychologically damaging.

Researchers from University College Hospital, London, led by Dr Sarah Creighton, claim it is ‘disturbing’ that there is no minimum age limit for the surgery.

They say demand may be growing for such procedures because of poor and inaccurate information available on the internet, usually from private clinics.
Websites of companies that provide female genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS) make ‘unsubstantiated claims’ about the benefits of the procedures.

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They also use confusing terminology and do not highlight surgical risks, according to the research published in BMJ Open. A survey of 10 websites found little information was given on short-term or long-term surgical risks either from individual clinics and their surgeons or from the medical literature. ‘'Unsubstantiated claims of physical, psychological and sexual benefits were present on every website’ said consultant gynaecologist Dr Creighton.

 'The absence of a lower age limit for any of the FGCS procedures is most disturbing of all’ she said. Labiaplasties, which are operations to reshape the labia, the inner lips of the vagina, have become increasingly common, often because women are dissatisfied with their appearance. Dr Creighton said her research cannot confirm whether some girls are having medically unnecessary surgery.