Anal Sex: Do's and Don'ts

By Elena Ognivtseva

Anal sex-it's the last great taboo. It's not for everyone, but plenty of people get a huge turn on from it, both from the actual sensation and the thought of how naughty it is. Be careful, though- there's plenty that could go wrong with anal that could cause you discomfort and instantly kill the mood. Luckily for you, though, we're here to help with a handy list of do's and don'ts to help you make anal sex as fun and comfortable as possible.

DO: Make sure everything's clean

Let's be honest here- your body wasn't really designed with anal sex in mind, and for that reason anal can tend to get pretty messy if you go about it the wrong way. Ideally you should douche first, to cleanse out anything unpleasant which could turn your romantic occasion into a brown nightmare.

DO: Wear a condom

Because of how sensitive your anus is, STDs can be transmitted much more easily through anal sex than oral or vaginal. For that reason, wearing a condom for anal sex is even more important than usual. It can also help with the hygiene of everything, as a condom will protect the penis from what might be up there. Always change the condom if you go from anal to oral or vaginal sex, though, as you don't want to end up with a nasty infection.

DO: Talk things through with your partner

The idea of taking it in the rear can be pretty scary, so make sure that you and your partner talk things through beforehand to be absolutely clear on how it's going to work, and what will make everything more comfortable for you.

DO: Use the right positions

Everyone has their favourite positions, but with anal you'll want to go with ones which are easiest both to get it in, and for the recipient to have enough control so that things don't get uncomfortable. Doggy might seem like the natural position for anal, but it doesn't really give you much control, so a lot of women find this position quite uncomfortable when it comes to anal. Instead, you might want to try one where you're on top, so you can control the speed and depth of penetration so that it doesn't hurt. Another good choice is spooning, as you can likewise maintain some control over things, but the penis is also not going to go in too deep

DON'T: Jump straight into things

Your body probably isn't going to be ready for full-on anal sex right away, so make sure that you practise with putting stuff in there first. Luckily, we have a wide variety of toys designed specifically for this purpose. What we'd really recommend is one of our sets of three butt plugs in increasing sizes, to let you try out something small at first before moving on to larger things.

DON'T: Forget the lube

As we said before, your body isn't naturally designed to put something in your butt, so there's no natural lubrication like there is with the vagina. Any attempt at anal without lube is going to be a disaster, and this is especially true if you don't have any previous experience down there. Be careful, though- oil-based lubes aren't suitable for use with condoms as they can cause them to rip easily, so stick with something water-based.

DON'T: Miss out on foreplay

Foreplay is an incredibly important part of satisfying sex in any form, and even more so with anal. You want to be as comfortable as possible in order to prepare your body for what's to come, and foreplay is the perfect way to do that. Putting yourself at ease sexually with your partner will help you to relax, which will help to make everything much more comfortable. If you're not turned on enough, then the idea of anal might end up seeming like too much to ask- whereas if you're in the right mood, you'll be good to go.

DON'T: Do anything you're not fully comfortable with

Theory and practise are completely different, and you might find that what seems like a hot idea ends up just not feeling right. You should never feel under any pressure to try anal if you don't want to, and always ask your partner to stop if you don't like it. If you do stop, though, make sure that you change the condom before getting up to anything else- it's just basic hygiene.

DO: Have fun!

This is the most important piece of advice we can give. While it's not for everyone, anal is a lot of fun when done right, and if you follow all of our tips, we think that you'll love it too.