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Hymenoplasty: The Truth About Hymen Repair

Hymenoplasty (sometimes referred to as Hymenorrhaphy) is one of the most controversial surgeries available today. Unlike most other procedures, hymen repair is a head on collision between religious and cultural traditions of days past and 21st Century female empowerment.

By all accounts, hymenoplasty surgeries are on the rise. Women from New York to New Delhi are choosing the operation as a solution to a problem that has plagued women of all faiths.

The problem being that women are expected to be virgins when they are married. At times they will undergo an actual hymen inspection by a doctor or their future mother-in-law. If not an inspection, then they will be expected to bleed when first penetrated by their husband on their wedding night as the hymen is broken.

So exactly what is hymenoplasty? It is simply a quick surgical procedure to reattach the hymen and put it back together. In the end, the woman would be able to pass an inspection and/or bleed following penetration.

Who Gets Hymen Reconstruction Surgery?

While virginity as a requirement of marriage may seem archaic to women in the West, it is nevertheless still expected in large parts of the world's populations.

As women in these cultures become more empowered, they are having pre-marital sex more frequently and seeking a way to hide this from their future husbands. While less common today, the possibility of death for this for women in these cultures being honest about not being a virgin is still a very real possibility.

Due to this, women interested in hymen reconstruction are almost always very secretive about the procedure.

In my experience, Muslim women are most likely to have hymen surgery. This is done for cultural reasons. But there are also some strict Christian groups that view female virginity at marriage in the same light.

Additionally, there are two other groups of women that sometimes seek hymenoplasty procedures for non-cultural or non-religious reasons:

Abused women that have experienced rape or some other type of sexual trauma, may choose to have hymen reconstruction as a way to empower themselves and symbolically restore something that feels like it was taken from them.

And finally, there are a small group of women who have been in a committed relationship and want to symbolically give their husband/partner the gift of virginity.

Hymen Breaking: When Does It Really Happen?

Unfortunately, the very idea of an attached hymen at marriage is really often a myth. The hymen breaking usually occurs in most young women during adolescence. And through tampon use and the course of daily events such as walking and exercise, it is slowly worn away.

While types of hymens may vary (see picture below), it is not necessarily true that first time penetration will get rid of all hymenal remnants.

So what does an "unbroken" hymen look like?

Different Types of Hymens a Woman May Have

As you can tell, there are many different ways your hymenal tissue may look.

Only with the Imperforate hymen is the tissue complete intact. In this case, some type of incision will need to be made in the hymen to allow menstrual fluids to pass through.

The other extreme is the completely absent hymen. It is important to remember that just because the hymen is completely absent does not mean a woman has had vaginal penetration.

The majority of women will have one of the other types of hymens depicted above.

How Hymen Repair Surgery Works

Depending on the surgeon, a hymenoplasty procedure can be done in-office or at an outpatient facility.

The doctor will usually put the patient under either local or general anesthesia to numb the body prior to the surgery.

Next, stitches (or sutures) will be used to reattach the hymen.

Example of Hymen Repair Surgery

This is a relatively simple procedure that takes about 30-45 minutes to complete.

Following surgery, you will want to make sure to follow your doctors aftercare instructions. It generally takes 6-8 weeks for the stitches to completely dissolve and for you to be fully healed.

During this time you will want to take it easy and not do anything that is too strenuous. Activities like exercising, running or lifting anything heavy may cause the stitches to come undone prematurely.

And make sure you do not insert anything in your vagina until intercourse (not even tampons).

If you are going to receive an "inspection", it is probably not a bad idea to see your doctor first to confirm that you are 100% healed and ready.

Hymenoplasty Videos



Doctor diagrams the different types of hymens and the impact of penetration.	Video of women in the U.K. discussing the need for Hymenoplasty Surgery.

How Much Does Hymenoplasty Cost?

The price for a Hymenoplasty procedure can can vary widely. As more and more doctors offer the procedure, the rates they charge will differ. The range is usually between $2,500 and $6,000 (USD).

If a doctor's prices seem especially cheap, this may be a cause for concern. While the procedure itself is relatively simple, the hymen is a delicate piece of tissue. If not done correctly, you run the risk of having your hymen split open again prior to inspection or penetration.

Make sure you find a doctor that has plenty of experience with these surgeries. You want a doctor that knows what they are doing and will be able to help you should something go wrong following surgery.

If the cost of hymenoplasty is too high for you, there are some hymenoplasty alternatives. Most of these are unproven and your results may vary.

Hymenoplasty - Next Steps

In a perfect world, a woman would never have to consider hymen repair surgery. It wouldn't make any difference if she were a virgin or not on her wedding night.

But unfortunately, we don't live in that world yet. As such, hymen reconstruction can help women facing an inspection or expectations from their husband.

Only you can decide what is best for you. If you do decide to go forward with the procedure, make sure you discuss the specifics with your doctor before, during and after surgery.

The operation can be safe and effective when done by the hands of a skilled and experienced surgeon.

If you do would like to ask me ask me any questions about hymenoplasty, click here.