Read The Anal Sex Position Guide Online
Authors: Tristan Taormino
The Anal Sex Position Guide (12 page)
Glass:
Glass toys are hard, smooth, and beautiful. Many people consider them works of art in addition to being great sex toys, and many of the designs are simply stunning. One of the best things about glass is its incredible surface; even the best quality silicone toy will have some “drag” to it when you run your fingers along it, but not glass. People also like it because it has some weight to it. Glass is seamless and compatible with all kinds of lubricants. Make sure to buy glass toys from a reputable manufacturer and confirm that the toy is made of medical-grade borosilicate or Pyrex, a brand name that has become synonymous with heat- and shock-resistant glass. A properly made borosilicate toy can withstand up to 3,000 pounds of pressure as well as extreme heat and cold. To care for your glass toys, clean them with hot water and antibacterial soap or a sex toy cleaner; store them in a soft, cushioned bag to protect them; and if they ever develop a chip or nick, stop using them immediately.
Stainless steel and other metals:
For folks who like a smooth, firm, solid toy, metal toys offer a variety of styles as well as weights. They’re durable, nonporous, and conduct hot and cold temperatures nicely. There are a variety of metal toys on the market, made of aluminum or stainless steel, and some are hollow while others are solid metal. Like glass, these toys create an amazingly smooth sensation for penetration and lube clings to them nicely (all lubes work with them). Metal can be cleaned with hot water and antibacterial soap, diluted bleach, alcohol, or by being placed in the top rack of the dishwasher without detergent. Metal toys must be dried completely to prevent rusting. Store them away from light, and in their own soft bag or a sock, to protect them from other toys.
Why Does My Sex Toy Feel Slimy and Smell?
Phthalates are added to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to make it more pliable, so they are often found in soft plastic things, like toys made for small children, animals, and sexual pleasure. Vinyl sex toys containing these chemicals are among the most inexpensive and widely available on the market. But while their texture makes them ideal insertables, it turns out that what makes them enjoyable may also make them toxic. Because phthalate-spiked PVC is not a stable, inert compound, these toys continually leach phthalates, which can cause a nasty odor, a greasy film, and, for many people, genital irritation. In studies on mice and rats, high levels of phthalates have been linked to reproductive organ damage, liver damage, and liver cancer; however, there have been no conclusive studies on human beings. There’s been enough media coverage about the issue and dialogue among retailers and consumers that many toy manufacturers have begun advertising products as “phthalate-free.” If you’re concerned about what’s in your sex toys, do some research and ask the store where you’re buying toys about what materials they are made of.
Whatever design and material you choose, there’s one thing you must keep in mind: in order for a toy to be safe for anal penetration, it must have either a flared base or a handle of some kind. Have you ever heard a rumor about someone getting something lost in their ass and heading to the emergency room? These stories are the stuff of urban legends, but they also contain some truth: Things can get lost in your butt! Unlike the vagina, which has the cervix to bump up against and prevent something from going any farther, there is no such barrier in your ass. Plus, your ass will often begin rhythmic contractions during the arousal process and these movements can “suck” a toy inside you. If there’s nothing to stop it—such as a flared base or handle—it will just keep going, your sphincters will contract around it, and you’ll be in a jam. So, make sure you keep the toys without bases for vaginal use only.
Anal beads come in many different varieties. One particular style used to be the most abundant and inexpensive: hard plastic beads on a nylon or cotton string. If you see those, steer clear of them: They are cheaply made, impossible to clean properly, and potentially unsafe (because the plastic usually has rough edges or seams). You want to look for an anal bead toy, which is one continuous piece of rubber or silicone. I recommend silicone
because it warms to body temperature and can be easily disinfected with a sex toy cleaner or warm water and antibacterial soap. Some bead toys have beads that are all the same size and others graduate in size; pick a size and style that appeals to you.
