Andropause: Andropause is a medical phenomenon, similar to the female menopause, that can affect men between the ages of 40 and 55. Unlike women, men do not have a clear-cut sign such as the cessation of menstruation to mark this transition. Both, however, are distinguished by a drop in hormone levels--estrogen in women, testosterone in men. The bodily changes occur very gradually in men and may be accompanied by changes in attitudes and moods, fatigue, a loss of energy, sex drive and physical agility.

 

Clitoris: The clitoris is a female sexual organ. In humans, the visible knob-like portion is located near the anterior junction of the labia minora, above the opening of the vagina. Unlike the homologous male organ (the penis), the clitoris does not contain the distal portion of the urethra and functions solely to induce sexual pleasure. The only known exception to this is in the Spotted Hyena, where the urogenital system is modified so that the female urinates, mates and gives birth via an enlarged, erectile clitoris.

 

Clitoral Hood: In female human anatomy, the clitoral hood, (also called preputium clitoridis and prepuce), is a fold of skin that surrounds and protects the clitoral glans. It develops as part of the labia minora and is homologous with the foreskin (equally called prepuce) in male genitals. This is a protective hood of skin that covers the clitoris. There is no standard size or shape for the hood. Some women have large clitoral hoods that completely cover the tip of the clitoris. Some of these can be retracted to expose the clitoral head, others do not retract. Other women have smaller hoods that do not cover the full length of the clitoris, leaving the head exposed all the time. As in the male, sticky bands of tissue called adhesions can form between the hood and the head, these stick the hood onto the head so the hood cannot be pulled back to expose the head.

 

Cystocele: A cystocele (SIS-tuh-seal) is a medical condition that occurs when the wall between a woman's bladder and her vagina weakens and allows the bladder to droop into the vagina. This condition may cause discomfort and problems with emptying the bladder. A cystocele may result from muscle straining during childbirth, heavy lifting or repeated straining during bowel movements. Because the hormone estrogen helps keep the muscles around the vagina strong, cystocele is more common after menopause when levels of estrogen decrease.

 

Episiotomy: An episiotomy is a surgical incision through the perineum made to enlarge the vagina and assist childbirth. The incision can be midline or at an angle from the posterior end of the vulva, is performed under local anaesthetic and is sutured closed after delivery. It is one of the most common medical procedures performed on women, and although its routine use in childbirth has steadily declined in recent decades it is still widely practised in Latin America.

 

G-Spot: The Gräfenberg spot, or G-spot, is a small area in the genital area of women behind the pubic bone and surrounding the urethra. It is named after the German gynecologist ernst Gräfenberg. It was once believed to be a bundle of nerves in or around the vaginal walls but is now reported to be the same as, or part of, the urethral sponge (Heath, 1984), the site of Skene's glands, a homologue of the prostate that exists in many women believed to be the source of female ejaculation. It is located on the anterior or frontal, side of the vagina, about half way between the pubic bone and cervix. Some contend that the G-Spot is merely the deep nerves of the clitoris as they pass through the tissue to connect with the spinal column. When this spot is stroked, there is a sensation or urge to urinate, but if the stroking is continued during sexual arousal it can be sexually pleasurable. For some women, it can be a primary source of stimulation leading to orgasm during intercourse while having sex in positions that use the penis to stimulate the frontal wall of the vagina.

 

Hymenoplasty: Hymenorrhaphy or hymen reconstruction surgery is the surgical restoration of the hymen. The term comes from the Greek words hymen meaning membrane, and raphe meaning suture. It is also known as hymenoplasty, although strictly this term would also include hymenotomy.

 

Hysterectomy: A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus, usually done by a gynecologist. Hysterectomy may be total (removing the body and cervix of the uterus) or partial (also called supra-cervical). In many cases, surgical removal of the ovaries (oophorectomy) is performed concurrent with a hysterectomy. The surgery is then called "total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy" (sometimes abbreviated TAH-BSO). However, the term "hysterectomy" is often used colloquially yet incorrectly to refer to removal of any parts of the female reproductive system.

 

Labioplasty: Labioplasty (sometimes spelled labiaplasty) is a plastic surgery procedure involving the labia, any of four folds of tissue of the vulva (female external genitalia).

 

Labium: Labium (plural labia) is a Latin-derived term meaning "Lip". Labium and its derivatives (including labia, labial, labrum) are used to describe any lip-like structure, but in the English language, labium often specifically refers to parts of the vulva.

 

Menopause: Menopause is the physiological cessation of menstrual cycles associated with advancing age in species that experience such cycles. Menopause is sometimes referred to as change of life or climacteric.

 

Perineoplasty: Reparative or plastic surgery of the perineum.

 

Stress incontinence: Stress incontinence is the loss of small amounts of urine with coughing, laughing, sneezing, exercising or other movements that increase intrabdominal pressure and thus increase pressure on the bladder. It is essentially due to pelvic floor muscle weakness. Physical changes resulting from pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause often cause stress incontinence, and in men it is a common problem following a prostatectomy. It is the most common form of incontinence in women and is treatable.

 

Somatopause: Somatopause is the decline in growth hormone (GH) level that occurs gradually from young adulthood throughout life, and it occurs in both sexes at roughly the same rate.

 

Sphincteroplasty: Sphincteroplasty is an in-patient surgical procedure performed on people who have a damaged or weakened rectal sphincter.

 

Vagina: The vagina, (from Latin, literally "sheath" or "scabbard") is the tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the oviduct. The Latinate plural (rarely used in English) is vaginae. In common speech, the term "vagina" is often used to refer to the vulva or female genitals generally; strictly speaking the vagina is a specific internal structure and the vulva is the exterior genitalia only. The labia and other parts would be considered parts of the vagina as well in its common usage.

 

Vaginal Rejuvenation Surgery (VRS): VRS is a procedure which can tighten stretched vaginal tissue as the result of childbirth, trauma, large sexual partners or family history. The procedure not only reduces the diameter of the vagina but also tones vaginal muscles resulting in greater contraction strength and control and may increase sensation, pleasure and intensity of orgasm for both partners.

 

Varicose veins: Varicose veins are veins on the leg which are large, twisted, and ropelike, and can cause pain, swelling, or itching. They are an extreme form of telangiectasia, or spider veins.

 

Virginal Restoration (VR): VR is regarded as the "platinum level" of vaginal restoration surgery. It provides the most extensive modification currently available regarding vaginal rejuvenation surgery. Unlike VRS which represents a simple modification of the vulva and vagina using either scapels or lasers, Virginal Restoration involves the modification of the vagina up to the level of the posterior cul-de-sac or the full length of the vagina with an incorporation of the pelvic muscles on the posterior side of the vagina as well as the modification of the vulva.

 

Vulva: The external genital organs of the female are collectively known as the vulva. In human beings this consists of the labia majora and labia minora (while these names translate as "large" and "small" lips, often the "minora" can be larger, and protrude outside the "majora"), clitoris, opening of the urethra (meatus), and the opening of the vagina.