#205: Clitoral Advocacy with Jessica Pin

Surgeries

Jessica Pin sheds light on the complexities and misconceptions surrounding clitoral surgeries. She emphasizes that clitoral hood reductions are fundamentally clitoral surgeries, yet many surgeons lack training in detailed clitoral anatomy. "Most surgeons who operate on the clitoral hood don't realize that because they have not been taught about those nerves," she explains 1. This lack of training standards for female genital cosmetic surgery contrasts sharply with other cosmetic procedures, where rigorous training is mandatory 1. Jessica's advocacy aims to change this by pushing for updated training standards and privileging requirements in surgery centers 2.

   

Marketing

Marketing strategies for genital cosmetic surgeries often perpetuate misinformation, misleading women about their bodies. Jessica highlights how labiaplasty is falsely marketed as "rejuvenation," despite no evidence linking large labia minora to aging 3. "Labiaplasty involves reducing the size of the labia minora, and they call that rejuvenation," she notes, pointing out the misleading nature of such claims 3. This misinformation can deeply affect young women, leading them to seek unnecessary surgeries based on societal pressures and misconceptions about aesthetics 4.

   

Advocacy

Jessica Pin's journey from personal trauma to advocacy highlights her efforts to reform the healthcare system's approach to genital surgeries. After experiencing a botched procedure, she realized the need for change and began advocating for updated training and education standards 5. "I saw the problem and I wanted to change it," she recalls, detailing her efforts to engage with medical boards and institutions 5. Despite initial setbacks, Jessica's persistence has led to significant changes, including updates to standardized consent forms and increased awareness of the need for proper anatomical education 6.