Hymenoplasty
Day 6 after hymenoplasty: why heavy lifting has to wait
Day 6 · permanent hymenoplasty, flap technique
No heavy lifting for the first 5–8 days. Day six falls within this range; whether the restriction still applies to you today depends on the number of days your doctor gave you.
If you do not remember how many days you were told, count today as a restricted day as well and ask the clinic. On this page we look at the reason for the rule and the lifting situations you may come across at home, at work and out and about.
What happens when you lift something heavy?
When you lift something heavy from the floor or a counter, the body strains. This is why the doctor set this rule: heavy lifting causes straining in the area where the procedure was done. The straining happens automatically at the moment of lifting; lifting the load carefully does not prevent it. That is why the rule does not say lift carefully, it says do not lift at all.
Squatting to pick up a load from the floor also increases the hip angle; for the first 15 days this angle must not go beyond 90 degrees. So a heavy load on the floor involves two rules at once.
Examples from everyday life
- Full shopping bags and shopping trolleys.
- A large water bottle or a multipack of water.
- A full laundry basket.
- A suitcase, a box, furniture to be moved.
- A child who wants to be picked up; here there is also the risk of being kicked.
How many kilos count as heavy?
No kilogram limit is given here, because there is no number in the doctor's rule. Your doctor will tell you which load counts as heavy for you. The same load may feel light to one person and heavy to another; that is why a single number may not suit everyone.
Until then, you can use this measure: any load that makes you feel your abdomen and the area between your legs tense up when you lift it is a load to leave to someone else today.
Without having to explain to anyone
Splitting your shopping into small loads, having orders delivered to your door or postponing carrying jobs are ways of following the rule without telling others why.
If your job involves carrying loads, your doctor will tell you specifically on which day and under what conditions you can return to work.
Do today
- Remember the number of days your doctor gave you, or ask.
- Split your shopping into light loads or have it delivered.
- Leave any load that needs carrying to someone else.
Avoid today
- Do not lift large water bottles, boxes or suitcases.
- Do not squat to pick up a load from the floor.
- Do not pick up a child.
- Do not assume the restriction is over just because it is day six.
Call us if
- If there is a discharge that smells unusual, is yellow or that you cannot work out, and it does not let up, call for an examination.
- If you lifted something heavy without realising and questions remain on your mind afterwards, consult the clinic.
Frequently asked questions
When can I lift heavy things after hymenoplasty?
The heavy lifting restriction is set for the first 5–8 days; your doctor decides exactly how many days within this range apply. Day six is a day when the restriction is over for some patients and continues for others. If you are not sure of the number you were given, call the clinic to confirm before lifting.
How many kilos count as heavy?
There is no kilogram limit in the doctor's rule, so we do not give a number here either. Loads you struggle to lift, such as shopping bags, large water bottles or suitcases, are left to someone else during this period. If you want to ask about a specific load for your work or home routine, your doctor will give you a personal answer.
Can I pick up my child?
Picking up a child is risky: the child may kick while moving in your arms, and lifting them is also lifting a load. The rules do not give a set number of days for how long this risk should be considered; your doctor will tell you specifically. Until then you can look after your child by keeping them beside you rather than picking them up.
This page is for general information only; it does not replace an examination or your doctor's advice. Some patients may need additional restrictions. The durations and rules your doctor gives you always take priority over those on this page.
References
- A new surgical technique of hymenoplasty. Wei SY, et al. International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, 2015.
- Hymenoplasty and Muslim Patients: Islamic Ethico-Legal Perspectives. Bawany MH, et al. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2017.
Medically reviewed by Op. Dr. Şükrü Sanus, Obstetrician & Gynecologist · Last medical review: