The hymen is a thin membrane that surrounds or partially covers the opening of the vagina. Its appearance varies from woman to woman, and it becomes more elastic and prone to tearing as women go through puberty, use tampons, play sports, or have sexual intercourse.Â
Many cultures associate an intact hymen with virginity, though its mere presence is not considered to be a reliable indicator. Because of this and the violence some women face if their virginity prior to marriage is called into question, the U.N. Human Rights Council, U.N. Women, and the World Health Organization have all called for a ban on virginity testing.Â
However, hymen repair (or restoration) of a torn hymen is possible with a surgical procedure called a hymenoplasty, hymenorrhaphy, or "revirgination."Â
The most common reason for undergoing a hymenoplasty is the desire to recover the appearance of virginal status for cultural and religious reasons. Some women also seek out this reconstructive surgery after sexual assault, to help them regain a sense of control over their bodies.
Pros
Cons
The procedure takes place under local or general anesthesia, which means the surgery itself is painless. It usually takes less than half an hour.
With the patient’s legs in stirrups, the surgeon locates the remnants of the hymen and gently removes the edges, with scissors or a scalpel. They then suture the fragments together so that the vaginal opening becomes smaller.
In a 2015 retrospective study, a surgical technique known as the STSI (suture three stratums around the introitus) method had mostly positive outcomes, with restoration of all three layers of the hymen.
You should have only one day of downtime after your surgery. Over the next two to four weeks, as your hymen heals, you’ll likely experience some light bleeding, swelling, bruising, and minor discomfort, which can be alleviated with prescription pain medication. You’ll also need to take antibiotics and keep the area clean, to prevent infection.
Avoid vigorous exercise and don’t insert anything into the vaginal opening, including tampons, for four to six weeks.Â
After six to eight weeks, your sutures will have dissolved and your hymen should be healed. However, Dr. Falguni Patel, a board-certified OB-GYN in Aberdeen, New Jersey, recommends in a RealSelf Q&A that patients should “wait at least six months after a hymenoplasty for consummation. Before that time, the area of repair is weak.”
A hymenoplasty should last many years, if nothing is inserted into the vagina,” says Woodstock, Georgia, urogynecologist Dr. Michael Litrel in a RealSelf Q&A.
Of course, as soon as you have sexual intercourse, the hymen will stretch or rupture.
The hymenoplasty photos in our gallery have been shared by the provider who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.
Updated June 13, 2023