Hymenoplasty Surgery
We all know medically is that Hymen is a small tissue that surrounds or covers part of the vaginal opening and it tears off mostly when someone has penetrative sex.
But why hymenoplasty Surgery is provided in a female anatomy? Apart from being a test of virginity (which itself is misnomer as hymen can be lost due to many factors apart from having sex), what is the functional use of hymen?
Physiologically, hymenoplasty surgery has remained one of the greatest mysteries of the female body. As a child, it tends to keep the germ and dirt out of the vagina. In infants, the hymen can be a protective layer by preventing things from being pushed into the vagina. Sometimes, a damaged hymen is considered as abuse and incest.
Biologically, hymenoplasty is a small and thin piece of tissue formed during the developmental phase of pregnancy from leftover embryonic tissue. It is usually in the shape of a ring when it gets formed. Since hymens are made of soft tissue, they can break or tear from simple activities such as inserting a tampon or a mild physical activity.
Hymenoplasty does not seem to serve any purpose in a woman’s body or reproductive system. Unlike other organs or tissues with a defined job, no one knows for sure what the hymenoplasty surgery does. There is one common theory that it has something to do with keeping bacteria or foreign objects out of your vagina. If that is true, then what happens if the hymen is broken? Will the bacteria not enter again?
Hymen is often associated with a woman’s virginity in some cultures, but the sheer presence or absence of hymen is no way to determine virginity. This is because hymen can be torn due to many physical activities such as horse riding. The notion of virginity is a social imagination, and the hymen is not necessarily a marker of purity.
Hymen is an elastic tissue that varies from woman to woman. When it tears, it normally bleeds a little accompanied by a little pain but it may not be noticed by women. Hymen does not affect the reproductive system of a woman nor does it affect her health.
‘Virginity’ has no medical or scientific definition. It is a social, cultural and religious idea, which refers to the absence of engagement in sexual intercourse. However, it is not uncommon for the pediatrician or Gynaecologist to face virginity‐related concerns in various clinical situations: after an alleged sexual assault, during evaluations of post‐accidental traumas, and following requests for virginity testing.
The recognition of women and children’s human rights, the evolution of laws and the promotion of sex education have led to removal of this taboo with a change in attitudes and behaviors in pre‐marital sex in many parts of the world. However, even where pre‐marital virginity has lost some of its previous attributed value, the so‐called ‘loss of virginity’ remains a big issue in the minds of an adolescent and a young adult.
The issue of the first sexual intercourse is a great concern for teenagers of both genders and is associated with curiosity, questioning, anxiety and expectations. In developed societies, adolescents might feel ashamed to be considered still a ‘virgin’ and would like to get rid of this ‘embarrassing statuses as soon as possible.
There is an unfound myth that a male can feel with his penis if his female partner is virgin; the feeling of ‘tightness’ is mostly due to anxiety and unvoluntary contraction of pelvic muscles rather than the absence of previous vaginal intercourse. Moreover, the misconception linking virginity to tearing off of the Hymenoplasty surgery overlooks the fact that sexual encounters are not limited to the vagina.
While hymenoplasty surgery may continue to play a role due to religious, societal or moral pressures, a loss of hymen for such women can always be restored, thanks to medical advancement. It is a process known as Hymenoplasty or revirginization and it is mostly a day care procedure with minimal intervention.
At WEA Clinic, we do Hymenoplasty with utmost confidentiality and care at an affordable cost.
Also Read: What is Tummy Tuck?
