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!!

Good to hear you found a solution. It does sound kind of scary though. Will you let us know which procedure you try and how it works out for you??

Please do a lot more research before you agree to surgery. You may not need it at all. Has anybody suggested trying estrace, which is an estrogen cream? You apply just a small amount to the affected area 1x a day. The extra estrogen increases the strength and elasticity of the area.

Also, I'm not sure what the rest of your symptoms are, but you should have been evaluated by a doc who deals with pelvic pain issues. Surgery should never be taken lightly, especially in such a sensitive area.

Is it normal to get those tears? i mean do it happen to most of the women? i experience it n i didnt know what to do... but it will recover by itself in 2 days time.. n u cant have any sex in that period.. if not it will tear again! what's that chemical called? n where can i get it? thanks =p

Did you do one of these procedures?!

I am actually going to call the doctor this week regarding the procedure.

I do not know the name of the chemical, and I am almost certain without asking that it is nothing that is available over the counter, as it is pretty much some form of acid (anything that burns away your tissue shouldn't be on a shelf, as far as I'm concerned!!).

The surgery itself only takes 30 minutes, and the procedure is only fifteen minutes.

Free Spirit, if you check this again, thanks for your input, but I had been to three gynecologists who each could not figure out the issue, and this doctor only needed to look at me to discover the issue. These "tears" have been occurring for the last two years, only during intercourse with my husband. It is depressing and upsetting and physically uncomfortable.

I have done a lot of research; I would never willingly go under anesthesia unless it was necessary!

Ariel - even when I let it heal, it rips again, depending on the position - sometimes if during sex I just move my leg in a random way, or he moves me a certain way, it just creates a tear. I've had at least ten of them. Like you said, it goes away in a day or two but then he's always afraid of it happening during sex, and now that I know the scar tissue will only continue to build up I am determined to get rid of it.

I will let you know!

Good morning Ladies!
This thread is of great interest to me. Do you find you bleed after sex? is that why you went to a variety of doctors to get checked out? This is going to sound bad but I am happy to know there are others that this happens to. Here I thought I was just doing something wrong. I never used to have this happen and it doesn't happen all the time though. It is still concerning for a partner who feels he has hurt me in some way.

Any advice would be awesome.

This is interesting to find others having vaginal discomfort w/ sex. Sometimes I too have a little pain or burning during and/or after sex. It doesn't happen every single time but it happens often enough for me to be aware of it. Thankfully, it is not so severe that it ha