The hymen is torn – what to do?

A tearing of the hymen usually does not present a medical problem and does not require further therapy. The hymen can tear due to injuries, e.g. during the first sexual intercourse (defloration), but sometimes also only when a child is born. This may be associated with pain and the discharge of blood.

However, these symptoms should disappear quickly. As a rule, the hymen is not so well supplied with blood that there is a greater loss of blood with possibly serious consequences. However, if the bleeding does not stop or the pain persists, a gynecologist should be consulted. It is then possible that the symptoms are caused by an injury to other parts of the female genitals. Infection with pathogens such as fungi or bacteria should also be excluded if the discharge and pain persist.

Restore hymen

There are different methods to restore a hymen. It should be noted, however, that there is no medical reason for any of these methods. A torn hymen usually heals without any problems and does not represent a medical problem.

One method of restoration is hymen reconstruction or hymenorraphy.During an outpatient operation, the hymen is sutured so tightly with self-dissolving sutures that it will probably tear and bleed during the next sexual intercourse. For this, however, vessels must grow into the hymen, which can take up to 3 months. A faster method to apparently restore a torn hymen is the so-called hymen tissue thickening.

Here a kind of hymen implant is inserted, which is felt as resistance during sexual intercourse. In addition, the implant then releases a red fluid (gelatine) that resembles blood. This effect already occurs directly after the surgical procedure.

In addition, it is also possible for a hymen to grow back to its original shape on its own. However, this is not the case after every tear. There are procedures to “sew” the hymen back together.

They are called hymenal reconstruction or hymenorraphy. However, this is not a complete suturing of the hymen. This would cause considerable problems for girls and women who already have their period (menstruation).

In this surgical procedure, the hymen is sutured so that it is tighter than before. There is no medical reason for a hymenal reconstruction, as the hymen has no function. If such an operation is nevertheless desired, this is usually for socio-cultural reasons.

The operation is usually performed on an outpatient basis. It lasts up to one hour and is performed under local anesthesia, but sometimes also under general anesthesia. Sutures are used which dissolve themselves some time after the operation.

During the operation, parts of the hymen or the mucous membrane of the vagina are sutured together so that they form a seam around the vaginal entrance (introitus vaginae). This seam is made so tight that an injury is likely to occur during sexual intercourse, resulting in bleeding. This requires that small blood vessels (capillaries) grow into the restored (reconstructed) hymen.

In most cases this happens after reconstruction, but it cannot be guaranteed. Similarly, bleeding after coitus cannot be guaranteed even after hymenal reconstruction, since the hymen is very elastic and may simply stretch without tearing and bleeding. It should also be noted that a hymenal reconstruction needs time to take effect. Capillaries must first grow into the operated hymen, which can take several weeks to months.