Innie vs Outie Vagina: How to Take Care and Does it Affects Sensation?

Have you ever heard about an innie or an outie?

No, we are not talking about belly buttons. Even though, they have various types too. But let’s leave that for another article. For the sake of this article, let us talk about our vaginas.

Yes, you heard that right! Vaginas can also be innies and outies. So, are you an innie or an outie? It all begins with a simple conversation for most women. And while it may seem like a relatively awkward conversation to have, you would be surprised at how many women often wonder which category they fall into and if the biological shape of their vagina actually means anything to men. Although that part of the conversation is still to be determined, the general consensus asserts that it doesn’t matter if you have an innie or outie vagina—all vaginas are beautiful.

And it can also be a tricky conversation topic to pull out during brunches with your girlfriends, or those ‘talks’ with our moms. We all dread that! While some of you might be comfortable discussing these with your BFFs or your amazing moms, there might be a chance that they might not know what the hell you are talking about. Because let’s face it, there is not enough information available and we all know how desperately we need sex education in this country.

And that is exactly where we come in. We are here to talk about all your problems, and for the sake of this article, to help you find out if your precious little baby is an innie or an outie. So, without further ado and for the sake of your and our sanity, let us first understand what an innie and an outie actually is.

According to sex therapists, the statistics are split 50/50 for how many women have innie or outie vaginas, making neither more popular than the other.

What is an Innie and Outie Vagina

An innie vagina is a normal vagina- the one where the labia minora (your inner lips) is smaller than your labia majora (which is your outer lips). This is the normal minimum, and everyone who has this type of a vagina is considered to be normal, nothing fancy, nothing bad about it.

On the other hand, an outie vagina is the one where the labia majora (which you may identify as your outer lips) is smaller than the labia minora (which is your inner lips). This results in your labia minora to get a bit protruded. To get you to understand the anatomy of your outie vagina, we could also compare it to a belly button, which looks as if it is inside out. You get the picture? Yeah, exactly that!

Women with an outie vagina are increasingly getting conscious about the way their vagina looks, and that it is ‘not normal’. But where does it stem from? It stems from the fact that we have set an unattainable standard of beauty, or how women should look, against which we compare everything. In this case, an innie vagina is the accepted normal. And so, women with an outie are outrageously ashamed of having a vagina that they feel is not normal.

But let me give my two cents on this topic. Our perception is all that matters. You cannot possibly compare yourself to that unattainable standard of beauty because let’s face it, you are never going to achieve it, no matter how hard you try to. And I am not saying this to get your spirits down. Believe me, that is not the motto. The motto is to make you feel empowered, comfortable and happy in your own body; however, it is.

If you feel that your vagina is not normal, think of it this way- nothing exquisite in the world is normal; nothing extraordinary in this world is normal. And so, you are just a very extraordinary and special woman, in possession of a very extraordinary and special vagina, which you should be the proud owner of!

And it goes without saying that if you are not happy or comfortable, or if you do not feel empowered with your outie, do whatever you can to ‘fix’ it. There are surgeries available, about which we are going to talk about in the next section.

An outie vagina is one that has smaller outer lips than inner lips, which causes the inner lips to be more prominent. As you probably assumed, an innie vagina has the opposite design. Typically, with an innie vagina, the outer lips are visually more apparent than the inner lips.

Unfortunately for those with outie vaginas, many men who don’t understand female anatomy may bring up ignorant assumptions about their partner’s sex life because the inner lips extend beyond the outer lips. Because of this, many women who have outie vaginas often consider reconstructive surgery in order to “correct” their vaginas.

One study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that 37 percent of women who undergo labia reduction surgery are doing so purely for aesthetic reasons. And labiaplasty surgeries are on the rise, increasing by a whopping 39 percent over 2016.

However, many healthcare officials have urged women to embrace the vaginas that they have because, just like any other part of the human anatomy, no two body parts look the same. And in actuality, half of the people around you probably possess the exact same physical traits that you have.

Thanks to easily accessible porn, many women have been falsely led to believe that a “normal vagina” is small, pink, hairless and tucked under. Medical professionals contend that this image is not only unrealistic, but it could be detrimental to a woman’s self-esteem as she gets older and her vagina continues to mature.

