Aunt Vadge: I jumped off a 30-foot bridge and now have an inch-long tear

TL;DR

After jumping off a 30-foot bridge into a river, a 19-year-old experienced a mild, inch-long tear near the vaginal opening. Despite the lack of severe pain or heavy bleeding, concerns about proper healing without medical intervention were raised. Aunt Vadge advises on home care, signs of infection to watch for, and activities to avoid for a safe recovery.

Dear Aunt Vadge, 

Inch-long tear near vaginal opening. Was swimming in a river and jumped off of 30-foot bridge. This happened around 2:30, July 19th 2017. There is mild bleeding and slight soreness. Nothing excruciating. Do not have health insurance so the hospital isn’t a good option.

There’s nothing loose, it’s just a slit. It doesn’t seem too deep but I’m really not certain. I didn’t hit anything. I was centered in the river. I’m kind of thinking that my swimsuit put too much pressure and force against the skin and simply tore it. 

Yours,
Jumper
Age: 19
Country/Area: United States
_____

Dear Jumper,

If you take care of it like a normal cut on any other part of your skin, you should be fine – if it’s stopped bleeding, and there are no flaps, it should just heal up without even a visible scar.

Just make sure to keep it protected, as dry as possible, but with perhaps a slight coating of maybe some kind of healing ointment (not antibacterial) if it needs protecting from acidic urine (Vaseline works fine). It sounds like you’re right – it’s a split from your bathing suit.

Tears around the vulva tend to heal pretty fast and without intervention, so unless there is a sign of infection (if it gets hot and red), or you are in pain, or it’s bleeding too much, it seems fine. You are the best judge of whether it’s ok or not, so just keep your eye on it and be gentle. I would also avoid tampons, sex, masturbating, or even perhaps riding a bike, that could push on it and re-open the tear as it’s trying to stitch itself back together.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge  



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