All about Hymenoplasty and its treatment
overview
Your vaginal opening is partially covered by elastic and fibrous tissue. This fibrous tissue takes the form of an oval rubber washer and is known as a hymen. For some women, the hymen is thick and rigid while in others, it is thin and flexible. The hymen is usually broken during the first penile penetration. However, other activities such as the use of tampons, gynecological examination, physical accidents, finger insertion, or riding a horse can also break the hymen. Some people harbor an erroneous belief that the hymen is an impenetrable seal. This is far from the truth! If the hymen was impenetrable and it has completely covered your vaginal opening, a woman would have a very hard time as there would be no outlet for their menstrual flow. Additionally, the normal vaginal discharge would be a problem.
The hymen has historically been revered as a sign of a woman’s innocence and purity. To date, an intact hymen serves an important mythological role in many cultures around the world. Some women are born without a hymen. However, this is a rare occurrence, happening in about 1 in every 1,000 women globally.
A hymenoplasty is a surgical procedure that helps to restore, reconstruct or restore a woman’s hymen. The procedure takes place under general anesthesia. A woman may feel compelled to undergo a hymen reconstruction or repair for various reasons, including reclaiming control over lost virginity, to improve sexual pleasure, or for cultural reasons. During the procedure, your surgeon will take a small tissue from a different part of your vagina and then graft it to your vaginal opening. The tissue so grafted helps to recreate the hymen.
Why is a hymenoplasty important?
A hymenoplasty is a cosmetic procedure that allows women to have their broken hymen reconstructed or fixed. Women may choose to have a hymenoplasty for psychological or physical reasons. Some of the reasons for a hymenoplasty include:
Cultural beliefs
Many cultures attach a lot of importance to intact hymen as an indicator of a woman’s purity. For this reason, many women who come from cultures where virginity is highly valued may seek to undergo a hymenoplasty to regain the original status of their hymen and in this way, fulfill their cultural purposes.
Accidental tearing or rupture: Some women may have their hymen torn or ruptured through an accident. It is quite possible that a hymen can rupture or tear while riding on a horse or a bicycle. Other women may have ruptured their hymen while inserting a tampon. Such women may opt for hymenoplasty to restore their hymen to the original state, before the unintentional damage.
Imperforate hymen
Sometimes, the hymen may cover the vaginal opening in its entirety. That means there is blockage of flow into or out of the vagina, including the menstrual cycle. The problem might be diagnosed when a young girl reaches puberty and there is a blockage in their menstrual flow. Consequently, it is important to make a small hole that will permit menstrual flow.
Improved sexual pleasure
Weakened vaginal muscles might lead to reduced sexual pleasure. This decline in sexual pleasure is associated with several reasons. Some of these reasons include flaccidity which occurs with age, as well as childbirth. Therefore, hymenoplasty results in tightened vaginal muscles. This enhances pleasure during intercourse.
Burying the past
The adolescence stage is characterized by a lot of experimentation and curiosity. Additionally, adolescents are highly prone to peer pressure. This may compel them to engage in sexual activities so that they do not face the rejection of their peers. As a woman matures, she might feel remorseful about her sexual indulgences early in life. Hymenoplasty allows such a woman to turn back the clock, literally, and bury the past.
There could also be women who may have been sexually molested at a younger age, resulting in a damaged hymen. They may, therefore, opt to undergo hymenoplasty to hide the sexual abuse that they experienced during their childhood.
What goes into the preparation for hymenoplasty?
A few pointers that will help the surgeon decide if you are an ideal patient for hymenoplasty. If you are one of those women,
- Who are in perfect health but want to repair or reconstruct their torn hymen for varied personal reasons. Part of the reason includes the desire to repair a hymen that is torn accidentally.
- Who have accidentally torn their hymen
In addition to the above, the ideal candidate must:
- Be a no-smoker
- Understand the expectations and any risks that might accompany the procedure
What do the preparation steps for hymenoplasty entail?
The success of hymenoplasty is largely determined by the kind of preparation process involved. We have a team of surgeons who will take you through the preparation process. They do so by asking you various questions to understand your objective for deciding on this procedure. They will also give you instructions on how best to prepare for this procedure. During the consultation, your surgeon will be interested in the following:
- Your intentions and expectations of the procedure
- Whether you are aware of the risks that the procedure entails, and the likely complications
- Your medical history, along with any medication that you might be taking at the moment
Your surgeon will encourage you to answer the questions posed to your regarding your health as truthfully as you can. Moreover, you are free to ask for any clarification about the procedure and our surgeons are more than willing to assist. It is important that you and your doctors have good and honest communication as this will contribute greatly towards the success of hymenoplasty.
Before hymenoplasty
- Prior to a hymenoplasty, your surgeon will advise you on the following:
- If you are a smoker, make sure that you have stopped the habit 4 weeks prior to the procedure
- You must not take any alcohol about 3 days before treatment
- In case you are on birth control pills, you need to stop taking them for at least 10 days before the procedure
For the patients on blood-thinning medication, you are advised to stop taking such medication 10 days before the treatment.
How is hymenoplasty performed ?
This is a simple procedure that is usually conducted in an outpatient setting. Your surgeon may decide to conduct the procedure under local anesthesia at the clinic. Before the procedure, we will make arrangements to have you transported to our clinic. In case of any paperwork involved, we will also assist you to fill it up. After administering the anesthesia, your surgeon will then proceed to cut the torn skin around your hymen’s edges. This is done neatly and gently. The surgeon sutures the hymen together, effectively forming two layers. This is done using dissolvable stitches.