So what should women do when they feel as if their vaginas aren’t normal or should look a bit different? Accept the appearance of your vagina for what it is. Besides, how many vaginas does the average woman see on a normal basis anyway? Straight women might see one or perhaps even two if they’re an avid consumer of online porn.

The best solution? Worry about what’s in your own pants. And more than that, be confident in your labial biology. All vaginas are equally as unique and complex, varying in shade, shape and size across the board.

Why do some people have outies

There is no reason for why some people have outies or innies. It is completely normal. While some people have a longer labia minora, some people have a longer labia minora. But that is completely normal. There are no health hazards and absolutely no reason to why it is the way it is. Different people are born with different types of vaginas. Some people have an innie whereas some people have an outie. While it is anatomically the way it is, there are not a lot of reasons behind why this might happen. Women with an outie vagina feel that they are disgusting. But that is not true. Let me tell you ladies- all vaginas are funny looking. Do not, I repeat, do not let yourself be fooled by the unattainable body that are shown in porn movies. That is not the truth. It is far from the actual reality. It is heavily and very intensely photoshopped, and you should just stop comparing yourself to what you see on screen. I have read threads of women on reddit where they express their insecurity and how their outies make them hate themselves. They feel they will scare the guy off, and that with the growing popularity of porn, men will always prefer to have sex with an innie instead of an outie. But you know what? That is utter bullshit. Just because something is better looking in comparison to you, does not mean it is!

Vaginas are not meant to be aesthetic looking. I understand how this might be a cause of insecurity for a lot of young women and girls, on finding out that they have a vagina that is not pleasant looking, and so are averse to sexual intercourse because they feel that they will scare the guy away. Trust me ladies, you will not. The guy is lucky enough to be getting in a goddess’ pants. What more might he want? Love yourself, ladies! Love all your imperfections, and especially your special outie.

How to make an outie an innie

While I will try till the end of this article to convince you to love yourself because that is all that matters, there is a chance that you might say “Yeah I get all of this empowerment stuff, but what is turning my outie into an innie gives me empowerment and happiness and comfort?” And you are right! You should do whatever makes you happy and if you must turn your vagina into something which is according to you, better looking, then you must. In this section, we are going to discuss about how you can turn your precious little baby into something normal.

Countless women are going for vaginal reconstruction surgery, which is called a Labiaplasty. While labiaplasty is mostly associated with tightening of the vagina, replacing the hymen, or maybe even removing skin around your clitoris and etching ridges on the inside walls of the vagina. While Labiaplasty is drawing a lot of attention from the critics arguing that women are pressured to alter even the most intimate parts of their body, there is a counter-argument given my medical professionals and doctors who argue that this is not just a cosmetic surgery, but also used to treat severe medical conditions that might need immediate attention.

I am going to mention the process of how exactly it is done. It is not to scare you off, but to help you make an informed decision and to decide whether or not you need to undergo the surgery.

The procedure of a Labiaplasty

Labiaplasty is a plastic surgery which is basically used to interchange your minor and major labia, that is, your inner and outer lips respectively. It is also called a ‘Vulval Surgery’ as both your inner and outer lips act as a protection for your vulva. It is a very expensive procedure and carries a lot of risks. You should be a 100% sure before making up your mind and proceeding with this. You should definitely get an appointment with your gynaecologist and discuss the risks, and the precautions you should be taking, because these things depend from person to person. The risks you are facing might not be the same as the risks another person is facing. So, it is important to have all the information you need before making a decision.

A labiaplasty is done using anaesthesia under sedation. But the recovery period is more painful than the surgery. The surgery itself takes about 1-2 hours and depending upon your condition and pace of your recovery, you might be allowed to go home the same day. But because it is one of the most sensitive areas of the body and needs a lot of care generally, after surgery, the needs of your vaginal needs will increase. You should expect for the recovery period to be around 2-3 weeks, between which it is expected that you do not do a lot of moving. Mind you, it is going to be a little difficult.

Some tips that you might need to follow after your labiaplasty to make sure your vagina gets the ultimate care and love it deserves:

• Try to keep the area clean. Rinse your vagina with an intimate wash at least 2 times a day.
• Wear loose underwear, made of a material like cotton, which will allow your vagina to breathe.
• Sex is a no-no for at least about six weeks.
• Try to use sanitary napkins instead of a tampon. You can try using a menstrual cup if you must.

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