Does Female Masturbation Affect Virginity?

Virginity essentially refers to someone who has never had sex. However, virginity is also a social construct and can be defined differently by different people. For females, the concept of virginity is often linked with having an intact membrane, called the hymen, covering the vaginal opening.

The hymen is a stretchy thin tissue that covers the vaginal opening. Sometimes, people are born with very little hymenal tissue, and sometimes, it can cover the entire opening. Usually, the hymen in women has a big enough hole to discharge period blood or use a tampon comfortably.

Many women go through the experience of breaking their hymen the first time they have vaginal sex. However, a hymen can also break during intense daily activities like riding a bike, playing a sport, riding a horse or using a tampon. Once a hymen is stretched open, it can't grow back.

Does Mastubation Break Your Hymen?

Female masturbation does not affect your virginity. Inserting toys or fingers into the vagina while masturbating usually does not break the hymen. Penetration can stretch a hymen in some cases. However, women can experience the gradual diminishing of the hymen over time due to hormonal changes, puberty or daily activities.

Research suggests that the presence or absence of a hymen cannot determine a woman's virginity. One should note that the concept of virginity is a social or cultural belief and doesn't have a scientific basis.

Also read: How to control masturbation?

Females that are worried about stretching their hymen by masturbating can engage in clitoral or vulva stimulation. This is a form of external masturbation that won't cause a woman's hymen to stretch.

Can Fingering Break The Hymen?

The hymen can be broken or stretched in a variety of ways. It is possible to stretch your hymen by fingering, oral sex or masturbation. However, this is not always the case. It is also possible for a woman's hymen to not break via fingering. Studies have found that women have their first sexual intercourse experience without the hymen breaking.

How Do You Know If Your Hymen Is Still There?

The hymen is located one or two centimetres inside the vaginal opening. It is a thin, crescent-shaped tissue with the colour of your flesh. It is often difficult to pinpoint and view a hymen. A hymen is located between folds of tissue, labia and hair, making it difficult to find.

Hymens differ a lot in how they look in different women. Some women might have minimal hymen tissue, to begin with. It is also possible for females to break their hymen without knowing. You can try looking for your hymen but don't be surprised if you can't locate the tiny skinfold.

Sometimes women can experience mild pain and light bleeding as a sign of a torn hymen. However, not all women experience the stretching of a hymen the same way.

Use our Intimate Powder which has sweat absorbing properties it helps prevent rashes by soaking up the sweat and leaves your intimate area feeling fresh.

What Happens If You Lose Your Virginity Before 22?

The notion of virginity differs for women. Some may believe that being a virgin means not engaging in penetrative sex. For others, being a virgin may also include not engaging in oral sex. Curious about what happens if you lose your virginity before 22? Well, the answer is that nothing happens.

It's a unique experience for adult females who lose their virginity through consensual sexual activity. It does not affect a woman's health if practised safely using condoms or other forms of protection.

Does Masturbation Affect Periods?

No, masturbation does not affect the menstrual cycle of a woman. Many young women engage in masturbation to explore their bodies and discover their sexuality. It is an entirely regular activity, and it won't delay or prepone your periods. Masturbation is the safest way for a female to experience orgasms.

A woman's menstrual cycle depends on her hormones. Young females often have irregular cycles due to an imbalance of hormones. Self-sex cannot cause a change in your hormones, and hence it cannot affect your period. If a woman experiences irregular or missed periods, they should consult their gynaecologist to learn more about what might be causing it.

What To Do After Masturbation?

Are you looking for tips on what to do after masturbation? Here are some tips that can help you enjoy safe masturbation:

If your form of masturbation involves any form of penetration, it's a good idea to urinate after. This will help avoid urinary tract infections since the urethra is located at the top of the vaginal opening.

However, if your form of masturbation doesn't involve penetration like clitoral stimulation via water masturbation, then there are significantly fewer chances of contracting UTIs.

In case you are using a sex toy, always remember to clean it before and after use. This will prevent bacteria build-up that could lead to infections.

Also read: Effect of female masturbation

References

Ranit Mishori, Hope Ferdowsian (2019) The little tissue that couldn't – dispelling myths about the hymen's role in determining sexual history and assault (Reproductive Health) https://reproductive-health-journal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12978-019-0731-8

Abdelmonem Awad Hegazy (2012) Hymen: Facts and conceptions (Research Gate) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260578888_Hymen_Facts_and_conceptions