Clitoral Hood Reduction

Clitoral hood reduction, also called clitoral hoodectomy or clitoridotomy, is a plastic surgical procedure that reduces the size of the clitoral hood, or prepuce, to expose more of the clitoral glans. It is typically an elective, cosmetic procedure meant to change the appearance of the vulva or increase sexual sensation, and it is often combined with labiaplasty or performed as part of a vaginoplasty. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has cautioned that women considering such non-medically-indicated vaginal surgeries should be told there is little data on their effectiveness and possible complications. The procedure is disputed: some classify it as a form of female genital mutilation under the World Health Organization Type 1a category, while others argue that classification is too simple and culturally insensitive, comparing it instead to male circumcision.