What happens after you lose your virginity? Virginity is not dignity, it is a lack of opportunity. Judging the purity of mind, body, and soul depending on penetrative sex is old-fashioned and outdated.
But what is still important is whether your mind and body are ready for such a change. A bad sexual experience can impact every other relationship you encounter.
Sex is a process, not a moment
Be brave and try out new things but also be cautious about understanding what you want. Remember you saying ‘no’ matters and you can withdraw at any point when you are not comfortable. Just because your partner is aroused, you don’t owe them anything. Pleasure should be spontaneous, not constructed and compromised. Go ahead, have your adventure. We are all living for the first time without an instruction manual. We are bound to make mistakes. It is best that we learn from them and never look back.
Losing virginity is a huge issue, especially in a country like ours. After your first sexual intercourse, you may have plenty of concerns about your body. Other than the hymen, which does not end up ‘breaking’ in most cases, there are many other changes that a woman’s body goes through post their first sexual experience. Here are some of them.
- You might be in pain
Painful sex is a real thing and there could be a variety of different reasons for it. However, the reasons are pretty fairly common and nothing to be scared of.
You could be experiencing the pain due to your hymen being stretched. It could be because of a lack of lubrication due to vaginal dryness. This could occur due to a phenomenon called vaginismus which is an involuntary tightening of the pelvic muscles that makes it impossible for anything to enter the vagina. It has a typical association with anxiety seeding from a strict and religious upbringing, the baggage of trauma, or even just apprehension.
Sometimes, if you have already orgasmed during sex, it could cause you to experience cramps in your uterus. It is the oxytocin release in the body that causes uterine contractions and hence, the pain.
- There might be spotting
You might bleed after sex but you also might not. Either way, it is absolutely fine. You might bleed when you have penetrative sex for the first time and that could be because of your hymen breaking. The hymen is a thin piece of skin covering the entrance of the vagina.
Spotting is as common as not spotting is.
It breaks quite easily and sex doesn’t have to be the only reason why it breaks. It could break because of extensive physical activities such as horse riding and other sports, or even using tampons. A broken hymen doesn’t necessarily mean that your virginity is lost.
Apart from that, if you find a little bit of spotting, it could be due to the inflammation of the cervix that gets contracted during sex or due to vaginal tearing if you are having rough sex. The blood coming from an inflamed cervix or vaginal tears is normally bright red. If it’s darker in color, it is probably residual blood from your periods.
- You might feel a burning sensation
It’s okay if you feel a burn when you make a trip to the washroom post-sex. The urethra and the vagina are closely situated. The vaginal stretch or tear could be causing a temporary burning sensation. However, if you experience this discomfort for days, it could be something serious.
- You might experience itching
If you are annoyed by the urge to scratch an itch after sex, you are probably allergic or sensitive to the condom that you used. It could also be sensitive to lube if you have used any.
Lubes can make your sexual experience painless and more pleasurable but it’s important that they are compatible with your skin.
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- You might get a urinary tract infection
In the process of having sex a transfer of bacteria from the bowel to the vaginal cavity and up to the urethra can happen. This could be the cause of a painful UTI that can cause itching and a burning sensation.
- The size of your nipples and clitoris might change.
Your nipples are filled with nerve endings that get riled up when you are aroused. They cause the blood vessels to dilate and the tissue in your breasts to swell up. This sexual stimulation also leads to erection in your nipples.
Your clitoris swells up due to sexual stimulation. Similarly, once you start having sex, you will have your clitoris swell up during the act. It will, however, return to its normal size within a few minutes. This happens due to increased blood flow in the pelvic region.
- You’ll feel the surge of happy hormones
Once you start having sex, your body starts experiencing increased blood flow and muscular tension in places like your nipples, areola, and clitoris. Upon getting aroused, you get goosebumps, your areola swells, and the nipples become hard. All of these contribute to your orgasm, all thanks to the oxytocin release happening in your brain.
- Your vaginal elasticity will change
Your vagina knows how to adjust its elasticity. The walls and lips of your vagina slowly open up upon arousal. Don’t worry, your vagina is meant to expand and get you ready for sex.
So, ladies, now you’re more aware of everything that is going to happen to your body when you start having sex!