Overview
The hymen is a thin membrane that surrounds the vaginal opening. The hymen can tear for a number of reasons, including due to sexual intercourse, vigorous exercise, or tampon insertion. Some women may want their hymen reconstructed for cultural or personal reasons. Since it is a thin tissue, reconstruction has to be done very carefully with a high level of precision, or it will very likely fall apart, defeating the purpose of the surgery.
Procedure
Light general anesthesia is needed to make the patient relaxed enough to give an accurate reconstruction, which takes less than an hour. Patients should avoid any strenuous activities for two to three weeks and abstain from sexual intercourse for six weeks following the procedure. Postoperative pain is minimal.