Something else? Ask Aunt Vadge – bottom left of your screen!
Hi Aunt Vadge!
Today my girlfriend and I were on the phone and, for the first time, I actually inserted a finger inside my vagina. I didn’t really know what I was doing – only went in and out for a minute or so. About five minutes later I went to pee, and when I wiped there was a little blood, not much.
I didn’t feel pain at the time, but now there’s slight discomfort, not much. I’m still a bit worried. Thank you!
Best,
Learner Driver, USA
Hi there Learner Driver,
Don’t worry about a little blood the first time you put a finger inside – it’s almost always just a small stretch of the hymen, or a hymenal remnant catching on a fingernail, and a tiny amount that stops on its own is completely harmless.
The slight discomfort afterwards is the same thing: a bit of tender, over-curious tissue that will settle in a day or two. First-time fingering, especially when you’re not very aroused and not sure what you’re doing, easily causes a small graze, and it means nothing is wrong.1 There’s more on bleeding after fingering if you’d like the fuller picture.
The best thing from here is to get to know your own body unhurriedly.
Grab a hand mirror and some plain oil (coconut is lovely – not essential oils), trim your nails, and have a calm look and explore: find your inner and outer labia, your clitoris, the vestibule, and where you pee from, using our vag basics diagrams if you’re not sure what’s what.
When you’re ready, slip one finger in gently, only as far as feels comfortable, and notice what the walls feel like. It’s far easier and more comfortable when you’re relaxed and a bit turned on, because the tissue softens and swells and is much less likely to graze.
If you ever feel a real blockage, or fingering keeps causing pain or bleeding, that’s worth a doctor’s look – occasionally there’s a hymenal remnant or an anatomical variant like a vaginal septum that’s simply and easily dealt with. But the overwhelming likelihood is that you’re completely normal and just getting acquainted.
Happy exploring.
Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge
This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.
- Mishori R, Ferdowsian H, Naimer K, Volpellier M, McHale T. The little tissue that couldn’t – dispelling myths about the hymen’s role in determining sexual history and assault. Reproductive Health. 2019;16:74.
