The hymen is a specific feminine feature, getting rid of it means an evolutionary stage, development, growing up, gaining experience. Today, the attitude towards virginity is more loyal than ever, but in different religions and nationalities, at different times, virginity was valued especially – it was a symbol of purity, purity and decency.
Medicine evaluates the hymen in a special way, determines its other functions and at the same time provides knowledge about what this tissue is and how it can be damaged.
Anatomy of the hymen
The hymen is a fold with a small hole in the middle, formed from connective tissues and mucous membranes and covering the entrance to the vagina, delimiting the internal and external genital organs.
It is based on the hymen of the connective tissue, which is normally present in one or another quantity in all organs, but it forms the supporting framework in the trunk. This foundation is supplemented by muscle fibers, blood vessels, capillaries, nerve endings. Muscular fibers of the hymen determine its density and stretch range. The number and thickness of the blood vessels affects the presence and volume of bleeding when the rupture ruptures. The concentration of nerve endings will cause the intensity of the pain syndrome in the rupture of the hymen. The hymen is normally located at a depth of 1-3 centimeters from the entrance to the vagina.
Anatomy of the hymen initially does not provide for its integrity, although there are exceptions, but they are deviations from the norm. In the hymen, usually with a careful examination, one or even several openings can be observed, differing in size and shape. The need for these holes is due to natural processes – they serve as an outlet for menstrual flow, natural discharge, mucus, as well as dead cells contained in it.
The hymen does not perform the most secondary function in the female body. It serves as a barrier between the external and internal environment. This fine line protects the woman’s vagina and internal genital organs from penetration of infection and pathogenic microflora until the body is formed, strengthened and there is no need to develop without a hymen. Thus, nature protects the girl’s body from unnecessary risks, when a woman enters sexual relations, her childbearing function becomes the priority, and the hymen is really not the first one. In this state of the earlier it is necessary to be attentive to one’s hygiene and decency in the matter of building personal relationships in order to avoid infection of the genitourinary system. Gynecologic consultation for preventive purposes for a sexually mature woman is recommended every 6 months.
Another function of the hymen (more ethical and moral than physiological) is the signal about the beginning of a woman’s sexual relations. Since ancient times, men (and society in general) have evaluated this fact, the attitude towards it has changed, but from the medical point of view it should be noted that it is not always possible to draw unequivocal conclusions about the relationship between the presence of the hymen and sexual experience, which may be due to anatomical features of the structure of a particular female body.
Violations of the hymen
Normally, the hymen is present in a girl who has not started sex. The rupture of the hymen, called defloration, traditionally occurs at the first sexual intercourse (after which only scraps or hymenal papillae remain), but there are also some exceptions.
Thus, cases of traumatic defloration are known, when the rupture of the hymen is due to a trauma that is not related to sexual relations. Outside of sex, the hymen can be damaged due to inaccurate gynecological examination or during active occupations by certain sports.
In addition, the hymen can be absent from birth, which is called aplasia, and can overgrow some time after the rupture (due to cicatrical or adhesive processes), which is called secondary atresia.
The hymen can differ and a special strength, which due to its anatomical features easily leads to false vaginismus. The opposite feature may also be that the hymen is too elastic, and therefore maintains unharmed and due to a certain number of sexual acts. And too dense, and too elastic hymen can be a reason to call a professional gynecologist with a request to carry out defloration by medical means.
Species of hymen
The hymen is a very individual feature of the female body. It can not only be absent from birth or overgrown, even if there is sex in the life of a girl, it differs in its structure. Distinguish the following varieties that are important not only for the girl herself, but for medical practice:
- ring-shaped – the most common, standard version with a hole located at the center of the spittle;
fringed (or petal); - semilunar;
- semi-moon-shore;
- lobular;
- patchwork;
- cogged;
- cylindrical;
- labial;
- bifunctional;
- partitioned;
- crimson;
- keeled;
- the final;
- process;
- lattice;
- sieve;
- tubular.
In some cases, the spit can be absent from birth (aplasia), in it from birth may be missing holes (unperforated hymen), as a result of scarring or adhesions, secondary infection of holes or rupture of the pleura (atresia) may occur.
How can you break the hymen?
