Unfortunately, vaginal tears are something that most women will have to deal with at one point in our lives. If the idea of your precious lady bits getting unwanted fissures is enough to make you shudder, don’t worry—here’s everything you need to know to put your mind at ease.
- What is a vaginal micro-tear? Are you ready to hear something not-so-pleasant? Vaginal micro-tears are tiny fissures that occur in your vagina and vulva. That’s right, your lady bits can tear—and it might already have happened to you already without you even knowing it.
- Tearing your vagina isn’t just something that happens in childbirth. As you probably know, one of the more unpleasant possible side effects of childbirth is having your perineum ripped (the area between your anus and your vulva). Although this a pretty severe and dramatic rip, giving birth isn’t the only way you can get vaginal tears. It’s actually very common and vaginal micro-tears are likely to happen to most women at some point in their lives. Sex is usually the catalyst for these tiny fissures, but they can also occur as a result of inserting a tampon or masturbating.
- How do micro-tears happen? These annoying little tears usually occur when your vagina hasn’t been lubricated properly. When there’s not sufficient moistness down there, the vaginal membrane gets pulled too tightly, and because it’s such a fragile area, the dry skin that gets pulled can tear as a result.
- It’s not a pleasant feeling. As you might have guessed, getting a tear in your lady parts isn’t going to feel great. There’s usually a stinging pain, similar to the kind that you get with any kind of cut or open wound, and you might see a little bit of spotting afterward.
- Luckily for us, our vaginas are pretty smart. Unlike when a man tears his penis and has to seek immediate medical attention, a woman’s vagina is able to heal itself. Unless the tear is very severe and is causing excessive pain and bleeding, you won’t need to seek any medical help. Most often, these micro-tears should remedy themselves without you needing to do anything. They should generally heal within three days.
- However, you do need to allow time for your vagina to heal. Although the vagina is pretty magical in that it can heal itself of any micro-tears, you need to make sure these wounds are allowed the time and the space to get better. This basically means you need to refrain from having sex until the cuts have healed properly. If you don’t, the wound is likely to reopen, and you’ll just be dragging out the unpleasant feeling for longer than necessary. It’s also a good idea to avoid any kind of scratchy, lacy underwear—and if you’re a tampon user, make sure you insert it slowly and carefully. If in doubt, switch to pads while the micro-tears heal.
- They’re somewhat preventable. The best way to avoid getting micro-tears is to use lube. Moistness is key when doing the dirty! If you’re not planning on using lube during sex, it’s important to make sure that you’re sufficiently aroused before penetration. When you’re properly aroused, your vagina self-lubricates and expands, making it less likely to tear. No one should really need an excuse to engage in some sexy foreplay, but in case your partner needs convincing, tell them they’ll be doing your vagina a favor by getting you good and wet before the act itself.
- There are a few other things to keep in mind. Other ways to keep those pesky micro-tears at bay is to ensure both you and your partner have properly kept nails, and if your partner’s the one who’s going to be using fingers in foreplay, make sure those nails are short with no jagged edges. No one wants to be poked in the wrong kind of way! It’s also a good idea to be fairly gentle when it comes to using your hands, whether it’s you masturbating yourself or if it’s your partner who’s fingering you. Our vaginas can take a lot, but there’s a difference between a little rough foreplay and putting it through unnecessary pain.
- Just remember, don’t panic. If you do indeed find yourself faced with a micro-tear, don’t worry. As previously stated, unless your vagina starts bleeding profusely, there’s no need to panic or seek medical advice. These kinds of tiny tears are pretty common among women, so you’re not alone if you find yourself with a fissure. If, however, you’re in a lot of pain and the bleeding won’t stop, book an appointment with your doctor and have it checked out. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.