Nymphotomy is the surgical procedure of
incision into the
labia minora
The labia minora (Latin for 'smaller lips', : labium minus), also known as the inner labia, inner lips, or nymphae, are two flaps of skin that are part of the primate vulva, extending outwards from the inner Vagina#Vaginal opening and hymen, vagi ...
. Surgical removal of the labia minora is called nymphectomy. In
plastic surgery, the term ''
labiaplasty'', which describes
plastic surgery of the
labia
The labia are the major externally visible structures of the vulva. In humans and other primates, there are two pairs of labia: the ''labia majora'' (outer lips) are large and thick folds of skin that cover the vulva's other parts, while the ''la ...
(often in the form of
labia minora reduction) is now more commonly used.
The term ''nymphectomy'' is also used to describe removal of parts of the labia as part of
female genital cutting.
References
* Giraldo F, Gonzalez C, de Haro F. Central wedge nymphectomy with a 90-degree Z-plasty for aesthetic reduction of the labia minora. ''Plast Reconstr Surg.'' 2004 May;113(6):1820-5; discussion 1826–7.
* Mary Knight. Curing Cut or Ritual Mutilation?: Some Remarks on the Practice of Female and Male Circumcision in Graeco-Roman Egypt. ''Isis'', Vol. 92, No. 2 (Jun., 2001), pp. 317–338
Gynecological surgery
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