Barbie Turns 60

Barbie Turns 60 – Still Speaks Truth to Power

”My whole philosophy of Barbie was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices.” – Ruth Handler, Barbie Creator

Barbie is a doll originally manufactured in 1959 and played with by many little girls since then. The lucky ones had the Barbie dream house, too – and who remembers that pink convertible! Barbie seemed perfect in every way – she had that hair, those stylish clothes, an amazing resume, and oh, her body had no flaws!

Even though she turned 60 this year, Barbie has never had to deal with issues like hot flashes, pain during intercourse, vaginal atrophy, and other real-life challenges like incontinence in women.

No fair!

Since 1959, there have been major advancements when it comes to making changes to our appearance. These days, there are so many avenues available to transform our bodies– breast augmentation, laser therapy, Brazilian butts, the list goes on!

Labiaplasty surgery is growing in popularity, somehow giving birth to the term “Barbie vagina!” Well, …that’s an oxymoron. Not to mention that we’re all unique, and wishing our vaginas to appear as though we just rolled off an assembly line is a little scary. And, a bit like “The Stepford Wives”, circa 1975”, a movie in which all the wives are replaced by robots.

Real Women with Real Issues

Unlike Barbie, we have vaginas. Yay! And, in 2019, we have safe surgical options to transform that part of our anatomy. As a renowned gynecologist in Austin (a surgical urogynecologist in fact), Dr. Shashoua’s most typical labiaplasty patient complains of extremely long labia that interfere with exercise, confidence, intimacy, and comfort in their workout clothes or swimsuits. Labiaplasty surgery is done to remove excess, long, bothersome labia (the minora or the majora). While we loved playing with Barbie, we want our patients to be 100% happy with their new bodies following surgery. We want you to look better than Barbie. Real, comfortable, confident, and beautiful! Before and after pictures will show you the amazing results of our patients who have had labiaplasty surgery.

Real women have other real issues that bring them to ALVR. Like vaginal atrophy or laxity following vaginal births or due to hormonal changes as they get older. Vaginal tightening, i.e. vaginal rejuvenation or feminine rejuvenation, is another procedure that we specialize in. For less extreme manifestations of looseness, gels and creams that act temporarily, along with pelvic floor exercises like Kegels, may be sufficient to attain the results you’re seeking. If you Google “How to tighten vag lips”, you’ll no doubt come across a host of products. Always be certain to vet the ingredients as to some degree, they will be absorbed by your body. If self-help isn’t effective, we welcome you for a consultation to see if a surgical option is a good choice for you. We’ve helped many women “get their vaginas back” along with renewed confidence and sexual pleasure. Some vaginoplasty before and after photos can be seen here, though the biggest difference will be experienced on the inside!

The Shashoua Solution

As a urogynecologist and surgeon, Dr. Shashoua addresses many common (and some not-so-common) concerns. If you’ve wondered if there’s a female dryness cure that actually works, we can help. Frequent urination in women is another thing we routinely treat once we determine the exact cause. And, Dr. Shashoua is among the top endometriosis specialists in Austin, Texas, staying ahead of the curve on most up-to-date trends, technology, and research in treating the condition.

Dr. Shashousa and nurse practitioners, Sarah Stiriss and Kristin Longshore, are highly qualified and board-certified professionals who are also expert listeners. Our staff and environment will put you at ease making it seem normal and easy (as it should be) to discuss matters of feminine health.