Labia: 9 types of vagina shapes, colors, and sizes

What is the labia?

Part of the external female genitalia, labia are the fleshy skin folds located on the vulva. Latin for lips, labia are an important part of our anatomy. 

The vagina is already a pro at protecting itself. It's self-cleaning, and can bounce back after stretching during childbirth — pretty remarkable! But while the vagina does lots of hard work, it's fair to say the nearby labia do some of the heavy lifting too. 

When it comes down to it, labia have a very practical function. They are there to protect the vagina and the urethra (the opening where you pee). These fleshy folds cushion the external genitalia, keeping the vaginal opening and urethra safe.

Two sets of labia

Labia are actually doubly protective because there are two sets of them:

• Labia majora (or outer lips) are the folds on the outside of the vulva, often covered in pubic hair.
• Labia minora (or inner lips) are the folds closer to the vagina — they begin at the clitoris and end under the vaginal opening. 

A 2019 study from YouGov uncovered that almost half of British women (43%) and half of British men (52%) couldn't identify the labia [1]. Knowing your body well is so important. It helps you to stay informed, make healthful choices, and help fight the stigma surrounding our bodies and sexuality. If you want to try identifying and getting familiar with your labia (which we very much recommend!), you can use a handheld mirror to get a closer look at your vulva and identify both sets of labia.

Different types of labia

It's pretty common for people to look at their vulva that might look different from ones they've seen in mainstream porn and think, "Am I normal?!". The answer is — yes! Your vulva is absolutely normal, no matter the type, shape, size, or color.

There are just as many different vulvas as there are people with vulvas. Each and every one of us is unique, and it shows in our bodies, vulvas and labia included. Don't believe us? Well, researchers looked at over 600 white women between the ages of 18 and 84 to determine what's the "normal vulva." [2] What researchers found was that there is a massive variability in how vulvas can look and still be considered normal and healthy. A smaller study that examined 44 women of different ethnicities and races confirms that these findings are true for people of other ethnicities and races. [3]

Shapes

As we already established, no vulva looks the same and is unique to each of us. However, chances are that your vulva and labia fall into one of the nine categories when it comes to shape. Let's discuss those shapes in more detail:

1. Asymmetrical inner lips

A vulva with asymmetrical inner lips will have one side of the labia minora longer than the other, and the longer side will hang past the labia majora. It's fairly common and normal.

2. Prominent inner lips

A vulva with prominent inner lips will have both sides of the labia minora extending below the labia majora. The labia minora might be visible only slightly, or they can be pretty visible.

3. Long, dangling inner lips

A vulva with long, dangling inner lips will have an inch or more of the labia minora dangling past the outer lips. You might have additional folds and extra skin that might even slip out of your underwear. Again, it's all normal.

4. Visible inner lips

A vulva with visible inner lips will have labia minora peeking through the opening in labia majora. Some might refer to this type of vulva as a flower ready to bloom.

5. Curved outer lips

A vulva with curved outer lips will have the labia majora shaped, almost like a horseshoe, with the labia minora peeking through in the front. The labia minora might extend past the labia majora, or they might not.

6. Prominent outer lips

A vulva with prominent outer lips will have larger labia majora that are either puffy and thick or thin and a little bit loose. Most often, the labia minora won't be visible.

7. Long, dangling outer lips

A vulva with long, dangling outer lips will have labia majora hanging lower than labia minora. The outer lips might be looser and thinner, and sometimes even hang outside underwear such as thin thongs.

8. Small open lips

A vulva with small, open lips often has smaller labia majora that are set further apart, creating the appearance of the lips being open and revealing the labia minora.

9. Small closed lips

A small, closed vulva is the most mainstream type of vulva we see on adult entertainment websites, and yet it's the least common in real life. With this type of vulva, the labia minora and labia majora kind of blend together, so it looks like there is only one type of labia.

Sizes

In the above-mentioned study that examined over 600 white women ages between 18 and 84 [2], when researchers measured the average size of labia, this is what they found:

• On average, the right labia majora is 7.9 cm or about 3.1 inches long.
• On average, the left labia majora is 8.0 cm or about 3.1 inches long.
• On average, the right labia minora is 4.2 cm or about 1.6 inches long and 1.3 cm or about 0.5 inches wide.
• On average, the left labia minora is 4.3 cm or about 1.7 inches long and 1.4 cm or about 0.5 inches wide.

It's important to remember that these numbers are average. If your labia is longer, wider, or shorter and narrower, it doesn't mean there is something wrong with it. As long as you don't experience pain or discomfort, it means that your labia is normal and healthy.

Colors

Just like there are many different shapes of labia, the color might also vary from person to person. It's normal and common for the skin around your genitals to be darker than the color of your skin elsewhere. According to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, in adults, the color of a vulva can range from pink to dark brown, red, or even black. [4] Also, the color of the vulva can vary depending on ethnicity.

What might be fascinating to some about the labia is that it can actually change color. When aroused, labia can swell up and deepen to a darker hue as blood flows to the vulva area. 

What's the average length and width?

If we venture past the vulva and labia inside the vagina, we find that the size might also vary. Most vaginas have a similar shape — it's narrow at the opening and widens as it goes deeper toward the cervix, which creates a "V" shape. [5]

The length of the vagina also varies from person to person. One study examined over 500 heterosexual women below the age of 40 and found that the average length of the vagina was 9.2 cm or 3.6 inches [6].

What's amazing about the vagina is that it can change in size and length to accommodate a finger, tampon, menstrual cup, penis, and even a child. It might elongate and expand, and depending on the time of your cycle, even the position of the cervix might vary — it can be higher or lower, which also affects the length of the vagina.

Other ways your vaginal area is unique

So, we already discussed that vaginas and vulvas can vary in shape, size, and color. But that's not all! Here are four more things that make your vulva and vagina unique.

Your signature scent

Every vagina has a smell, and it's completely normal and natural. In the past (and even to this day), women used to be shamed into trying to remove, conceal or change the odor of their vagina. However, it's something that's part of your body and unique to you.

The intensity and the odor might be influenced by many factors, from your lifestyle and diet to hormones. You might notice that after a gym or during menstruation, the odor changes, but it should return to normal after a shower.

So, if you notice an odor, don't worry. There is nothing wrong with your vagina. You don't need to use special soaps or supplements to remove it. However, if you notice a different unpleasant odor that doesn't go away and is accompanied by other symptoms such as itching or a burning sensation, you might want to consult the doctor because it might indicate an infection.

The pubic hair might be thinner or thicker

First of all, the hair color in your pubic area doesn't always match the color of your hair in other parts of your body. It's a myth. Now that we have that out of the way, the thickness, color, growth patterns, and textures of the pubic hair can vary greatly from person to person. Some might have thicker hair, while others might have less growth.

Let go of the stigma surrounding discharge

Lastly, vaginal discharge is another thing that is unique to you and can vary greatly from person to person. So, what's vaginal discharge? The vagina is self-cleaning, and discharge helps keep the vaginal tissues healthy.

There are many different types of discharge you might experience, and most of it is healthy and normal. The discharge might vary in amount and color, and not all people have discharge that's noticeable.

You should only be concerned with discharge if it changes color and texture, smells weird or funky, and is accompanied by other symptoms such as itching and burning sensations or pain and discomfort. If you experience any of that, it's best to consult your doctor.

Learn more about your health every day

We hope learning more about your labia will help you feel more empowered. Spreading knowledge about reproductive health is built into our mission. The Natural Cycles app is the first of its kind to be FDA Cleared for use as birth control, and it can be used to plan a pregnancy if and when you want to start a family. 

However, Natural Cycles is so much more than a birth control app. It also provides daily updates and insights into your cycle. From PMS alerts to self-breast check reminders, there's so much more to the app than your fertility status.