Traditional and natural way to lose virginity is sexual intercourse. However, as it was said earlier, sex can not always lead to such a result, while other actions can – all very individually. Let us dwell on specific cases of defloration recorded in medical practice:
- sexual games, but not a classic sexual act – various versions of sexual caresses with the use of fingers, penis, sex toys, etc .; at the same time it is necessary to understand that the lack of full sex and the integrity of the hymen do not exclude the possibility of pregnancy in the allocation of spermatozoa;
- masturbation – the introduction of fingers or foreign objects into the vagina can stretch the hymen or penetrate into its physiological holes, or it can break;
- misuse of tampons – usually a tampon (mostly of small size for use by adolescents) is inserted into the physiological opening of the hymen, but the procedure can be performed incorrectly, inadequately or inaccurately;
- use of gynecological instruments – a gynecological examination of a virgin does not imply the introduction of certain instruments into the vagina, for which the doctor must report the absence of sexual experience before starting the procedure;
- too active washing in early childhood, which is usually done too zealous parents.
At the same time, it is necessary to debunk some myths about defloration. The rupture of the hymen does not occur under the following circumstances:
- external influences – rope climbing, pelvic injuries, wearing strings;
- the correct use of tampons – virgins during menstruation is recommended to give preference to gynecological pads, but the use of tampons is not prohibited; in the latter case it is necessary to choose tampons of small size, with a large applicator, inadequate or incorrect manner (in an uncomfortable position, awkward movement, etc.);
- masturbation of the clitoris – without penetration into the vagina with any objects;
- exercise and dance – except for too active procedures, which is extremely rare.
The optimal age for deprivation of virginity
Defloration – the process and the way to deprive virginity for young girls becomes an occasion for reflection, planning, ideas. Someone is ashamed of his virginity, someone sex before marriage raises to the level of taboos, someone is waiting for love and a rush of passion, but someone does not create any conventions for himself.
According to gynecologists, the optimal age for deprivation of virginity is the age after 16-18 years. It is believed that by this age the girl’s body is ready for subsequent changes. However, it is necessary to understand that deprivation of virginity, as well as every subsequent sex entails the probability of pregnancy, which at such a young age is not always desirable. It is worth paying attention to the fact that for the conception of the rupture of the hymen is not necessary, it is enough just to penetrate the spermatozoon into the vagina and then, that is possible and through the cash in the trunk of the hole.
As it was said earlier, the hymen serves as a kind of protection against the adverse effects of the environment, but this is rarely thought of on the eve of the first sex. Gynecologists recommend not to create themselves taboos and restrictions, while respecting prudence and observe some nuances that allowed to remember the first sex as pleasant as possible:
- mutual consent of partners, and not coercion of someone to intimacy;
- application of barrier contraception, condom;
- a pleasant atmosphere, setting the pace for romance and relaxation;
- complete solitude and concentration on the feelings and emotions of each other.
Gynecologists do not approve of the upper age range for the deprivation of virginity. It should only be noted that the exaggeration is the judgment that with age, the hymen becomes denser and the defloration becomes more complicated. Nevertheless, it should be understood that over the course of years some psychological personality characteristics come into play, when it becomes more difficult to find a native person, demands are increasing, and certain complexes are likely to develop.
One way or another, but the deprivation of virginity should not be elevated to a special ritual, but performed with the beloved and necessary person at this stage.
How to determine if the hymen has torn?
Certainly to confirm the presence or absence of the hymen can only a gynecologist after gynecological examination of the girl. The question arises, how necessary is the concentration on this nuance during the examination. It is known that the hymen is very variable in shape, structure, elasticity. There are exceptions, when the hymen can be damaged outside the sexual act, and vice versa, when it preserves the integrity after several acts, and sometimes even the birth itself. In the modern age, the evaluation of a girl’s hymen for her current sexual partner is more a nuance of self-affirmation and, it must be admitted, an archaic judgment. If earlier, the blood on the sheet on the wedding night was a symbol of the integrity of the chosen one and the longevity of the union, and the “vicious” girl succumbed to universal condemnation, today in building relationships (both family and sexual) one should be guided only by feelings and sympathies, and more it is justified in matters of virginity to focus not on the anatomical integrity of the hymen, but on the noble state of the girl’s soul and body.