I can't find the thread so I'm putting up a new one.

I went to the gynecologist today. Usually I see one guy, but today I got the other one, who really runs the practice.

I jumped a mile when he used the speculum - I haven't had sex in almost a year, plus sometimes I get one of those paper-cut like tears during an office visit.

He noticed right away. He said that the problem with those little tears is that they heal in an up-down way instead of a side-to-side way, and each time they heal they make scar tissue, which then builds up little by little. Basically, it doesn't matter how it happened but once it starts it won't go away on its own. Scar tissue doesn't stretch, he said. It just rips again.

So there are two things that can be done. One is to put a chemical on the area that will burn away the scar tissue. This can be done in-office. He said it does hurt for about an hour but usually that will resolve the issue, the scar tissue will be gone and the vagina will be fine. In some cases that doesn't work, and he can do a very quick outpatient procedure where he puts me under, cuts away the scar tissue, and sews the area in a way that makes the vagina heal in a side-to-side way. Then it will never happen again.

I believe its called a perineaplasty. It's technically cosmetic surgery.

I can't believe all this time the person with the answer to this medical question was just ACROSS THE HALL from my doctor, who couldn't help me!!!!

Hope this helps some of you!!