▁h ood ▁reduction ▁is ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁h ood pl ast y . ▁When ▁performed ▁with ▁the ▁consent ▁of ▁the ▁adult ▁individual , ▁it ▁can ▁be ▁considered ▁an ▁elect ive ▁pl astic ▁surg ery ▁procedure ▁for ▁reducing ▁the ▁size ▁and ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁cl itor al ▁h ood ▁( pre pu ce ) ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁further ▁expose ▁the ▁cl itor al ▁gl ans ▁of ▁the ▁cl itor is ; ▁the ▁th era pe ut ic ▁goal ▁is ▁thought ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁sexual ▁function ing ▁of ▁the ▁woman , ▁and ▁the ▁a est h etic ▁appeal ▁of ▁her ▁vul va . ▁The ▁reduction ▁of ▁the ▁cl itor al ▁pre pu ce ▁t issues ▁usually ▁is ▁a ▁sub - ordinate ▁surg ery ▁within ▁a ▁lab ia pl ast y ▁procedure ▁for ▁reducing ▁the ▁lab ia ▁min ora ; ▁and ▁occasionally ▁within ▁a ▁v agin op last y ▁procedure . ▁When ▁these ▁procedures ▁are ▁performed ▁on ▁individuals ▁without ▁their ▁consent , ▁they ▁are ▁considered ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁female ▁gen ital ▁m util ation . ▁ ▁M ales ▁ ▁Cas tr ation ▁ ▁Cas tr ation ▁in ▁the ▁gen ital ▁modification ▁and ▁m util ation ▁context ▁is ▁the ▁removal ▁of ▁the ▁test icles . ▁Sometimes ▁the ▁term ▁( mean ing ▁" cut ting ") ▁is ▁also ▁used ▁to ▁refer ▁to ▁pen is ▁removal , ▁but ▁that ▁is ▁less ▁common . ▁Cas tr ation ▁has ▁been ▁performed ▁in ▁many ▁cult ures ▁throughout ▁history , ▁but ▁is ▁now ▁rare . ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 1 st ▁century