"Is my vagina normal?" Yes! Here are the 7 different types of vaginas

Because vulvas are typically pretty private, most of us don’t exactly get to see (or compare) the different kinds out there —so it’s easy to wonder whether yours is “normal”, right? Well, spoiler: they are all normal! And yet loads of people still feel insecure about their vagina, labia, vulva, etc to the point it can genuinely affect day-to-day life.

That insecurity isn’t helped by the fact that plenty of us aren’t even totally sure what the different parts are called. Hands up if you thought the vulva was the vagina, or that “vagina” was just the catch-all name for everything down there (when the vagINa is just the INside of your anatomy)?

If you answered yes, you're not alone as one YouGov study found that half of women (45%) couldn’t label the vagina on a diagram.

So, to demystify the types of female genitalia, we spoke to Mr Mofid Ibraheim MB BCh, MRCOG, an expert surgeon in gynaecological procedures at MYA. Thanks to his day job - in which he's seen his fair share of vulvas - it means he was able to pinpoint seven key 'types' of labia for us, which have been drawn below.

When he refers to the “labia majora” he means the fleshier outer lips of the vulva; the “labia minora” are the thinner inner lips that start below the clitoris and may be more or less visible depending on how your vulva looks.

We also spoke to Dr. Tiffany Pham, board-certified OB-GYN and medical advisor at Flo Health.

Vulva vs. vagina

Dr Pham explains: “The vulva is a generalised term that refers to parts of the female genitalia that can be seen externally… [including] labia majora (the outer lips), labia minora (the inner lips), clitoris, urethra… and the vaginal opening.“The vagina is located internally… a tube-like structure that connects the external vulvar structures to the cervix… [and] plays a role in childbirth, and penetrative sexual intercourse, and allows for the passage of menstrual blood…”

What does a normal vagina look like?

To Dr Rumbi Mutenga, a women’s health specialist and former midwife, “normal is a difficult word to use as there is so much variation.” In other words: there isn’t one “normal,” and yours looking different to your BFF’s doesn’t mean anything is wrong.

There are rare conditions that can affect anatomy, but the key is knowing what’s normal for you.

Are my labia normal?

According to Mr Ibraheim, there are (more or less) seven common ways a “normal” set of labia tends to look—things like asymmetry, more prominent inner lips or outer lips, and a more “open” or “closed” appearance. And they’re all totally normal.

Dr Mutenga points out that the “average woman might find the only example to see other vulva is through porn,” which isn’t a “representative or even realistically attainable ‘beauty’ standard.” Dr Pham agrees there’s “quite a range of diversity in size and shape of the labia,” and asymmetry is common. Pregnancy and menopause can also change colour, size, and shape.

“Given the diversity… we should avoid trying to normalise a specific size or shape…” Dr Pham concludes.

Finally, Dr Mutenga notes discharge can be a helpful health indicator because it changes across the cycle, and shifts in colour/consistency/smell can sometimes signal infection. Dr Pham adds that getting comfortable with your anatomy can help you notice issues—like “pain, redness, asymmetrical swelling… or a raised bump/lesion/ulcer”—that may need checking.

Remember: unless it’s causing you physical discomfort, it really is absolutely normal.