Bleeding during or after intercourse: Vaginal tears and other problems

Sex Crisis #2: You Get a Sex Cut

Last week we explored what to do when a condom breaks during sex. This week, I want to make sure you know how to handle sex cuts (such as tears from vaginal sex or anal sex), as they happen to many women and men at one point or another.

In case you’re wondering what the heck a sex cut is, it’s a cut or tear that happens during sex. Given that vaginal intercourse is one of the most common sex acts, it’s perhaps no surprise that many sex cuts occur during vaginal sex. However, they can also happen during anal sex, fingering (of the vagina or anus) or toy play.

Here’s what to do if a sex cut happens to you:

1. Don’t panic. While sex cuts are rarely everyday occurrences, they’re not uncommon either. In my role as a sex columnist, I hear from women about their sex cuts nearly every single week. Panicking will only make you more anxious and stressed, so try to remain calm if you’re feeling freaked out.

2. Assess the situation. Is it a teensy, tiny cut that results in the tiniest amount of blood (more diluted pink than red) that you see only when peeing after sex, but that doesn’t really bleed out onto your underwear? Or is it a large cut on your vulva (outside genital parts), inside your vagina (the birth canal) or around your anal area? Try to take out a mirror and look in a well-lit room or ask your partner to check for you. Yes, I know this can be awkward or embarrassing, but it’s important.

3. Act. If it’s a tiny cut or if there is very little bleeding during or after intercourse, you may be able to wait it out. Small vaginal and anal cuts often heal on their own without any treatment within a few days. However, moderate or large cuts, or those that are bleeding a good deal, may require medical attention. If you have questions about whether your cut requires medical attention, or if you are not sure whether yours qualifies as “small” or “large” and such, please call your healthcare provider and ask to speak with a nurse. Trust me – healthcare providers get these questions! In many cases, they will advise you to not irritate the skin or tissue for a few days while the cut heals (that may mean laying off masturbation or partner sex for a few days). Less often, they may ask you to come into the office for a check-up and/or prescribe a cream or ointment that can reduce the risk of infection while the cut heals.

4. Keep an eye out. If you find that sex cuts are a relatively common occurrence for you, it may be that you need to make adjustments to your sex life. Are you being too rough on yourself or with each other? Try to be more gentle. Do your bodies have a tight fit? Perhaps a personal lubricant would help. Then again, you may have a skin or genital condition that makes you particularly vulnerable to cuts or tears. Let your healthcare provider know if you have frequent or severe cuts or tears, or regular bleeding during sex or after sex, so that he or she can check to make sure all is well.

Sex has the potential to be fun as well as connecting, exciting and/or loving. With a little bit of knowledge and confidence, you can handle the few sex crises that happen to the best of us. Check back next week to learn what to do when you wake up and realize you’ve gone home with a random.

Related MSP Posts:
- Bleeding during sex: common causes and solutions
- Why does sex hurt?
- Why does sex hurt my girlfriend? Does sex hurt the first time?
- What should I do if I get semen in my eye?

This article was originally published in my weekly Cheeky Chicago sex column. Follow me on Twitter - I am @mysexprofessor

[Image by Michelle Brea via Flickr Creative Commons]