The hymen is a membrane that partially covers the vaginal opening. The shape and appearance of the hymen will vary between women but is typically a half moon shape at the bottom of the vaginal opening. A hymen can be broken or torn at different times during a woman’s life, whether caused by tampon insertion, exercise, or sexual intercourse.

Minor bleeding is commonly associated with the breaking of the hymen. In some cultures and religions, an intact hymen is associated with a woman’s virginity. A hymenoplasty, sometimes referred to as hymenorrhaphy or hymen construction surgery, is usually performed for cultural or religious reasons prior to marriage. Others seek the surgery as a form of therapy after sexual assault.

No matter the reason for having the hymen restored, the surgery is usually completed in 1 – 2 hours under local anesthesia with immediately visible results. During surgery, the patient will only require a local anesthesia but may be given a sedative for comfort throughout the procedure. The patient will lay comfortably on a table with the pegs spread apart. The hymen will be identified and partially excised to eliminate uneven tissue from previous tearing.

The hymen will be sutured together in two layers using dissolvable stitches. For some women, a small piece of tissue from another part of the vagina may need to be grafted to the vaginal opening to recreate the hymen.