Hymen
The hymen is a soft, elastic border around the entrance to the vagina. Some people also call it the “maidenhead”. The hymen does not close off the entrance to the vagina, and it looks different in every girl and woman.
The hymen is also called the “maidenhead”: this is because, for many years, people thought that the hymen could reveal whether a girl or woman was still a “maid”, i.e. whether she had ever had sexual intercourse. That isn’t true.
The hymen varies in appearance
In girls going through puberty, the hymen is a soft, elastic border around the entrance to the vagina. The hymen may cover part of the entrance to the vagina, but does not close it off altogether. The hymen varies in appearance, for instance it may be a complete ring or crescent-shaped.
The first time you have sex
The first time you have sex, the hymen may break or tear a little and may bleed slightly. However, this doesn’t happen often because the hymen is very elastic. It heals quickly by itself.
It is thus very rare that the hymen will reveal whether a girl or woman has ever had sexual intercourse.
Using tampons
Using tampons will not tear the hymen. When girls or women start using tampons, it may be a little painful at first. But most girls and women can use tampons without any problems.
Advice
A gynaecologist can answer any questions you have about your hymen.