The surgeon has to ensure they leave a small opening to promote the passage of fluid during your menstrual period. The procedure ensures that the torn hymen gets its original shape and size back.
In case of a nonexistent hymen, or if the remaining skin is insufficient, your surgeon will have to create new skin. This can be done using synthetic tissue. Alternatively, the surgeon may decide to obtain skin from your vaginal mucosa for purposes of grafting. The next step involves the addition of a small blood supply to the restructured hymen. The goal is to stimulate bleeding during penile penetration. In this case, the blood supply is obtained from your vaginal flap. Alternatively, the patient can also create an artificial blood supply.
A hymenoplasty takes about 1-2 hours. The time taken to conduct this procedure is largely determined by the extent of damage to the hymen and hence, the level of repair that your surgeon must make. You are not expected to spend the night at the hospital after the procedure, unless in very rare cases when complications develop.
What are the possible complications of hymenoplasty?
The procedure rarely results in any complications. This is because the procedure is safe for the most part, with few side effects and risks. Nonetheless, like any other surgical procedure, hymenoplasty is also associated with a few risks, such as ongoing bleeding and infection. Moreover, the anesthetic administered before the procedure may also contribute to certain side effects. Rarely does hymenoplasty develop any complications. However, you must ensure that you contact your surgeon immediately in case of the following symptoms:
- If you experience severe pain after 3 days of the procedure
- Dizziness
- In case of an inflammation
- If you are spotting or experiencing abnormal or excessive bleeding
- In case of any foul-smelling or unusual discharge
- Intense itching
Laser hymenoplasty
This is a quick and less-invasive procedure. It takes about an hour. The technique is associated with a high level of accuracy in cutting away the torn hymen tissue. There is no loss of blood involved. The patient can resume their daily activities within a day of the procedure. For these reasons, laser hymenoplasty is preferred to surgical hymenoplasty.
Post-op care and diet
You are also advised against having tub baths for at least four weeks after surgery. Avoid wearing any tight-fitting clothing, including underwear.
You may also resume your normal work in 3 to 4 days’ time. However, your surgeon will advise you against engaging in any strenuous activities for at least 2-3 weeks. You must also avoid lifting heavy objects. You are likely to experience slight bleeding in the first 40 to 72 hours after surgery. You need not be alarmed as this is quite normal. Your surgeons may prescribe medication to relieve pain caused by bleeding.
Avoid engaging in sexual activity until you have completely healed. You may need to give a gap of about 6 weeks before engaging in penetrative sexual activity.
There are no dietary restrictions after hymenoplasty. However, you may be advised to increase your intake of fluids, especially water. This will assist in easier digestion and a smooth bowel movement. It also means that you will not have to strain to have a bowel movement. Additionally, foods rich in dietary fiber such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are also useful as they increase the bulk.
You may take about six weeks to heal completely from the procedure. After healing, there will be no signs of having undergone the procedure. It becomes difficult, therefore, to differentiate between a reconstructed hymen and a natural one. After complete healing, you will also experience the same vaginal sensation you felt, the first time you had sexual intercourse.
Side effects
Hymenoplasty may present with the following side effects:
- Tenderness
- Swelling
- Discharge and spotting
For some people, hymenoplasty can be the source of discomfort during future sexual activities.
Hymenoplasty is a hymen repair surgery that reconstructs the hymen, a ring-like membranous layer that encircles the opening of the vagina. Hymenoplasty, also known as hymen repair surgery or hymenorrhaphy is a surgery done for the reconstruction of the hymen in young and middle-aged women. Many women in Bangalore have undergone hymenoplasty and got their hymen restored with visible results. Women of all ages can undergo this surgery. It is a simple procedure and may take 30 minutes to one hour. Many young women can undergo this surgery to repair the accidental rupture of their hymen due to strenuous activities or unintentional damage. Older women mostly after childbirth seek a hymenoplasty surgery to tighten the loose muscles near the vagina. So, if you are looking for a safe hymenoplasty repair surgery, you have come to the right place.
- At goficure, you can find highly trained surgeons and medical practitioners in Bangalore.
- The surgery generally takes 30 minutes to 1 hour and is done under local or general anesthesia.
- Our on-board surgeons are some of the best OB/GYN specialists in Bangalore. Our surgeons have years of experience in hymen repair surgeries.
- Our center offers the first-class service and follows all the safety protocols diligently. We will take care of everything from consultation to diagnosis, surgery, postoperative care, insurance claims, and discharge of patients.
So, if you are in Bangalore and looking for a cost-effective and safe hymenoplasty surgery, worry no more. Book your consultation today!
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After understanding your concerns, your Medi-Pal will schedule your consultation with a specialist doctor. Your doctor will carry out necessary tests and advise the course of treatment
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Your Medi-Pal would ensure quick recovery. This includes booking your follow up consultations and helping you with doctor-recommended steps for diet & exercise
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Comparison
With so many options, are you wondering what the right choice for your condition is? While you can opt for either an open surgery or a laser surgery, numerous studies have shown that laser surgeries are far more effective. Be it the duration of the procedure, post-operative pain or recovery time, laser surgeries always outrank open surgeries and are therefore, a better choice. Here is a quick comparison that will help you decide your course of action.
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