What Is Anal Sex?

Anal sex is when something is inserted into the anus. Commonly most people think of a penis being inserted but fingers or a sex toy can also be used. Not everyone is comfortable with the idea of anal sex and that's perfectly okay. As with all kinds of sexual activity, the motto of "different strokes for different folks" applies. There is no right or wrong in enjoying or not enjoying anal play.

You don't have to be interested in participating in anal sex to learn more about it. Having a knowledge of the different types of sex and the important things you need to know for each is important. If you don't need the knowledge for yourself, you can pass it on to those close to you.

What's the Appeal of Anal Sex?

It might seem counter-intuitive to many people. We primarily use our anus to expel things from our body. Many people like to joke that it's an exit only but the anus is actually full of nerve endings. These nerve endings can feel really amazing to some people when they are stimulated.

People who have a penis also have a prostate. The prostate is a gland right by the bladder that makes prostate fluid, which is one of the key ingredients of semen. The prostate feels like a small, solid bulge right in front of the rectum. When someone with a penis is receiving anal sex, it can stimulate the prostate. An orgasm brought on by this kind of stimulation can feel a bit different and more intense.

People who have vulvas sadly do not benefit from having a prostate-induced orgasm because they don't have a prostate. This doesn't mean that vulva owners can't enjoy anal sex. There are still a lot of different nerve endings in the anus that can give off all kinds of enjoyable sensations when stimulated.

Are There Any Risks for Anal Sex?

As with other kinds of sex, there are definitely some risks for anal. It is possible to contract a number of different STIs from anal sex including HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, hepatitis, or syphilis. It's important that you consider using some safer sex methods to protect yourself and your partner.

It is actually a bit easier to contract an STI during anal sex than any other kind of sex. The anus does not naturally self-lubricate the way the mouth or the vulva does. Because there are no natural lubricants, it is easier for the friction caused by sex to create small tears in the anal tissues. The tears increase the risk of a transmission.

The other thing to be aware of is that our bodies are designed to get the most we can out of foods and nutrients. During our digestive process, our bodies have several stages to retrieve nutrients out of what has been digested. This includes in our small intestines and anal passages. The skin there is thinner and designed to intake nutrients. This is why some medications and painkillers can be given as a rectal suppository. It's important to be aware of because the thinner skin also means there's a higher chance for transmission or infection.

What Do I Need to Know Before Having Anal Sex?

Feeling relaxed and open to the experience is a key. It makes a huge difference in the experience for many people. If you are already feeling hesitant about trying anal sex, be sure to communicate that openly with your partner. You will have to talk it out. Determine if your discomfort with the idea is something you feel you want to move past or if you can. How open and comfortable you feel about it and the process makes a significant difference to how much you may enjoy or not enjoy anal sex. Once again, there is no right or wrong here. You set the terms for what is okay for your body and what is not. It is your choice whether or not you want to explore anal play and no one should be pushing you into it.

It's important to know that it's best not to just jump into anal sex. If a person receives full penetration before experimenting with any anal play, it can be a painful and traumatizing experience. Anyone considering engaging in anal sex should ensure that it is approached slowly. Steps should be taken to prepare the person receiving for the experience. People should be starting with experimenting with sensations around the anus. If that goes well, then small toys or starting with the smallest finger can be inserted. These experiences can build slowly to larger toys, more fingers, and eventually a full-size penis or dildo.

You and your partner should be putting some time into researching the beginning steps for having successful and pleasurable anal sex. You will need to determine what lubricants to use as well as other considerations to keep the experience a good one for all involved. All of these tips are beyond the scope of this particular article and we will be covering beginner advice and tips at a future time. There are a number of great books on anal sex as well as some online

Exploring Different Aspects of Sex

Anal sex is just one type of sexual activity you and your partner can explore. The more we learn about different kinds of ways we can engage with each other, the more we open up to the different kinds of experiences we can have. This will lead us to find what we really like and what will really enhance and enrich our sexual experience.

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