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September 23, 2025 
Aman How Do I Know If I Have an Abnormal Hymen?
Restoring the Hymen with a Hymenectomy
Is a Hymenectomy Medically Necessary?
Is a Hymenectomy Considered a Major Surgery?
Your Journey Through Hymenectomy Surgery
Potential Hymenectomy Complications
Freedom from Pain and Discomfort with a Hymenectomy
The hymen is a thin membrane of tissue that sits around the opening of the vagina. It’s a part of the body that most women don’t think about day-to-day. And there’s no reason they should. Because the hymen doesn’t serve a specific purpose.
However, this thin membrane of tissue can become a point of concern when there is a problem – such as an abnormality.
Most women don’t realise they have a hymen abnormality until they reach puberty or become sexually active. While the word ‘abnormality’ can sound scary, having an abnormal hymen isn’t something to be afraid of. In fact, it can be fixed through a very routine and simple surgery called a hymenectomy.
In this article, we will be discussing Hymenectomy, when it is needed, and walking you through the procedure itself.
How Do I Know If I Have an Abnormal Hymen?
Most women won’t realise they have a problem with their hymen until they hit puberty, insert a tampon for the first time, or become sexually active. At this point, if the hymen is abnormal, these things can cause you pain.
Other symptoms can include: irregular or absent menstrual cycles, abdominal pain, and a feeling of fullness in the lower abdomen, accompanied by back pain and urinary retention.
If you experience any of the symptoms above, and it’s not a one-time thing, it’s highly likely that you have an abnormal hymen. Hymen abnormalities can have a negative impact on your quality of life – making it difficult to enjoy sex or even menstruate easily.
Thankfully, a hymenectomy can fix the problem. Let’s take a look.
What is the Hymen?
First things first – let’s discuss the hymen because it’s important to understand what it is before we continue.
The hymen is a ring of thin tissue that sits around the opening of the vagina. Hymens can come in different shapes and sizes. Most women have a hymen that is in the shape of a half moon. This allows for blood to flow out of the vagina during menstruation and avoids pain during intercourse or tampon insertion.
Every hymen is different and will break or tear at a different point in a woman’ life. For some, this isn’t noticeable (i.e. while horse riding or playing sport). For others, it can be a little bit uncomfortable (i.e. during a woman’s first time having sexual intercourse). However, the hymen has been stretched or broken, it does not regrow.
For women with hymen abnormalities, the hymen looks and acts a little bit differently.
Types of Hymen Abnormalities
Hymen abnormalities cause the hymen to be oddly shaped or perforated, making menstruation difficult and sexual intercourse or using tampons painful.
Here are the different types of hymen abnormalities and how they typically present:
Imperforate Hymen
Some women have an Imperforate Hymen. This is where the thin membrane of the hymen completely covers the vaginal opening – preventing blood from flowing out during menstruation.
According to research, “an imperforate hymen is a congenital anomaly caused by a failure of the hymen to perforate during fetal development leading to complete obstruction of the vagina.”
Because the body can’t menstruate as it should, blood builds up in the vagina, developing into a mass that can lead to severe abdominal or lower back pain. Women with Imperforate Hymen can also have problems with bowel movements or passing urine.
Cribriform Hymen
A Cribriform Hymen is where the hymen membrane has multiple small holes inside (like a sieve) instead of one larger vaginal opening. This can make menstruation, tampon insertion and sexual intercorse difficult or uncomfortable.
Microperforate Hymen
A Microperforate Hymen is where the thin membrane of the hymen almost completely covers the vaginal opening, but not quite. Typically, this means that menstruation can happen but that the opening of the vagina is very small.
For women with Microperforate Hymen, it may not be possible to insert a tampon because the vagina’s opening is too small. And in cases where a tampon can be inserted, a woman may not be able to remove it once it becomes filled with blood.
Septate Hymen
A Septate Hymen is where there is a hand down the middle of the hymen, creating the illusion of two small vaginal openings. A Septate Hymen can be especially painful when broken during sexual intercourse and can also make it difficult for women to insert or remove tampons.
All of the above hymen abnormalities are congenital – meaning a woman is born with them. Research suggests that in the UK, around 1 in 1,000 women are born with a hymen abnormality. If you are one of these women, there is a solution that can fix it.
