Hymenoplasty
Day 7 after hymenoplasty: the end of the first week and spotting
Day 7 · permanent hymenoplasty, flap technique
A week has passed since the procedure. At this point many patients look at their pad and ask the same question: is it normal that I still see spotting? Small spots of bleeding may be seen throughout the first week; day seven also falls within this period.
Today's page was written to help you make sense of the colour you see on your pad: which spotting is the expected kind, where brown spots come from, and which discharge means you should call the clinic.
Spotting as the first week ends
Small spots of bleeding may be seen in the first days after the procedure and may extend over the whole first week. So seeing a small spot on your pad on day seven is within the picture the doctor told you about in advance.
On which day the spotting will stop varies from person to person; this page cannot give you an end date. If you continue to see spotting after the first week, tell your doctor; they will assess it.
Where are the brown spots coming from?
During the procedure, the inside is washed with antiseptic iodine. This iodine is the reason for the brown spots coming from inside in the first days. If you are thinking back to the dark spots of the first days, you can read them in the light of this information.
A brown spot and a blood spot are not the same thing, but both are things the doctor told you in advance to expect in the first days. The colour changing from day to day may surprise you; when you are unsure, you can describe what you see on your pad to the clinic.
Which discharge needs a check-up?
- Discharge with a smell different from what you are used to.
- Yellow discharge.
- Discharge you cannot name and that continues without stopping.
If one of these three applies
Instead of waiting, call the clinic and ask for a check-up; the doctor requires a check-up for these kinds of discharge. Not knowing which group to put what you see into is also reason enough to call.
Using hygienic pads makes it easier to follow the colour and amount day by day.
You can also ask your doctor when to switch from the thick night pads recommended for the first days to a thinner pad.
Do today
- Take one look at the colour of the spotting when you change your pad.
- Keep using hygienic pads.
- If a colour or smell is on your mind, make a note and pass it on to the clinic.
- If you were given an antibiotic or a solution, use it as described.
Avoid today
- Do not open and examine the area by hand to see where the spotting comes from.
- Do not leave a discharge that has changed smell or turned yellow to clear up on its own.
- Do not direct pressurized water at the area.
Call us if
- If the smell of your discharge has changed, its colour has turned yellow, or a discharge you cannot describe keeps going, ask for a check-up appointment.
- If you cannot decide whether what you see on your pad is expected spotting or something else, consult the clinic.
Frequently asked questions
Is spotting normal 7 days after hymenoplasty?
Small spots of bleeding may occur in the first days after the procedure, and even within the first week; day seven falls within this period. What is meant here are small spots seen on the pad. If the spotting continues after the first week, or you are unsure about the amount, tell your doctor; they will assess what is usual for you.
Why is there brown discharge after the procedure?
Because the inside is washed with antiseptic iodine during the procedure, brown spots may come from inside in the first days. If instead of brown spots you see a discharge that smells different, is yellow or that you cannot identify, and that continues, the situation is different; such a discharge needs a check-up examination.
What should I do if yellow discharge appears after hymenoplasty?
Yellow discharge, discharge with a different smell and persistent discharge that cannot be identified are situations for which the doctor requires a check-up. Instead of waiting at home or applying something yourself, call the clinic and describe what you see. Your doctor will decide what to do after the examination.
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: