Short vagina: what it is and how to treat

The short vagina syndrome is a congenital malformation in which the girl is born with a smaller and narrower vaginal canal than normal, which during childhood causes no discomfort but may cause pain during adolescence, especially when it begins sexual contact.

The degree of this malformation can vary from one case to another and therefore there are girls who may not even have a vaginal canal, causing even more pain when menstruation arises, since the remains released by the uterus can not leave the body. Understand better what happens when the girl does not have a vagina and how it is treated.

Thus, each case of short vagina should be evaluated by a gynecologist, to identify the degree and start the most appropriate treatment, which may involve from exercises with special medical devices to surgery, for example.

Main features

The main characteristic of short vagina syndrome is the presence of a vaginal canal that is smaller than that of most women, and the vagina is often only 1 or 2 cm in size instead of 6 to 12 cm, which is normal .

Also, depending on the size of the vagina, the woman may still have symptoms such as:

• Absence of first menstruation;
• Intense pain during intimate contact;
• Discomfort when using tampons;

Many girls may even end up developing depression, especially when they are unable to have sex or have their first menstrual period and are unaware of the presence of this malformation.

Thus, whenever there is discomfort in intimate contact or large changes in the expected menstrual pattern, it is important to consult a gynecologist, since, in most cases, the short vagina syndrome is only identified with a physical examination by the physician.

How is the treatment done?

A large proportion of cases of short vagina can be treated without the need for surgery. This is because the vaginal tissues are usually quite elastic and therefore can be dilated gradually using special appliances that vary in size and are known as Frank's vaginal dilators.

The dilators should be inserted into the vagina for about 30 minutes a day and, in the early times of treatment, need to be used every day. Then, with vaginal canal enlargement, these devices can only be used 2 to 3 times a week, or according to the gynecologist's guidelines.

Surgery is usually only used when the appliances do not cause any change in the size of the vagina or when the vaginal malformation is very severe and causes the total absence of the vaginal canal.