Hymenoplasty surgery or hymen repair surgery is a temporary, cosmetic, short-duration surgery performed by a plastic surgeon to construct, reconstruct or repair the hymen. It is the spot where the vulvovaginal bulbs merge with the Mullerian ducts from above and then become hollow to form the vagina. The hymen is a ring-like, thin, fleshy, membrane that guards the vagina.

In a hymenoplasty, the outer edges of the vagina are surgically tightened by reconstructing the hymen tissue. The anesthesiologist administers local anesthesia to dissect tissues and to prevent small blood vessels from bleeding. Then, the torn areas are denuded, i.e the upper layer of the tissue is removed. This is done so that they grow together after stitches. After denuding, the edges are brought together to reform the star-shaped ring. It is usually made smaller to give the same feeling of never having been ruptured.

In most cases, the hymen is ruptured during sexual intercourse (which is usually after marriage), after insertion of tampons or during sports activities. Despite the various reasons, in almost all societies, a woman is expected to have her hymen intact. This is a sign of her virginity. To be considered a virgin, she is expected to bleed during her first intercourse after marriage. But some women are sexually active even before marriage. They then opt for hymen repair before marriage to erase any guilt or if they do not wish to reveal their past to their partners. So also in cases of sexual assault when the stigma is even higher.

An interesting thing about the hymen is that it is just a leftover tissue from the development of vagina during the embryonic development. It has no proven physiological or medical purpose. And to still think that it is used as a test of a woman’s purity is so unfair.

Also, some women may not have a hymen at all, which is an extremely rare case. For others, it can interfere with sex and the usage of tampons.

So, if it’s there, it ought to be intact and if it doesn’t exist, a woman is labeled unvirtuous.

Not just this section of women, more and more women who are aware of the psychological and health benefits of this procedure are opting for this surgery. There are still others who go under the knife for purely aesthetic reasons and they have the option of hymen repair by laser, which is a permanent, minimally-invasive, no-scar surgery.

It is indeed medical science’s miracle that a woman can once again reclaim HERSELF.

What are the Results of a Hymenoplasty Surgery?

How Fast is the Recovery?

Results

The purpose of a hymenoplasty surgery is to restore the hymen surgically. It is usually a safe surgical procedure that is sure to give the same feeling of having sexual intercourse for the first time. Along with this, it bestows a feeling of youth and improved self-esteem in a woman. It is normal to experience slight pain sometimes and blood-spotted discharge for about a week. The condition usually eases after a week.

While most surgeons will perform this surgery for medical, ethnic, cultural or religious reasons, some surgeons may not operate on a woman who has given birth. Also, women less than 18 years of age, or those suffering from genital cancer or other venereal diseases, and those with other serious illnesses should also not opt for this procedure.

Recovery

As a hymenoplasty is an outpatient surgery, neither is it a very long duration surgery nor is any hospital stay required. The patient is discharged after keeping her under observation for a few hours in the recovery room.

After discharge, the patient can resume work in 4-5 days. Still, it is recommended not to indulge in strenuous physical activities. The hymen repair surgery recovery time is usually six weeks. Also, the patient is expected to take some precautions during the recovery time such as;

• Always keep the genital area clean.
• Take the prescribed medicines to prevent infection and pain.
• Use ice packs and warm compresses to ease swelling and pain.
• Schedule an appointment with your surgeon if itching, bleeding, or swelling persists.
• Abstain from sexual activity for eight weeks.
• Take up light to moderate exercises only after two weeks after surgery.

This is the case with most patients. While in some others, the post-operative phase entails a long recovery period. This usually happens when the hymen in such women when the surrounding vaginal tissue is more compressed, thus making recovery slightly painful.

Conclusion

Now that we have explained the procedure, the likely candidates, and the recovery time, it is important to inform you about the hymenoplasty cost in India