Why is labiaplasty on the rise in Brazil?

A quick warning before listening: in this episode we’re talking about female genitals, in quite a lot of detail.

Brazil has the highest number of plastic surgery operations in the world and it’s where the BBL, Brazilian Butt Lift, comes from. It’s also seeing a spike in demand for another procedure: labiaplasty; where the labia minora (the folds of skin either side of the vulva) are reduced in size.

There’s been a 15% rise in this kind of surgery in the last 4 years, according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. And Brazil comes top in terms of the number of labiaplasties carried out - over 28,000 last year. Why are women getting this procedure done? Giulia Granchi from BBC Brasil explains.

The idea of a “perfect vulva” is not new - it’s been portrayed a certain way since sculptures in ancient Greece. Zoe Williams from the Vagina Museum in London explains the history of this idea - and why porn and social media has made it worse.

And we hear about two projects; the Labia Library in Australia and the Great Wall of Vulva (formerly the Great Wall of Vagina) by British artist Jamie McCartney, both with the aim of demonstrating the huge range of shapes and sizes of women’s genitalia.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Lizzy Bella and Hayley Clarke Editor: Rosanna La-Falce