Experts have warned about a worrying rise in young women seeking surgery for "designer vaginas".

Vaginal rejuvenation is a procedure that has traditionally been used to correct sagging vaginal canals or to help those suffering from incontinence – both often experienced by women who have had natural childbirth.

But there has been an increase in the number of women using this procedure for cosmetic purposes (such as labia reduction). Doctors warn that this trend is having an effect on teenagers, who grow up with a skewed idea of what a normal vagina looks like, and consequently feel the need for corrective surgery.

"I heard of a mother taking in a 16-year-old and 11-year-old wanting to get it done. It's just not right," US gynaecologist Dr Iglesia, was reported as noting in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.

According to the Daily Mail, critics blame the trend on the influence of pornography and the media, and say it is yet another procedure that women are using in the quest to achieve the impossible ideal of physical perfection.

"More women today are concerned about the aesthetics of their private parts. The concept of beauty has extended from having the right looking cheeks to the right looking genitals," Dr Sachin Dhawan was quoted as saying to India Today.

"None of these procedures have proven effectiveness, and there is potential for harm," said Dr Iglesia