Q: Is Anal Sex Safe?

A: WebMD.com rates anal sex as riskier than both oral and vaginal because of the potential accident rate and the potential for spreading diseases or infections.

Why is it so unsafe?

First off- it's not that it's inherently unsafe.  There are associated risks (much like other things in life) but if you do it safely, you can mitigate risks, stay safe, and have a great time. 

• The whole job of the anus is to keep feces in, so it’s supposed to be tight. Stretching it out too much can have detrimental effects to your pants later in life.
• The anus is unable to produce natural lubrication, unlike the vagina.
• It’s extremely easy to both get and receive infections on both ends during anal sex, even if you’re clean of STD/STIs.
• Women can even get pregnant from anal sex if semen happens to get in or around the vagina.

But don’t be scared away. It’s still entirely possible to have safe anal sex. Here’s how to avoid those problems.

Get clean and comfy

Comfort is exceedingly important during anal sex. Taking a hot bath will both help you clean out your anus, as well as relax the muscles, making it easier for penetration to occur. You can also use an anal douche.

If it’s your first time or it’s been a while, never start with a penis. The anus should be stretched slowly to avoid injury, and it may even take a couple of sessions before you’re 100% ready for full-on penetration. Beginning with a lubed up finger or a lubed up small anal vibrator will make sure your initial tests are pleasurable.

Lube

The friction of sex can also tear the anus and make it easier to contract diseases or infections from all the bacteria that passes through the anus every day. Long term, untreated tearing can put you at risk for developing anal cancer. So the more lube, the better. Even if you’re wearing a lubricated condom, it’s always a good idea to rub a little more in there to make sure things go smoothly.

It’s recommended that you avoid using water-based lubes for anal sex. The anus absorbs water, so it might be a better idea to go with a silicon-based lube. There are even lubes specially made for going ‘round the back like our favorite anal sex lubes. Just make sure you know which lubes are safe for your chosen condom brand.

Use protection

Condoms are just as important in anal sex as in vaginal or oral sex. There is still the potential for a woman to get pregnant if semen that has been ejaculated into the anus gets in or around the vagina, and sometimes you may not even notice it.

Even if pregnancy is not a problem, both men and women receiving and giving anal sex are extremely susceptible to infection or STDs. The anus lacks a layer of cells that helps keep it protected from infection. Not wearing a condom can put those penetrating at risk for infections too, even if it seems like the anus is clean.

You might remember when we wrote about these awesome origami condoms a few months back. Well, the same company that created them in those are looking to also make the first condom specifically for anal sex. Until those come out, lubricated condoms are great. There are some condoms that are FDA approved for anal sex and we have them! 

Female condoms are also gaining a reputation for working well with anal, even if you aren’t female. They are, however, not yet approved by the FDA for non-vaginal sex. Go ahead and read this informative article about them before taking the plunge.

Change your protection

Going from anal to vaginal sex while using the same condom can put a woman at risk for developing all sorts of infections, including bladder infections, urinary tract infections, kidney infections, and yeast infections.

Going from anal to oral sex is also risky. Not only can you transfer genital and anal STDs to your mouth, but once again, it only takes a little bit of bacteria from a slightly unclean anus to put you at risk for some serious illnesses.

Stop if it hurts

It may sound like common sense, but you can seriously injure yourself or your partner by going about anal wrong. If it hurts, give it a rest and try it again later-- perhaps with more lube. Take your time, explore your body and your partner’s body, and enjoy yourself. After all, if you aren’t enjoying yourself, why bother?

Bonus: Anal Sex Toys

Yeah ok, anal sex toys don't make anal sex safer but they do make anal sex more fun so it's kinda the same thing. Be sure to use something with a flared base if you're going to butt plug route or something with a pull ring if you're going the anal beads route.  There are all kinds of probes, sticks, and rods. There are vibrating P-spot massagers and inflatable whatchamacallits. Check out all of our Anal Sex Toys!