The hymen is a very misunderstood body part. There are many widespread myths about what it is and how it works. However, your hymen naturally wears down over time. It typically develops openings that allow for penetration long before your first sexual experience. In medical communities, the hymen is recognized as a vestige of vaginal development that lacks clinical purpose outside of the womb. But it will stretch or thin over time.
An imperforate hymen is a condition in which the hymen covers the entire opening of the vagina , sealing it shut. The condition is a congenital disorder, meaning that it's something a girl is born with. No one knows why it happens. The hymen is a thin membrane that usually covers part of the opening of the vagina. It typically has an opening that widens as a girl approaches puberty.
What Is the Hymen?
Home football game on Saturday. Review gameday parking and traffic info for hospital patients and visitors. Masks are required in all our health care locations. View current visitor policy. Author: Jonathan Schaffir, MD. One commonly misunderstood part of female anatomy is the hymen. Many people might be surprised to learn that the hymen has no proven medical or physiological purpose.
Everyone born with a vagina has a hymen, a collar of tissue at the entrance to your vagina. Just as all bodies are different, hymens are also different. Looking at a hymen does not tell you anything about virginity. Throughout history, patriarchal cultures have used the sexual history of girls and women to determine their status and value, as well as the status of their families and communities.