It's hymen time for change

A friend of a friend, a Beijing woman, is readying herself to undertake a hymenorrhaphy (also known as a hymenoplasty).

In case the term doesn't ring any bells, a hymenorrhaphy involves a repair job on the hymen - a little piece of tissue responsible for much more trouble than its size justifies. It is the measure by which men try to determine whether their partners are virgins and sadly, is quite misunderstood.

To be clear, this woman has a history, but then we all do - at present she is involved in the third year of a happy and very active relationship.