Something else? Ask Aunt Vadge – bottom left of your screen!
Dear Aunt Vadge,
I have flappy, ‘roast beef’-looking labia and a bad odour. How do I fix it?
Sincerely,
Unhappy
Hi Unhappy,
First, a gentle reframe, because it really matters: ‘flappy roast beef’ is the kind of unkind phrase that gets thrown around online, usually by people who’ve never much appreciated a real, grown woman’s body. What you’re describing – longer, visible inner labia – is completely normal and incredibly common; there’s no single ‘right’ way for a vulva to look.
Inner labia come in every length, shape and colour. And for plenty of people they’re longer than the outer ones (galleries like the Labia Library, run by Women’s Health Victoria, show this range beautifully, and are well worth a look to see just how varied normal is).
Please think twice before ‘fixing’ them. Your inner labia aren’t just decorative. They’re packed with nerve endings for sexual pleasure, and they protect the vaginal opening, which is exactly why I’d gently steer you away from rushing to ‘fix’ something that isn’t broken.
The cosmetic ‘tightening’ lasers and labiaplasty surgeries carry real risks to that sensitive tissue, for a problem that mostly isn’t one. And if you ever do want the honest version of what those procedures involve, our serious chat about your flaps lays out the realities and the risks before anyone goes near a scalpel or a laser.
If the way they look really weighs on you day to day, that feeling is real and worth taking seriously, but the kindest first step is usually support to feel at home in your body, not a procedure.
The odour, though, is separate from how your labia look, and it’s the part we can actually help with.
A persistent change in odour usually points to a bacterial-vaginosis-type microbiome imbalance rather than anything to do with your anatomy – odour like this is one of the most common things we sort out, almost always a microbiome story, not a hygiene or anatomy one – so please don’t scrub or douche, which strips your protective bacteria and tends to make it worse.
The hopeful part is that it’s very treatable: our free Killing BV guide walks you through the whole approach, a comprehensive vaginal microbiome test shows exactly what’s out of balance so treatment can be matched to it, and if you’d like a hand you can book an appointment with one of our practitioners.
So to sum up: your body is normal, you don’t need fixing, and the one thing that’s actually bothering you – the smell – is sortable. Be kind to yourself.
Best,
Aunt Vadge
This is general information based on current research and our clinical experience, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.
