Shape, size, role, bleeding, first intercourse… The hymen is a small membrane located at the entrance to the vagina and can raise many questions. Here’s everything you need to know about this small part of the female body.
What is the hymen? Where is it located in the vagina? What is the role of the hymen? Does it necessarily bleed when the hymen tears? How do you know if you still have your hymen? Sabrina Fajo, also known as Princess Perine, physiotherapist and author of In périnée we trust (First Edition), answers all your questions about this part of the female body.
Hymen: what is it?
The hymen is a small membrane a few millimeters thick that is located between the vagina and the vulva. “To see the hymen when it has not yet disappeared, you need to spread the inner lips, as it is located at the beginning of the vagina, near the vestibule,” explains Princess Perine.
What does a hymen look like? The anatomy of a hymen is as variable as the anatomy of a face, Sabrina explains. They are all different, and therefore cannot be compared from person to person: there is no standard.
“There are as many hymens as there are women on earth, because, as the specialist explains, each hymen is different: of different sizes and shapes. They can be more or less open, more or less elastic…” she explains.
What is the role of the hymen?
The physiotherapist says that the hymen is not attributed any role: “it has neither an anatomical nor a protective role.”
“It is also important to remember that this membrane has no connection with chastity… What do we call chastity anyway? Sexual intercourse does not necessarily mean that vaginal penetration occurs! And the fact of bleeding or its absence during the first sexual intercourse in no way guarantees sexual virginity… Although some gynecologists may still practice prohibited virginity examinations,” the physiotherapist readily notes.
The hymen and the first sexual intercourse
Because the hymen comes in different shapes and sizes, and because it changes as we grow older, it may not rupture during the first sexual intercourse. In fact, in different people, the hymen can be barely perforated, partially perforated, or completely perforated, which eventually disappears as we grow older and depending on the type of sports we do.
Note that during the first intercourse, the hymen rupture does not cause any pain, which, as sexologist Carol Ruvira explained to us, is not “normal.” “During the first intercourse, a woman can feel pain. What can cause pain during the first penetrative intercourse is simply the lack of lubrication in the vagina and the stress that can cause the vaginal muscles to contract,” the specialist explained when asked about the first time.
Another question that often arises regarding the hymen, especially virginity, is: can you tear it with a finger? Again, no two women are the same. Depending on the size and flexibility of the hymen, inserting a finger into the vagina can cause this membrane to rupture: a hymen that is already very open will allow a finger to pass through it without tearing it, while a “more closed” hymen may tear when a finger passes through it.
For all these reasons, “virginity tests,” which are still practiced in certain cultures where the symbolism of virginity remains very strong, make no sense on an anatomical and physiological level.
Hymen and Bleeding
“The semi-hymen is not exactly a mucous membrane, it is an extremely thin, well-vascularized skin consisting of numerous small blood vessels,” explains Princess Perine.
Even if the hymen ruptures during the first sexual intercourse, it is possible that there will be no bleeding during the first vaginal intercourse: this membrane is not only quite flexible, but also depends on the time of intercourse, the size of the penis, etc. This very thin membrane can rupture later!
Bleeding after intercourse, when this membrane ruptures, is very minor, comparable to a small cut on the skin, which heals naturally and quickly.
How do you know if you’ve lost your hymen?
This very thin membrane is located about 1 centimeter from the entrance to the vagina, between the vestibule and the vagina. The hymen changes more or less during growth, but we don’t actually lose it even after it ruptures, Sabrina explains.
It is also very difficult to know whether the hymen has been torn.
“Some people have a virtually absent and very exposed hymen as a base, while others will have it quite present…! None of them can be compared, and this membrane never truly disappears, it breaks through, opens, but is not excreted from the body,” she explains.
Thank you to Sabrina Fajo, Princess Perineum physiotherapist, author of the book “In périnée we trust”, first editions, and founder of the Instagram account