Hymenoplasty
Recovery after hymenoplasty: the first 20 days, day by day
Permanent hymenoplasty · flap technique
After permanent hymenoplasty with the flap technique, your daily life carries on from the moment you leave the clinic. There are a few movements and habits to be careful with, and each of them has a clear end date.
This guide covers every day from the day of the procedure to day 20, each on its own page. Choose the day you are on below and see what is allowed that day, what still has to wait and what to pay attention to.
In what order are the restrictions lifted during the first 20 days?
- First days: a thick night pad is used, and tight, close-fitting trousers are not worn.
- First 5–8 days: no heavy lifting. Your doctor tells you how many days apply to you.
- First 10 days: no pressurized water directed at the area.
- First 15 days: no running, no taking the stairs two or three at a time, and the hip angle must not go beyond 90 degrees.
- Before day 20: no swimming in the sea.
- Until the follow-up examination: the pool is not recommended.
Spotting and discharge: what is expected and what needs a check-up?
In the first days, and even during the first week, you may see small blood spots on your pad. Brown spots may also come from inside during the first days; this is because the inside is washed with antiseptic iodine during the procedure. A pricking sensation may be felt in the first days, especially while the area is swollen.
A discharge that smells different, is yellow or that you cannot identify, and that keeps coming, is not expected; it always needs a check-up.
Medication and restrictions specific to you
If you were given an antibiotic as a preventive measure, take it regularly; if you were given a solution, use it the way your doctor described.
This guide gives a general framework. Some patients may need additional restrictions; the durations and rules your doctor gives you always take priority over those on these pages.
Looking in the mirror out of curiosity
Wanting to see the healing with your own eyes is understandable. Even so, do not stretch the area in front of a mirror; this movement can damage the suture line by your own hand. Assessing the area is your doctor's job at the follow-up examination.
Day-by-day guide
Frequently asked questions
How many days does recovery take after hymenoplasty?
With permanent hymenoplasty using the flap technique, healing takes 10–15 days on average, and a period of at least 2–3 weeks is needed. The stitches stay on the tissue for 25–35 days on average. Complete healing is confirmed at the follow-up examination.
When can I return to daily life after hymenoplasty?
Daily life carries on from the moment you leave the clinic. You can walk and climb stairs one step at a time. There are waiting periods only for certain things, such as heavy lifting, pressurized water, running and long strides, the sea and the pool.
Is brown discharge normal after hymenoplasty?
Brown spots may come from inside during the first days; this is because the inside is washed with antiseptic iodine during the procedure. A discharge that smells different, is yellow or cannot be identified, and that continues, needs a check-up.
When can I go into the sea or a pool after hymenoplasty?
No sea before day 20. The pool is not recommended until complete healing, that is, until the follow-up examination. These are two separate rules; reaching day 20 changes nothing for the pool.
Can I climb stairs after hymenoplasty?
Yes, one step at a time. For the first 15 days, taking the stairs two or three at a time, running and movements that take the hip angle beyond 90 degrees are avoided; they stretch the suture line.
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: