As a plastic surgeon, how do you perceive the link between body image and desire?
Plastic surgery goes far beyond aesthetics—it touches on deeper dimensions: self-image, how others perceive us, and desire itself. It reflects the need to reconcile the body as lived with the body as imagined, especially in a society where appearance often mirrors the desire to be, to love, and to be loved.
For me, it’s clear that feeling good in one’s body, learning to love oneself as one is, is essential to radiate well-being, feel desirable, and experience desire.
Have you noticed that some patients come not only for aesthetic reasons, but also to reconnect with desire, pleasure, or intimate self-confidence?
Plastic surgery transforms the visible body, but it also influences body identity. A person may feel more confident, which positively affects their emotional and sexual relationships:
A patient may feel more desirable and thus more capable of desiring others.
It can reawaken an erotic or emotional drive previously hindered by shame or a complex.
However, some remain unsatisfied after surgery, because their deeper desire was not truly linked to their body, but to a more diffuse discomfort—hence the importance of psychological support.
And self-confidence in general. Depending on cultural background, sexual education, and how intimate health is perceived or taught, some people wonder whether a physical change might help them feel better, more confident in themselves.
How do you differentiate between a request rooted in real physical discomfort and one influenced by social norms or beauty standards?
Many requests are shaped by social norms. It’s our responsibility, as doctors and surgeons, to listen carefully, examine the body, and assess whether a procedure is achievable or not. For me, the most important principle is never to put someone at risk for an unrealistic or disharmonious result.
Take liposuction, for example—it’s not a weight loss method. Weight loss requires a lifestyle change: nutrition, exercise, and so on. However, in certain cases of stubborn fat deposits, despite efforts, liposuction can be a helpful finishing touch. The best outcomes are seen when patients continue to invest in healthy habits post-surgery.
A physical examination is key to determining whether a procedure is appropriate and whether the desired results are realistically achievable. Not all body types can accommodate drastic yet harmonious changes. Surgery has its powers—but it is not for everyone.
Intimate Surgery and Sexuality
You offer gynecological aesthetic procedures. Which are the most common, and what are women seeking through these interventions?
The most common procedure is labia minora reduction, also known as labiaplasty. Women often seek relief from the discomfort caused by excess tissue in the vulvar area—pinching, friction, pain, or even discomfort during sexual intercourse. Labiaplasty involves reducing the size of the labia minora relative to the labia majora.
How do you guide women in their decision-making before surgery? Do you recommend any psychological or sexological preparation beforehand?
The process begins by listening to their sensations, their feelings, and understanding their request. Then, and most importantly, I evaluate their anatomy using photographs. We review them together so they can show me what bothers them.
I also present photos of different anatomies for comparison, so they understand that there is no such thing as “normal”—just what is possible or not through surgery.
Can you describe the types of intimate procedures you perform?
I offer a variety of procedures, including: labiaplasty (labia minora reduction), augmentation or reshaping of the labia majora, clitoral hood reduction, vaginoplasty or vulvo-perineoplasty, autologous fat transfer or nanofat injections, used in regenerative medicine to treat vulvovaginal atrophy due to menopause, chemotherapy, or lichen sclerosis.
What changes do your patients report after such procedures, especially regarding their intimate or sexual life?
Many reports improved self-confidence. However, as mentioned earlier, some remain dissatisfied if their deeper discomfort was unrelated to their physical body—again highlighting the importance of psychological support.
Desire Beyond Appearance
In your opinion, is desire purely a matter of the body, or also of self-perception?
Desire is central—yet rarely addressed explicitly in medical discourse. It manifests on several levels:
Desire to be loved or to be desirable: to be seen with affection or longing.
Desire for self-empowerment: taking control of one’s appearance and reclaiming the body.
Desire for identification: looking like an ideal (celebrity, influencer, gender archetype), sometimes in a mimetic dynamic (as described by René Girard).
Desire for healing: erasing the marks of time, trauma, pregnancy, cancer, etc.
I believe self-perception is crucial. Some people are incredibly charismatic and desirable without conforming to standard beauty norms. For me, it’s about how a person projects themselves and expresses their personality—that’s what makes them truly desirable.
HEALTHCIE