Medical Questions > Womens Health > Vaginal and Uterus Health Forum

discolored flap of stretchy skin in my vagina?

Must Read
Learn the basics about skin health, including risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment options. ...
Learn about risk factors to developing a skin disorder. ...
Learn about screening and diagnosis options available for various skin disorders....
I recently noticed a weird flap on my vagina as I was taking a shower. It is oddly discolored and almost purple to the rest of the pink. I am fifteen years old and well into my puberty (I got my period when I was twelve) and have not yet had sexual intercourse. I am embarrassed that this is something abnormal and I'm afraid to talk to my mother about it. It's a flap of skin that is pretty big and can extend past my outer lips; it's very stretchy. Please give me some advice!
Did you find this post helpful?
|

replied June 20th, 2011
Community Volunteer
It is your inner lips (labia minora). They come in all shapes, lengths, and colors. In short, they are as unique as any other body part on your body.

Normally they are also asymmetrical.
|
Did you find this post helpful?

replied June 20th, 2011
I had read somewhere that it could be my hymen. Besides, shouldn't the labia minora be two flaps of skin? Not one, like I have?

EDIT: I just washed my hands and checked. I'm pretty sure it's not the labia minora. For one thing, it is one large flap, not two. Secondly, it is located in the center (perhaps a little down) of my vagina. The labia minora are like doors, correct? They open into the vaginal orifice. This doesn't do this.

Hypothetically, if it was my hymen, what should/where should the hymen be located?
|
Did you find this post helpful?

replied June 20th, 2011
Community Volunteer
Your hymen covered your vaginal entrance while you grew in your mother's womb. What was inside the hymen was your insides, what was outside was your outsides. It is literally located where your insides and outsides came together.

As such it is around the outside edge of your vaginal entrance, not deep inside. It is certainly possible that it can tear lose on one side and hang down. It can also be a septate hymen, or a septate hymen where the fleshy bridge broke lose.
|
Did you find this post helpful?