I thought that I had heard it all but this one in particular, had eluded me. Oh, the manipulation – in more ways than one !

I'll be honest, I had never ever heard about one 're-virginising' themselves. Truth be told, during those times when I was 'going through a drought' because I was between relationships, I would often joke to my friends that I was 're-virginised'. I would think that I was being 'amusingly verbally innovative'. Little did I know that what I was saying was indeed a reality – by surgical means!

For those of you who are just as clueless as I was, yes, you can 'reclaim your virginity'! So if you're 21 years, it can be done. If you're 31 years, it can still be done. If you're 91…oh but why bother then though…

For now, let's get scientific, so to speak. According to an article by one Carol Roye, contrary to popular belief, the hymen is not a flat piece of tissue blocking the vagina, which is punctured during intercourse. Apparently, if that were so, girls would be unable to menstruate before they lost their virginity because there would be no outlet for menstrual blood.

Roye has advised that usually, the hymen looks like a fringe of tissue around the vaginal opening; it is not an intact piece of tissue draped across it. There have been records of girls who are born without a hymen, while others have only a scanty fringe of tissue.

Additionally, every hymen is different. Just like eyes, noses and breasts, everyone is a little different. What actually happens when the hymen is 'broken', is that a few areas of the hymen are torn and there is often some bleeding.

The notion of how virginity is 'lost' can get technical. Roye said, "It is not so easy to tell whether a girl is a virgin because hymens are so varied. If there is not much of a hymen I have no way of knowing what happened to it. Was it a boyfriend or a bicycle? Or, perhaps, this girl did not have much tissue there to begin with." Too intricate.

Now, we turn our attention to the advent of hymenoplasty or hymenorrhaphy or simply, hymen reconstruction surgery. The term comes from the Greek words 'hymen' meaning membrane, and 'raphe' (online pronunciation given as 'rey-fee) meaning suture. This is a trend that is growing in popularity and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons says vaginal surgery, including hymenoplasty, is one of the industry's fastest-growing segments.

The procedure can cost around $1,800.00 and recovery can take about six weeks, with a low risk of fever and infection. Such procedures are not generally regarded as part of mainstream gynaecology but are available at plastic surgery centres, particularly in the US, Japan and Western Europe. Interestingly enough, in France, some of the cost of the procedure is reimbursed by the State in cases of rape or trauma.

There are significantly different types of procedures, according to Wikipedia. One is suturing (closing of a wound from joining the edges) a tear in the hymen that may have been caused by sexual assault, in which case it is done to facilitate healing.

The second is a purely cosmetic procedure in which a membrane without blood supply is created, sometimes including a gelatin capsule of an artificial bloodlike substance. (According to the information provided, this operation is intended to be performed within a few days before an intended marriage).

There is also the use of a flap of the vaginal lining, complete with its blood supply, to create a new hymen. Patients are advised to refrain from penetrative sex for up to three months following this procedure.

Let's alight from that Grey's Anatomy train and return back to affairs of the mind… Wrapping my mind around medical practitioners trying to rebuild my hymen was one thing; the other thing was…WHY WOULD I WANT TO RESTORE MY VIRGINITY?!!! Wasn't it enough that I went though that one time – which wasn't the best part of the experience by the way!

So, like in Betty Wright's song, I ask you, think back…to your very…first time. Tick tock, I'll 'give' you some time because I know some of you 'have to think back a little further than others. C'mon now, I want you to play catch-up! Ha! This is not a man thing, ladies only (by the way, I've heard a true story where unfortunately, a very hurry guy was busy trying to 'burst through' what he thought was the hymen – when in fact, he was actually trying in vain, of course, to get past the underwear that he hadn't removed!) Sad. statde of affairs don't you think?

Anyway, ladies, I take it by now you remember the details. The very first time that you had sexual intercourse, it was either very painful or significantly uncomfortable, as maybe it depends on your threshold for pain. From the accounts given to me from friends, some told their guys to stop trying for a few seconds; others bore the pain, cringing at each gentle (I hope!) manoeuvring on the part of the guy; and then there were those who backed out because they felt that the guy's curiosity almost literally killed the … Right!

I just can't imagine wanting to reclaim my virginity for any reason. I don't regret losing my virginity (especially since I didn't have any complaints from the other side!); I think that that hymen-breaking experience was uncomfortable enough.

I boldly say that for some guys I've heard about, it's like they were playing 'Red Over! Red Over! Send Willie right over!' with the girls' hymens! Remember that game you played in elementary school where you'd hold each other's hands tightly to prevent someone from the other team from bursting through? Think about it!

Now some people are of the opinion that the surgical procedure encourages too high a level of deceit on the part of a woman. I agree! (Spare me the arguments about breast implants etc.). If you're an adult, what's wrong with you saying that you're not a virgin? I am not going to delve into the religious/moral aspect; I am dealing with humans, us in our raw, fleshly state.

I know men love being with a virgin but I think that it's more about bragging rights than anything else and the fact that they can teach someone full of ignorance. I mean, do women really think that he'll introduce them to "Mammy' if their hymen was, wow, man, intact? Do women really think that appearing to be a virgin will make them a wife sooner? Do they really think that seeming to be a virgin will make them be seen as more virtuous or somehow better?

What I'd like to know is, if a woman lost her virginity to Jack, then got her hymen restored, got involved with Johnny and then broke up with him, what will she then do? Will she try to have her hymen restored again?!! I don't even know if that can be done but this world sure is full of surprises! Although I doubt it, who knows!

I have tried to rationalise why I should want to do hymenoplasty and the same conclusion surfaces – FOR WHAT?! Nothing is to be gained by me for having it done. I'm sorry but the beau, even if he loves cherries, would have to live with the fact that another farmer came by before him.

If someone wants to do the procedure because…because… OH, FOR THE LOVE OF LASAGNA, WHY WOULD YOU EVEN WANT TO? This is wildly stupefying to me!

Quite frankly, once you start saying 'hi' to men, there is not to be another 'hy' again!

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