Have you ever wondered if there are different types of vagina?
This question is asked by many women, because they think that their private parts are different from those we see in magazines and movies.
The first important point to be clarified is to know what the vulva and the vagina are. Do you know? This confusion is quite common.
- Vagina: is only the larger hole / blue circle that you will see in the photo below.
- Vulva: is everything that you will see in the photo below. Note that the vagina is located, among other organs, inside the vulva.
Different types of vulva exist, but not different types of vagina.
The vulva, with its big labia, small labia and clitoris, varies according to genetic characteristics and is also influenced by the formation of the body.
The subject has even been the subject of an exhibition with more than 400 plaster mold images, where British plastic artist Jamie McCartney created the work “Great Wall of Vagina”, exposing the details and inconstancies in the vulvae he’s found.
See the photo below for different types of vulva.
So, what is the vulva afterall?
The vulva is the region of the body that gathers big labia, small labia, clitoris and glands which secrete lubrication. The vagina is only one of the holes in the vulva.
The vulva therefore corresponds to the set of female genital organs that is located entirely outside the body and which are visible to the naked eye.
What is the average size of a vagina, is there a measurement?
The vagina undergoes changes in its size in accordance with its sensitivity: if it is relaxed, it ranges from 5 cm to 8 cm in length, but, when aroused, it expands and can reach up to ten times its size during rest.
This is a tool used by the body to receive different sizes of penises and, at the time of child delivery, allow the passage of the fetus.
But the size of the vagina varies from person to person, as well as the size of the penis in men.
What is important to know is that it is in the first five centimeters that the main nerve endings are located and it is possible to explore this region to the maximum.
Read also: How to Give a Woman Oral Sex: 10 tips to do it well
What are the colors of the vulva?
The vagina is the orifice; the vulva is the whole area.
The vulva does not follow the same pigmentation pattern as the rest of the body. Regardless of your ethnicity, you may have a medium brown, purple or even pale vulva.
In addition, the small labia may have a different color from the outside part, having a lighter or darker color than the rest of the genital organs.
The color also changes as time passes. This is due to the action of hormones, which stimulate the production of melanin in this area.
If you compare your vulva all throughout your life, you will realize that during childhood and in old age the vulva is less dark, yet during the fertile years it gets dark. In pregnancy, it darkens even more.
Does hair removal interfere in the appearance / beauty of the vulva?
The mons pubis presents variations in relation to the colors and characteristics of the hair; they exist in order to protect the vulva and vagina.
Some people may have a lot of hair and others may not. The hair may be present on the mons pubis, outer labia, thighs, belly and the surroundings of the butt.
Full bikini wax: if you opt for the full bikini wax, you will see the lips more and will have a different perception of the whole region, which will be more sensitive and exposed.
Many gynecologists do not recommend total hair removal in order to maintain this natural protection of the vulva. But it’s a matter of aesthetics and convenience.
This option is also not “more hygienic”. It is actually the opposite of what you might think, because the full bikini wax can cause microscopic wounds in the skin that favor the entry of germs and the emergence of infections.
So is there is a type of vulva that is considered more beautiful?
A study commissioned by a manufacturer of sex toys, called “The Vulva Paper“, had the goal of describing the different types of vulva and analyzing which would be the most beautiful.
In the study, three most common types were highlighted, which are when:
- The outer lips overlap the small, externally involving the whole vulva;
- The small lips are projected onto the outer lips, appearing even when the vulva is closed;
- When the clitoris is projected above the outer lips, appearing externally.
Is it worth it to keep comparing all different types of vulva?
The comparison of different vulvas in order to create a standard of beauty brings discomfort and disorder, because it is impossible.
Since there is no standard to describe which vulva is the most or the least beautiful, worrying about its appearance is not worth it.
Enjoy your body as it is and turn its unique characteristics into positive points of sexual attraction.
In fact, your only concern should be to have a healthy vulva.
Can the vulva and vagina impact your sex life?
Can a person’s sex life go through any changes because of these different physical characteristics?
Yes and no. If there is no embarrassment or repulsion, it will not affect your sex life. But if the appearance bothers you, there are surgical techniques for esthetic adequacy.
According to data from 2016 provided by the International of Plastic Surgery, Brazil is the country which carries out the highest number of aesthetic surgeries in the intimate area, totaling more than 30 thousand operations if we add labiaplasty and vaginal rejuvenation.
With these figures, we can see how much Brazilian women appreciate the appearance of this area.
If you have doubts regarding this matter, or if you want to speak or understand how your body works, feel free to contact us.
Sources:
- Are my labia normal? (n.d.).
https://labialibrary.org.au/your-labia/are-my-labia-normal/ - Sexual arousal in women
https://familyserviceshub.havering.gov.uk/kb5/havering/directory/advice.page?id=CMtBbjDiFYM - Anatomy of the Vulva
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=34&contentid=19522-1 - Hunter JG. (2016). Labia minora, labia majora, and clitoral hood alteration: Experience-based recommendations. DOI:
https://academic.oup.com/asj/article/36/1/71/2613971 - Labia. (2017).
https://youngwomenshealth.org/2013/07/16/labia/ - Vulvar Care
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/4976-vulvar-care - Lykkebo AW, et al. (2017) The size of labia minora and perception of genital appearance: A cross-sectional study. DOI:
https://journals.lww.com/jlgtd/Abstract/2017/07000/The_Size_of_Labia_Minora_and_Perception_of_Genital.8.aspx - Self-exam: Vulva and vagina. (2014).
https://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book-excerpts/health-article/self-exam-vulva-vagina/