Restoring the Hymen with a Hymenectomy
Thankfully, if you have an abnormal hymen, it’s a problem that can be fixed with a surgery called a Hymenectomy.
What is a Hymenectomy?
A Hymenectomy is a routine procedure that seeks to remove excess hymenal tissue that is obstructing the vaginal opening. The purpose is to restore a woman’s vaginal opening, rid her of pain, and improve her quality of life.
A hymenectomy is an excellent solution for fixing each of the hymen abnormalities listed above and is typically performed as an outpatient surgery – meaning you can go home the same day. Recover time is short and complications are rare.
Is a Hymenectomy Medically Necessary?
Hymen abnormalities do not typically go away on their own. As such, hymenectomy surgery is necessary for women wanting to improve their comfort and quality of life.
The procedure itself can drastically alleviate physical discomfort and pain, enabling women to enjoy and partake in activities, such as physical sports and intercourse, that once caused them pain.
For women with an Imperforate Hymen (where the hymen completely covers the vaginal opening), a hymenectomy is medically necessary to prevent and avoid significant health complications – including infections and menstrual complications.
Is a Hymenectomy Considered a Major Surgery?
No, a hymenectomy is not considered a major surgery because it is very routine and involves no overnight stay. Most hymenectomies can be performed under local anaesthetic, however sedation can usually be given if it is requested.
Your Journey Through Hymenectomy Surgery
While the hymenectomy is a straightforward procedure, it can still feel daunting. So, we’re going to walk you through the process – from start to finish – so that you know what to expect.
Preparing for Surgery
Surgery requires preparation and our team will give specific instructions for how you can prepare. These may include things like fasting for 12 hours prior to surgery, organising a friend or family member to drive you home, and taking time off work to give yourself time to recover.
It is normal to feel anxious or nervous before your surgery. Please know our team understands how intimate procedures like these can feel, so they will be on hand in the lead-up to, during, and after your surgery to provide any support you need.
During the Surgery
During the surgery (which takes one hour), a gynaecologist will numb your vaginal area with local anaesthetic and administer sedation if this is something that is required for you. Then the surgeon will use a scalpel or scissors to cut any excess hymenal tissue away and stitch up the incision area with sutures.
Post-Op Recovery
Immediately after the hymenectomy has been performed, our team will be on hand to monitor your vital signs and aid in your recovery. You will be allowed to eat and drink following the procedure – however we always recommend that you take things slowly.
Before you are discharged, our team will provide instructions to aid in your recovery, such as avoiding inserting things into your vagina for at least 2-4 weeks and taking care not to disturb or aggravate the incision site. You may also be given medication to help manage the pain (if needed) such as over-the-counter pain relief and/or topical creams or sprays.
If you have any difficulties or concerns during your recovery journey, it is important to contact our team for further assistance.
Follow-up Appointments
After your hymenectomy, our team will schedule a follow-up appointment that will allow us to check your healing progress and address any concerns you may have about your recovery.
Potential Hymenectomy Complications
Complications after a hymenectomy are rare. However, a hymenectomy is still a surgery. Therefore, it is important to be aware that complications are possible and need to be understood so that they can be addressed properly.
Possible complications following a hymenectomy include:
- Inflammation of the surgery site
- Injury to the surrounding vaginal area
- Infection of the incision or vaginal area
- Excessive bleeding
Signs of severe complications, such as fever, abdominal pain, or abnormal discharge could indicate infection and must be dealt with swiftly. As such, it is imperative you seek medical support as soon as possible.
How Long Does Recovery Take?
Recovery from a hymenectomy usually takes just a couple of days, after which most women are able to return to their normal activities.
Despite the fast recovery time, it is advised that you avoid strenuous activities such as heavy lifting and sexual intercourse for around 2-4 weeks post-surgery just to give the area the time it needs to heal. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our team.
Freedom from Pain and Discomfort with a Hymenectomy
A hymenectomy can restore your quality of life, drastically improving your comfort and enjoyment in activities that once caused you pain.
We hope this informative article has helpfully explained the need for a hymenectomy, how the procedure works, and the positive impact this surgery can have. For more information, visit our blog.
