Hymenoplasty
The day of hymenoplasty: leaving the clinic and the first night
Procedure day · permanent hymenoplasty, flap technique
The procedure takes 20–30 minutes on average and is performed under local anaesthesia; sedation can also be given to patients who wish. Your daily life carries on from the moment you leave the clinic; there are some restrictions you are asked to follow.
This page is about the procedure day itself: the journey home, the thick night pad that is good to have in your bag, choosing comfortable clothing, and the first night. The topics of the following days are covered on their own pages.
When leaving the clinic
Before you leave, your doctor explains the rules specific to you. If you were given an antibiotic or a solution, you learn how to use it at that point. Writing down what you are told on your phone makes it easier to check a detail that comes to mind in the evening.
If you chose sedation, your doctor will tell you specifically how and with whom you should go home.
The journey home
Walk with ordinary steps on the way. Do not run to catch a car or public transport, and take steps one at a time. If your bag is heavy, ask the person with you to carry it; heavy lifting causes straining in the area. Before you leave, ask your doctor how you should sit in the vehicle on the way.
A thick night pad and comfortable clothing
A thick night pad is recommended for the first days, and this recommendation starts on the procedure day. Small blood spots or brown spots coming from inside may be seen during these days; the pad absorbs them.
If you come to the clinic in a loose skirt, a dress or wide-cut tracksuit bottoms, you will not need to change for the journey back. Tight, close-fitting trousers are not recommended in the first days because they put unnecessary pressure on the area.
The first night
In the evening you may feel tightness or a pricking sensation in the area; in the first days these are expected sensations. Use a thick night pad in bed as well, and wear loose pyjamas or a nightdress.
Your doctor will tell you whether you may take a painkiller and which one is suitable. You may want to see the area; however, do not stretch the tissue in front of a mirror, as this movement creates a risk of causing harm with your own hand.
Do today
- Put a few thick night pads in your bag.
- Come to the clinic in loose, comfortable bottoms.
- Write down what your doctor tells you.
- If given, start the antibiotic and the solution as described.
Avoid today
- Do not set off in tight, close-fitting trousers.
- Do not carry a heavy bag or shopping bags.
- Do not run to catch anything.
- Do not stretch the area while looking with a mirror.
Call us if
- If, after you get home, you see a discharge that smells different, is yellow or that you cannot identify, and it continues, let the clinic know.
- If on the first night something happens and you cannot tell whether it is normal, call the clinic and describe it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go home on the same day after hymenoplasty?
The procedure takes 20–30 minutes on average and is performed under local anaesthesia. Daily life carries on from the moment you leave the clinic; there are some restrictions you need to follow, and your doctor explains them before you leave. If you had sedation, your doctor will give you the details about going home specifically for you.
Which pad should I use on the procedure day?
A thick night pad is recommended for the first days, and the procedure day is the first of these. Bringing a few with you to the clinic means you have them at hand on the way home and at night in bed. How often to change the pad is not stated on this page; your doctor will tell you.
What should I wear on the day of hymenoplasty?
Loose bottoms that do not press on the area are suitable: a wide skirt, a dress or loose-cut tracksuit bottoms, for example. Tight trousers that hug the body are not considered suitable for the first days; they put unnecessary pressure on the area. It is sensible to choose with the thick night pad you will use after the procedure in mind.
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: