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    Navigate: FAQ Home Page > Sexual Pleasure/Pain > Tampons and first sex
    Posted on: 08/12/2008

    Question

    I have never used a tampon (My mother is old-fashioned, not to mention I'm a little freaked about using them myself), and a lot of hearsay is that first-time intercourse is less painful if you do use them. I believe my hymen is still intact since I do not partake in any sports that could damage it, and I'm nervous about the pain and blood that could occur when I have sex for the first time. Is it true that using tampons will make having sex the first time less painful? And how bad is the pain/blood to begin with?

    Answer

    So basically the vaginal opening is about the size of a junior tampon before you have sex (the size of your baby finger).

    The penis is roughly the size of three fingers. The vagina stretches nicely (after all a baby can come through it). But it is more comfortable to stretch slowly then trying to do it all at once.

    If you gradually moved from Junior to Super tampons that would help a little, I suppose. But most people just start by having sex with someone that they can talk to about how they are feeling.

    Usually with any couple there is a fair amount of him putting one and then two fingers in you before you have sex--that helps with getting you used to all the sensations of intercourse. During those weeks as you get used to each others' bodies you also should be able to say what feels good and what doesn't. At some point you both will decide it is time to try putting his penis in you. When it starts to hurt then he pulls it out and you try again the next time you are together. Eventually it doesn't bother you and then after a while it feels good.

    Unfortunately there is so much quick sex on TV that some people think you just kiss a little, then he puts his penis in you. That does hurt and you may bleed a little. Real life goes a lot slower.

    Good Luck. You might really appreciate a lot of the information in the book "Body Drama" by Nancy Redd.


    Answered By:
    Barbara Boyer , D.O.


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