edinburghsexpression:

whattheyareasking:

“Could having anal sex every day be bad?”

The anus contains lots of nerve endings & many people find stimulation of the anus to be pleasurable. There are no more risks to have regular anal sex than there are from having it once, but as with all sexual activity it’s important to stay safe, so below we’ve listed our tips for safe & fun anal penetration:

• Clean up before you get started - Some people find anal sex & play most enjoyable if they have cleaned themselves beforehand. This can involve going to the toilet to ensure there is no faeces left in the anal canal, using a baby wipe to clean the outside of the anus, or using a douche to give themselves an enema (although doing this on a regular basis can damage the anal canal).
• Go slow & relax - Unlike the vagina, the anus doesn’t loosen with arousal so you’ll need to go slower & make sure the person receiving penetration is relaxed. Before you try penetration is a good idea to experiment with other methods of anal stimulation for example, manual stimulation with hands or toys or anilingus. Remember though that any toy you use anally needs to have a flared base to prevent it from potentially being sucked into the anal canal.
• Use protection (from pregnancy & STDs) - Many people mistakenly believe that anal sex is a good way of preventing pregnancy, but semen can run from the anus to the vulva making pregnancy a possibility, so if you or your partner is able to get pregnant, you should always use a condom. Using a condom will protect you & your partner from STDs including HIV, HPV, Hepatitis A & C, & Ecoli, as well as making clean up much easy, both for penises & sex toys. It’s also important to remember to use a new condom if you go from anus to vagina, as this reduces the chance of getting a vaginal infection. It’s best to avoid using condoms with spermicide as this can irritate the anal canal. In the past, thicker condoms have been recommended for anal use as people believed they had less chance of splitting, however research shows that normal condoms, if used correctly, offer just as much protection & more choice in terms of size & style.
• Use lube - Again, unlike the vagina, the anus is not self-lubricating, & a lack of lubrication increases friction which could lead to an anal fissure or a split condom, both of which put you at more risk of infection & catching a STD. So, it’s important to use lots of lube when attempting anal penetration. Most people choose to use silicone-based lube for anal play as it dries out less quickly than water-based, however silicone-based lube can damage silicone toys, so if you’re using toys it’s best to stick to water-based lube. Oil-based lubes will damage condoms, increasing your chance of a condom splitting, so it’s best to avoid it.
• Stop if there’s any pain - Just as with vaginal penetration, pain could be a sign of serious damage, so it’s best to stop if you or your partner feel any pain. If the pain subsides when you stop penetration it’s possible the pain was simply from friction, & you can add more lube & slowly try penetration again. However, if the pain continues, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Other signs that something may be wrong is blood in your stool, discharge from the anus, & pain or a burning sensation when passing a stool.
• Kegels - Many people who repeatedly receive anal penetration worry that this will loosen the muscles around their anus. This is extremely unlikely unless you’re regularly engaging in anal penetration with large objects & even then, loss of control of the anal muscles is avoidable. If you’re concerned about it then you can try kegels: exercises which strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.

So remember: go slow, use protection & lube, & watch out for any signs that something might be wrong.