ims ▁of ▁ra pe , ▁who ▁were ▁vir g inal ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁their ▁ra pe , ▁may ▁elect ▁for ▁h ymen or rh ap hy . ▁ ▁Lab ia ▁stretch ing ▁Lab ia ▁stretch ing ▁is ▁the ▁act ▁of ▁el ong ating ▁the ▁lab ia ▁min ora ▁through ▁manual ▁manip ulation ▁( pull ing ) ▁or ▁physical ▁equipment ▁( such ▁as ▁weights ). ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁famil ial ▁cultural ▁practice ▁in ▁R w anda , ▁common ▁in ▁Sub - S ah aran ▁Africa , ▁and ▁a ▁body ▁modification ▁practice ▁elsewhere . ▁It ▁is ▁performed ▁for ▁sexual ▁enh ancement ▁of ▁both ▁partners , ▁a est het ics , ▁symmetry ▁and ▁grat ification . ▁ ▁Lab ia pl ast y ▁and ▁v agin op last y ▁ ▁Cos met ic ▁surg ery ▁of ▁female ▁gen ital ia , ▁known ▁as ▁elect ive ▁gen it op last y , ▁has ▁become ▁pe jor atively ▁known ▁as ▁ ″ design er ▁v ag ina ″ . ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁an ▁article ▁published ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Medical ▁Journal ▁strongly ▁critic ised ▁this ▁cra ze , ▁cit ing ▁its ▁popular ity ▁being ▁root ed ▁in ▁commercial ▁and ▁media ▁influ ences . ▁Similar ▁concerns ▁have ▁been ▁expressed ▁in ▁Australia . ▁ ▁Some ▁women ▁under go ▁v agin op last y ▁or ▁lab ia pl ast y ▁procedures ▁to ▁alter ▁the ▁shape ▁of ▁their ▁vul vas ▁to ▁meet ▁personal ▁or ▁soci etal ▁a est h etic ▁standards . ▁The ▁surg ery ▁itself ▁is ▁controvers