Do you bleed when you lose your virginity?

Some women bleed after losing their virginity, and some women don’t. Learn what’s normal after having sex for the first time.

What happens when you lose your virginity?

When to worry about bleeding during or after sex

It’s a common myth that every woman bleeds after having sex for the first time. The truth is some people with vagina’s bleed after their first time, but others don’t. It’s often caused by the hymen breaking – read on to find out more.

## What happens when you lose your virginity?

Having sex for the first time – often called 'losing your virginity' or 'popping your cherry' – can be a significant moment in a woman's life. 

It's important to say that 'virginity' can mean different things to different people – depending on who you are and who you have sex with. For example you may have [sex with another woman](/sexual-health/how-do-lesbians-have-sex), so your experience will be different to those who have sex with men.

You may bleed when you have penetrative sex for the first time because of a piece of tissue in your vagina called a hymen breaking.


### What is a hymen?

The hymen is a thin piece of skin that partially covers the entrance to the vagina. It usually breaks during sex, if it hasn't already broken before, which makes it bleed.

If your hymen has already broken, you may not bleed when you have sex for the first time.

### What can make the hymen break?

Other things, besides having sex for the first time, can make your hymen break, including:
- activities such as horse riding and other sports
- using tampons

So, if someone has a broken hymen, it doesn’t always mean they’ve had sex before.

You may not notice the hymen breakage signs, because it doesn’t always hurt or bleed.

### Does it hurt when your hymen breaks?

When you have vaginal sex for the first time, it may feel a bit uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t be painful. 

There are things that can help make having sex for the first time less uncomfortable, including:

- enjoying foreplay – such as kissing and touching – first
- making sure your vagina is well-lubricated – you can try using a lubricant
- being gentle and going slowly

Read more about how having sex for the first time may feel [here](/painful-sex/painful-first-time-sex).


Get help with this

## When to worry about bleeding during or after sex
If it’s not your first time having sex and you bleed, you should talk to a doctor. This is because bleeding during or after sex can be a sign of a health condition that needs treatment. 

You can read more about this in our articles on [bleeding during sex](/sexual-health/is-bleeding-during-sex-normal) and [bleeding after sex](/sexual-health/is-vaginal-bleeding-after-sex-normal).

The hymen can break quite easily before someone has sex for the first time, through activities such as horse riding and other sports, as well as through using tampons.

[Take our sexual health quiz to test your knowledge](https://www.livehealthily.com/mens-sexual-health/sex-test)

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References

Susie Parker

Dr Adiele Hoffman

Article information

All of Healthily's articles undergo medical safety checks to verify that the information is medically safe. View more details in our <a href="/safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">safety page</a>, or read our <a href="/legal/editorial-policy-principles" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">editorial policy</a>.

If you’ve noticed bleeding after having sex for the first time, don’t worry – it’s usually normal and fairly common. Learn why this happens for some women and when you might need to see a doctor.