If you’ve been following along, you’ll know that we have reached part 3 of our 3 part exploration of anal play. We have learned how to prep ourselves and our partner and how to execute the act when trying it out for the first time. Today we will learn about how to maintain a healthy anus.
Maintaining a healthy butthole is important, especially if anal play becomes a regular part of your sexy time routine. You’ll remember the basic anatomy of the anus from the first video: 2 sphincters, the inner controlled by the autonomic nervous system while the outer is yours to clench and unclench as you please.
Step 1 to keeping a clean butthole is to eat healthily. Since the anus is the escape route for digested food, the healthier the food you eat, the healthier the anus will be. Healthy-butt foods include whole grains, beans, veggies and fruit, dried fruit and nuts. Non-healthy-butt foods include dairy, bananas (who knew?), junk food and red meat.
Step 2 is *drumroll please* wash your ass! A bidet attachment for your toilet seat or flushable baby wipes will keep you clean and fresh after every bowel movement. In the shower, all that is needed is a rinse of soap and water. Some people actually use anal douches for a “deep clean”, but it is important to remember that the anus, like the stomach and the mouth, contains healthy bacteria. Douching will remove this bacteria.
If you have watched the entire series of videos and anal play has become a mainstay in your sexytime routine, then invest some time in Step 3: Kegel exercises. A Kegel is a manual tightening and loosening of pelvic muscles. These exercises if performed regularly can maintain tightness in both the vagina and anus.
Step 4 is to drink lots of water! Water intake keeps you from becoming constipated. If you are properly hydrated, your bowel movements should be firm and smooth. If they tend to be hard or painful, your butthole can sustain tearing which can lead to infection. If you notice soreness in your anal area, move onto Step 5: Schedule an appointment. A medical professional will take a peek between your cheeks and make sure everything is ok in there.
Prevent anal tearing by keeping it moisturized. Step 6 recommends a layer of coconut oil rubbed directly on the anus daily which has anti-fungal properties. Anal play, however, requires something more slippery. Dr. Doe recommends investing in a high-quality water or silicone based lube.
Step 7: Wear condoms. Participation in anal play increases the likelihood of this transmission by 30% due to the anus being very absorbent. This partition between the skin (or toy) and the anus will decrease the transmission of sexual diseases.
If you experience anal discomfort, step 8 recommends that you take baths! A 10-20 minute bath per day will soothe irritation and increase circulation to your nether regions. If you aren’t a bath person, even a quick Sitz bath can help ease soreness. Add some baking soda or Epsom’s salt and soak in hip depth water for 5 minutes or so. This combination relieves a number of conditions such as constipation, diarrhea, and hemorrhoids.
Dr. Doe concludes that even if you don’t regularly engage in anal play, it’s still important to take care of your butthole! You only have one!