Almost all women have a hymen in the vagina. However, questions often arise about how to find out whether the hymen has been torn or is still intact. Actually, the hymen can be damaged and lost without having sexual intercourse. Therefore, it is important to know the signs that indicate the condition of the hymen. Here are several ways to find out whether the hymen has torn or not.

What Is a Hymen?

The hymen is a thin elastic layer that is in the vaginal canal. Even though it lines the vaginal canal, the hymen does not completely cover it. The shape and color of the hymen varies from woman to woman. Sometimes, the hymen is difficult to feel or see with the naked eye because of its vaginal color and thin lining. However, as women get older, the hymen can experience changes such as stretching, thinning, or even tearing without realizing it.

There is one thing you need to know that not all women are born with a hymen. And every woman has a hymen shape that varies. However, the most common shape women have is a half moon shape which allows menstrual blood to come out. However, there are also cases where only part of the vagina is covered by the hymen. And in some other cases, the hymen completely closes the vagina so that surgery is needed.

How to find out if the hymen is torn or not

Apart from consulting an obstetrician, there are other ways to check the integrity of the hymen, namely by doing a self-examination using a mirror and fingers. Here's how you can do it:

1. Make sure your hands are clean by washing them thoroughly
2. Then take a small mirror and sit comfortably in a chair with your legs apart
3. Then, apply a special lubricant to your fingers and hold the mirror carefully
4. Point the mirror at the vaginal opening and open the vaginal lips using the index finger or middle finger
5. To find out if your hymen is still intact or not, the characteristic is the presence of a thin crescent-shaped membrane at the bottom of your vaginal opening

By knowing the above, you can safely and comfortably monitor the condition of your own hymen without having to go to the doctor. This can be a good choice for women who feel insecure about having this condition checked. So, the method above can be an alternative that you can do yourself at home.

Signs of Torn Hymen

When a tear occurs in the hymen, several symptoms or signs can be seen. Some of these signs include:

1. Slight bleeding or spotting of blood.
2. The appearance of pain in the vaginal opening.
3. The membranes are torn about 1-2 cm from the vaginal opening.
4. There is no indication of the presence of vaginal membranes which are usually found at the vaginal opening.

However, to ensure the condition of the hymen, you can check it yourself or visit your obstetrician. If the hymen is damaged or torn, surgery can be performed to repair it and return it to its virgin state again.

Various Causes of Torn Hymen

Many people still associate the tearing of the hymen with a woman's virginity. However, this assumption is actually not quite right. Because actually, the hymen can be torn due to various activities carried out by women, not only having sex. Some activities that can cause tearing of the hymen include:

1. Horse riding
2. Bicycle
3. masturbating
4. Doing movements in the pelvic area that are too excessive
5. Climbing trees / wall climbing
6. Do pap smears
7. Use tampons or menstrual cups
8. Perform a transvaginal ultrasound examination

This method is to check whether the hymen is torn or not. However, it's important to remember that hymens come in all shapes and sizes. If you find that you have torn your hymen, don't worry or feel bad. This is normal and there is no need to panic.

References:

https://www.orami.co.id/magazine/cara-mengetahui-selaput-dara-sudah-robek-atau-belum

https://aido.id/health-articles/bagaimanakah-cara-mengetahui-selaput-dara-robek-atau-tidak-mari-temukan-jawabannya/detail

https://www.alodokter.com/selaput-dara-robek-ketahui-penyebab-dan-tandanya