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The Role of Media in Women's Demand for Genital Cosmetic Surgery: A Systematic Review
Mahdiye Taheri1, Fereshteh Rastegar2, Behjat Khorsandi3
1Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Background:
The increasing demand for female genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS) raises serious concerns. Although psychosexual and physical concerns are frequently reported as key drivers, additional social and cultural influences have further fueled the demand for these surgeries.
Objective:
This study sought to examine the influence of media on this growing trend.
Methods:
A systematic literature review was conducted across multiple electronic databases-including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, Embase, and the Cochrane Library-to assess the media's influence on women's interest in FGCS. The search spanned publications from January 2000 to February 2025 and targeted original English-language studies evaluating this relationship. After removing duplicates, 545 articles were identified through keyword searches in titles and abstracts.
Results:
This review incorporated a total of 14 eligible studies, encompassing a combined participant pool of 5,287 individuals. The researchers investigated the media's multifaceted role in driving demand for and influencing decisions regarding FGCS. Specifically, they analyzed its function as an information source, its impact on shaping perceptions of genital image, and its contribution to the consideration of FGCS across various media platforms.
Conclusion:
The media's role in popularizing FGCS operates through three key mechanisms: serving as a primary channel of information, redefining norms about genital appearance, and normalizing consideration of the procedure across platforms. Recognizing this influence could help mitigate unrealistic body standards and reduce socially induced pressures on women's surgical decision-making. However, it is crucial to note that these conclusions are tempered by methodological limitations that preclude causal inference and obscure the precise mechanisms and moderators of media's influence.
Level Of Evidence Iii:
This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
