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Large and small labia
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Large labia majora (labia majora pudendi) are a pair of skin folds, elastic, 7-8 cm long and 2-3 cm wide. They limit the genital crevice (rima pudendi) from the sides. Between the large labia joints are joined by spikes: a wider front lip adhesion (commissuia labiorum anterior) and narrow posterior lip adhesion (commissura labiorum posterior). The inner surface of the large labia lips facing each other. This surface is pink in color and looks like a mucous membrane. The skin covering the large labia, pigmented, contains numerous sebaceous and sweat glands. In the anterior part of the labia majora, the ends of the round uterine ligaments diverge in a fanlike manner. These connective tissue formations fix the labia majora to the periosteum of the pubic bones.
Small labia minora (labia minora pudendi) - paired longitudinal thin skin folds, reminiscent of the nature of the mucous membrane, located in the longitudinal direction inward from the large ones .. They are separated from each other by an intertubal furrow. The outer surface of the labia minora is turned to the labia majora, and the inner surface is toward the entrance to the vagina. The anterior margin of the labia minora is thinned and free. Small labia are constructed from connective tissue without fatty tissue, contain a large number of elastic fibers, smooth muscle cells and venous plexus. The rear ends of the labia minora are interconnected and form a transverse fold - bridle labia (frenulum labiorum pudendi), which restricts the recess of small size - hole vestibule of the vagina (fossa vestibuli vaginae). The anterior part of each small lip is divided into two legs. External, or front, legs, connecting over the clitoris, form the foreskin of the clitoris . The inner (rear) legs of the labia minora form the frenum of the clitoris , located below it. The labia minora in their lower third gradually merge with larger ones or join together, forming a small transverse fold, located along the middle line of the perineum - the lip gloss . Anterior to this frenulum, between it and the hymen or its remains, is a small depression - the fovea of the vestibule .
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