Happy August, everyone! Summer is almost over, but not before everyone’s favorite month shows up and shows out! Anal August is a time of year when we celebrate all things about anal and anal pleasure. Before we dive in, let’s talk about what anal play is. Anal play is any type of sexual activity involving your butt (ex. rimming, fingering, fisting, toy play, and penis penetration). The anus contains a very high concentration of nerve endings, making the area highly pleasurable.  Just like any other intimate area, the anus is one that also requires care and prep before play.

Anal Play for Penis Owners:

For penis owners, anal play is utilized with the focus of stimulating the prostate. Experts at WebMD state, “The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located between the bladder and the penis. The prostate is just in front of the rectum. The urethra runs through the center of the prostate, from the bladder to the penis, letting urine flow out of the body. The prostate secretes fluid that nourishes and protects sperm.” Stimulating the prostate through the anus or anal play can result in a prostate orgasm! The prostate can be stimulated in lots of ways through anal play, as mentioned above (i.e. fingering, fisting, toys, and penis penetration)

Anal Play for Vulva Owners:

For vulva owners, anal play is just as pleasurable as it is for penis owners. The difference is that vulva-owners do not have a prostate; however, anal stimulation can help to achieve G-spot and A-spot stimulation and orgasm for the recipient. According to experts at Healthline:

 “The G-spot is about the size of a penny. You can usually stimulate it by making a come-hither motion with your fingers inside your vagina, or with penetration angled at your front vaginal wall. The A-spot is also located along the front vaginal wall, about two inches deeper inside the vaginal canal than the G-spot.”

While the G-spot is quite an elusive part of the vagina and the A-spot is even a little more difficult to find, they are a part of erogenous zones that make for an exciting type of orgasm. These spots can be reached through stimulation through the vagina and through the anus because of their positioning.

Prepping for Anal, Anal Tips & Aftercare:

Anal prep, tips, and aftercare are the same for vulva owners and penis owners; you just need to find the things that work for you and incorporate them into your routine. If you are the person who is on the receiving end of anal stimulation, I offer these suggestions:

1) Make sure to eat a healthy high-fiber diet and maintain good hydration, to help with easy bowel moments that are nice and solid and minimize any poop/residue when engaging in anal play. It is also important to note that is a naturally occurring bodily function and sometimes a little poop may make an appearance. No need to freak out, just keep a couple of wipes handy for easy clean-up!

2) Slow and steady is the way to go when engaging in any anal penetration. Start off either with solo anal training with a variety of toys like butt plugs, anal beads, or anal dilators/training kits and fingers to get the ball rolling!

3) Lube is your best friend! The more the better. If you are looking for recommendations on a good lube to use for your toys, we suggest using the wonderful Sliquid Sassy which is a natural, thick, water-based lubricant that is made to mimic your body’s natural lubrication. This lube is one of my favorites to use because it maintains moisture which is super important when doing any anal play. This lube is also very safe to use with toys!

Another awesome lube I would suggest using is Sliquid Satin which is an aloe and carrageenan water-based lubricant! It’s such a nice smooth feel that you will feel not only lubricated but moisturized when you use it. This lubricant is also safe to use with toys as well.

As a person who is the giver of anal stimulation, make sure that your hands, genitals, or toys you are using are cleaned, charged, and free of anything that may cause discomfort. Cutting your fingernails and keeping them low and trimmed, if engaging in fingering, is also extremely important to prevent internal cuts and microtears. Also, communicate! Talk to the person receiving and see what their wants and needs are. The person who is receiving should be taking the lead in the experience.

Anal aftercare is extremely important because, unlike the vagina, the anus’ elasticity is not the same and there are important things to remember to maintain good anal health. Some tips for aftercare and general anal wellness are:

• Communication and cuddling with your partner! This can happen before, during, and after anal. Anal stimulation and penetration can be overwhelming for some and communicating needs, feelings, and thoughts with some added gentle physical intimacy are important.

• Kegels! Like the vagina – the anus also has muscles that need to be worked out and maintained to create and keep a healthy pelvic floor. You can do anal Kegels by inserting a toy, flexing, and repeating

• CBD oil and vitamin E oil are great ways to help with any discomfort or mild pain. It is important to note that if you are bleeding or experiencing any intense pain after anal penetration, stop immediately and go to a doctor to make sure nothing more serious is wrong.

• Take a nice warm bath or shower to help with inflammation or discomfort. This can be done solo or with a partner to also create another moment of intimacy for aftercare, as well as a sexy way to clean up after play.

Anal play and anal stimulation are really fun and pleasurable aspects to add to your sexual experience. This is a friendly reminder that engaging in anal play doesn’t determine your sexual orientation. There is a lot of homophobia and cleanliness stigma around anal play but we’re here to say it’s time to stop the stigma. A lot of people are scared of what they don’t know; however, how do you know if you don’t like something if you haven’t tried it at least once? Curiosity is normal, and so is exploration – especially in sex. We hope you take this Anal August to explore and learn more about how anal can maybe be a fun addition to your solo and partnered play! #HeauxResponsibly :)