Skin covering vaginal opening?

[Jellowl]

Hello!

I've just recently done a self examination of my labia to see what was causing some stinging sensations when I washed. I couldn't see anything that looked like something to worry about; my guess was maybe some tissue was rubbed the wrong way or it was irritated somehow and caused some slightly raw skin (Happens a lot for me so I take it as no big deal, just an uncomfortable one). When I was looking with the mirror, I noticed that there is a huge amount of extra skin covering my vaginal opening. In most diagrams I see, there is no skin and you can see an opening. With me, you can't. I find this odd because when I have sex, everything works out. There is minimal to no pain upon entry and no sign of anything blocking my entrance. Is this normal? I know every vagina is different so could this be one of the differences some people have?

Thanks for the advice, have a lovely day!

[Sam W]

Hi Jellowl,

With the skin you're seeing, is it actually across the opening? Or is it more that your labia cover the opening pretty extensively?

[Jellowl]

Heyo,

It's not extra skin from the labia that I can tell, it looks like seperate skin covering the opening. It is completly over the opening (across as well). I'm not sure if this description helps you, sorry.

Thanks

[Ashleah]

Hey Jellowl,

Although it really is sounding like this could be one of those "every vulva is different" things, I couldn't say for sure. If it is concerning you, nothing wrong with checking in with a healthcare professional.

Do you have an idea of why you are experiencing irritation frequently?

[Heather]

Bear in mind that most anatomical diagrams of any body parts simplify those parts visually. There's some sound reason for that with parts like these because there is so much diversity, that lowest common denominator is basically the best that can be done.

IMO, it sounds to me like what you may be seeing is one of the ways the vaginal opening can look as the corona (hymen) wears away over time, particularly earlier in life (as in, you're in your teens, not your 40s), and it usually will NOT create pain or block anything, because it's very thin and very stretchy.