Hymenoplasty (hymen restoration surgery)

The hymen, ‘maidenhead,’ is a fold of membrane, highly variable in shape and appearance, which generally denotes the presence of an intact (virginal) vagina. The hymen is so variable in its character that it may be completely absent even in virgins; it can also be ruptured with routine physical play, with little or no awareness. Hymenoplasty involves a surgical ‘gathering up’ of the remnants of the hymen, surgically tightening the hymenal ridge. The degree to which such tightening is possible is determined mostly by the amount of tissue present in the vagina at that point. Thus, the surgery has the effect of re-creating a ‘first time’ appearance and experience for the patient.