Inquiry
Hello doctor,
I am an 18 year old female, and since the age of, 13 I've known how to masturbate. At first, I only attempted to stimulate myself via external touch, and without internal penetration. However, at around 14 years old, there was an incident when I was toileting; I observed that my urine had a bloody color. I used to think that was my first period, but in actuality, my menstruation cycle did not start until I was 15 years old. When I turned 17, I tried to insert my finger into my vagina to feel for the hymen, but I couldn’t seem to find it. Hence, I want to have some counseling from the doctor. Do signs of bleeding after masturbation mean that the hymen has been torn?
Anonymous client
Answer
Responded by Specialist Doctor level 1 Trần Thị Thu Hà - Obstetrician and Gynecologist - Women’s Health Center - Vinmec International Hospital Times City
Hello,
In response to, “Do signs of bleeding after masturbation mean that the hymen has been torn?”, I would like to offer my explanation as follow:
The hymen is a thin membrane that partially covers the vaginal canal typically 2 cm inside from the vaginal opening. The hymen often has varying structures between different people. Some have very thin membranes that can be torn in intense exercises. Others may have firm and elastic hymen that does not tear and bleed during sexual intercourse. The hymen does not completely cover the vaginal canal, but leaves one or more openings for menstrual blood to exit the body. Most females are born with hymens, though there are rare cases where people are born without one.
Females often masturbate by stimulating the labia majora, labia minora and other sensitive parts of the vulva. For masturbation, if you were restricted to gentle massage or stimulation of the external parts of your genitalia without inserting anything into the vaginal canal, it is most likely that your hymen has not been torn. However, during masturbation, insertion into the vaginal canal can tear the hymen.
Furthermore, not all tearing events would lead to bleeding, hence it is possible that your hymen has been torn without you feeling pain or bleeding. For an accurate diagnosis, you should attend to a doctor’s appointment to determine your hymen’s integrity.
For your case, the most important thing is that you should not insert your finger inside your vaginal canal due to risk of tearing your hymen and inducing vaginal infections. For such an inquiry, you should visit a medical institution with proper facility and expertise for evaluation.
If you have any further question regarding the presence of blood after masturbation, you should visit a health institution within Vinmec International Healthcare system for further examination and consultation. Thank you for trusting and sending your inquiry to Vinmec. Wishing you good health.
Sincerely!
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