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The labia minora ( for 'smaller lips', : labium minus), also known as the inner labia, inner lips, or nymphae, nymphae . Dictionary.com. Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary. Merriam-Webster, Inc. (accessed: November 24, 2007). are two flaps of that are part of the , extending outwards from the inner vaginal and openings to encompass the .

(2025). 9783642710742, Springer Berlin Heidelberg. .
At the , each labium splits, above forming the , and below the frenulum of the clitoris. At the bottom, the labia meet at the labial commissure. The labia minora vary widely in size, color and shape from individual to individual.

The labia minora are situated between the and together form the . The labia minora are homologous to the and ventral penile skin in males.

(2025). 9780585399379, Springer US. .
(2025). 9780323295376, Elsevier Health Sciences. .


Structure and functioning
The labia minora extend from the obliquely downward, laterally, and backward on either side of the , ending between the bottom of the vulval vestibule and the labia majora. The posterior ends (bottom) of the labia minora are usually joined across the middle line by a flap of skin, named the frenulum of labia minora.

On the front, each lip forks dividing into two portions surrounding the clitoris. The upper part of each lip passes above the clitoris to meet the upper part of the other lip—which will often be a little larger or smaller—forming a fold which overhangs the glans clitoridis (clitoral tip or head); this fold is named the . The lower part passes beneath the glans clitoridis and becomes united to its under surface, forming, with the inner lip of the opposite side, the frenulum clitoridis.

The clitoral hood typically covers the shaft and sometimes the glans — which is highly sensitive to touch — helping protect the clitoris from mechanical irritation and dryness. However, the hood is movable and can slide during clitoral erection or be gently pulled back to increase exposure of the clitoris to sexual stimulation.


Histology
On the opposed surfaces of the labia minora are numerous not associated with hair follicles. They are lined by stratified squamous epithelium on those surfaces.Manual of Obstetrics. (3rd ed.). Elsevier. pp. 1-16. .

Like the whole area of the vulval vestibule, the mucus secreted by those glands protects the labia from dryness and mechanical irritation.


Variation
Being thinner than the outer labia, the inner labia can be also more narrow than the former, or wider than the labia majora, thus protruding in the and making the term minora (Latin for smaller) essentially inapplicable in these cases. They can also be smooth or frilled, the latter being more typical of longer or wider inner labia.

From 2003 to 2004, researchers from the Department of Gynaecology, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital in London, measured the labia and other genital structures of 50 women from the age of 18 to 50, with a mean age of 35.6. The study has since been criticized for its "small and homogenous sample group" consisting primarily of white women. The results were:

length (mm)5–3519.1 8.7
Clitoral glans width (mm)3–105.5 1.7
Clitoris to (mm)16–4528.5 7.1
length (cm)7.0–12.09.3 1.3
Labia minora length (mm)20–10060.6 17.2
Labia minora width (mm)5–6021.8 9.4
length (mm)15–5531.3 8.5
length (cm)6.5–12.59.6 1.5

(n)IV4
V46
Colour of genital area
compared with surrounding skin (n)
Same9
Darker41
of labia (n)Smooth14
Moderate34
Marked2

Due to the frequent portrayal of the pudendal cleft without protrusion in art and pornography, there has been a rise in the popularity of , surgery to alter the labia—usually, to make them smaller. On the other hand, there is an opposite movement of . Its proponents stress the beauty of long labia and their positive role in sexual stimulation of both partners.

is also sometimes sought by women who have asymmetrical labia minora to adjust the shape of the structures towards identical size.

has traditionally been practised in some African nations in the East and South and the South Pacific.Robert Suggs, Marquesan Sexual Behavior New, pp. 39–42


Functioning
The inner lips serve to protect from mechanical irritation, dryness and infections of the highly sensitive area of the with vaginal and urethral openings in it between them. During vaginal intercourse, they may contribute to stimulation of the whole vestibule area, the clitoris and the vagina of the woman and the penis of her partner. Stimulation of the clitoris may occur through tension of the clitoral hood and its frenulum by the inner labia pulling at them. During sexual arousal, they are lubricated by the mucus secreted in the vagina and around it to make penetration painless and protect them from irritation.

As the is also situated between labia minora, they may play a role in guiding the stream of the urine during .


Medical conditions
Being very sensitive by their structure to any irritation, and situated in the excretion area where traces of urine, vaginal discharge, and even may be present, the inner lips may be susceptible to inflammatory infections of the vulva such as .

The likelihood of inflammation may be reduced through appropriate regular hygienic cleansing of the whole vulval vestibule, using water and medically tested cleansing agents designed for vulvas. To avoid contamination of the vulva with fecal bacteria, it is recommended that the vulva is washed only from front to back, from to the and . Apart from water and special liquid cleansing agents (lotions), there are commercially available for female intimate hygiene. Some women wipe the vulval vestibule dry with toilet tissue after urination to avoid irritation and infections from residual drops of the urine in the area.

However, incorrect choice of cleansing agents, or their incorrect application, may itself cause labial irritation and require medical attention. Over-vigorous rubbing of the labia of little girls while washing, combined with the lack of in their bodies, may lead to the mostly pediatric condition known as . If fused labia prevent urination, urine may accumulate and cause pain and inflammation.

In adult females, irritation of the area may be caused by wearing too-tight underwear (especially where wider inner labia protrude in the pudendal cleft); while , which rub against the labia during body movements, may cause irritation or lead to infection from bacteria transferred from either the external environment or the anus.


Other animals
The labia minora in non-primate (namely and ) are a sole pair of small labia that protect the internal vestibule and are rather called the labia vulvae or simply labia. In primates, they are called labia minora to differentiate them from the , the latter of which are a feature only present in the Primates order.
(2025). 9780323138048, Elsevier Science. .
(2025). 9781408149553, Bloomsbury Publishing. .

When the labia vulvae are closed together, they form a pudendal cleft. The joining of the labia vulvae top and bottom are respectively referred to as the anterior and posterior commissures.

==Additional images==


See also


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