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My 1st month's Medium $ exceeded my wildest dreams. But there is a caveat
If you’ve ever taken a mirror to look down there, you may notice that the skin around your anus is, well, dark. Some people opt to get a cosmetic procedure that lightens this pigmentation, which is called anal bleaching, Fouad Georges Kaado Moawad, MD, who offers this treatment in his Virginia Beach medspa, tells Health. “The goal is to achieve an even skin tone similar to the rest of the body,” he says.
What started as a treatment sought out by adult entertainers has gone mainstream. Zuri A. Murrell, MD, is a colorectal and general surgeon in Beverly Hills who performs anal rejuvenation procedures. He has treated 400 to 500 patients seeking anal bleaching. During procedures to treat hemorrhoids and anal skin tags, “patients would jokingly ask ‘can you make it look nice?’” he tells Health.
“Most of the patients coming to me for anal rejuvenation procedures are recently divorced middle-aged women who just started dating again,” says Dr. Murrell.
Here’s the thing, it’s totally normal for the skin around your anus to look darker. “This can be due to genetics, everyday friction, sweat, diet, irritation, hormonal changes, among other reasons,” says Dr. Kaado. And don’t forget that your poop is, well, brown, and stool pigments can change the coloring of this area overtime, adds Dr. Murrell.