What fans of anal beads love about them is the ability to experience one particular sensation several times over—when the sphincter muscles relax, the anus opens up, a bead slides in, and the muscles close around it. (Some toys have five beads, others as many as ten.) Make sure to lube each part of the bead toy and go slowly as you insert each part. The fun thing about them is that once you have a portion or the entire length of the beads in your ass, you can pull the toy out all at once, creating an entirely different sensation! Some people like to pull it out just before orgasm, to push them over the edge, while others wait until after they’ve come. Experiment and see what works best for you.
Anal bead toy
Look for ones made of a continuous piece of rubber or silicone, they’re safer and easier to clean than their plastic or nylon-beads-on-a-string counterparts.
Butt plugs are made especially for anal play; they are designed to go in your ass and stay there. It’s a deceptively simple concept, but one that is very gratifying for a lot of people. Plugs come in a variety of styles and materials but most stick to a few basic shapes. The classic teardrop plug is tapered at the top, pear shaped in the middle with a well-defined wide part, has a very slim neck underneath that for the sphincters to close around, and a round or oval base at the bottom. The bubble or ripple style usually has multiple bubble-shaped sections (in the same size or graduated sizes) that descend into the narrow neck and flared base. The mushroom-shaped plug has a thick mushroom cap head, a neck that’s narrower than the head but not as narrow as on the other two styles, and an oval-shaped base.
For those folks who like the feeling of having something in their ass—a sensation of fullness, “stretching,” or pressure—without any in-and-out movement, a butt plug is the ideal toy. Unless the plug is the size of one finger, you always want to warm up with a finger or two before inserting it. Make sure it is well-lubed and never push too hard or force it inside. Take your time. Ease it all the way in and feel the sphincter muscles close around the neck.
Butt plugs
The classic teardrop (left) and the mushroom-shaped (right) plugs are just two of the many shapes and sizes from which to choose.
Butt plugs are great for solo play as well as perfect tools for warmup. Some people like to slide a butt plug in, then move on to other activities such as oral sex, vaginal penetration, or mutual masturbation. After the plug has been in for a little while, slide it out and you’ll find the ass is aroused, open, and ready for something bigger.
An inflatable butt plug is just what it sounds like: a hollow plug (usually made of latex) attached to a bulb you squeeze with your hand to push air into and inflate it. Some inflatable butt plugs also have vibrators in their bases. Some people like inflatable plugs because they can gradually work their way up from a slim toy to a sizable one without having to shell out the money for four different-sized plugs! They can track their progress, and one toy can suit their different desires. Other people like the unique feeling of something expanding while it’s inside their ass. As with all kinds of anal play, don’t try to rush things with this kind of toy—take your time. Use common sense and never over-inflate one of these bad boys. Make sure you first inflate it outside the body, and note how many squeezes of the inflating pump it can take, because you don’t want to find out its limit while it’s up your butt.
Dildos are phallic-shaped toys designed especially for vaginal and anal penetration. Talk about an embarrassment of riches: Dildos come in so many different varieties, you can actually be overwhelmed by the selection in some stores! They range from the size of one large finger to the size of a tall can of soda, and their lengths and widths vary tremendously; select one that suits your tastes. As previously discussed, you can find one that looks and feels like a human penis or a fanciful, brightly colored one to match your nail polish. Some dildos are completely smooth all the way around; some are smooth with a defined head. Others have raised or indented bumps, ridges, rings, studs, and other patterns and textures to create extra sensations as they move inside you.
If you like in-and-out penetration in your ass, then dildos are the right tools for the job. Dildos that are straight but flexible and those that curve up from the base are well suited to anal penetration because they nicely mirror the curve of the rectum and you can stimulate the G-spot or prostate with them. You can use them alone, with a partner, as a prelude to intercourse, or as the main event—it’s completely up to you. If you’d like to use a dildo with a strap-on harness, read the next chapter for plenty of tips and techniques.
Dildos
If you’re looking for G-spot or prostate stimulation during anal sex look for dildos that curve up from the base.
Double Penetration Toys
For women who like to have both orifices penetrated at the same time, there are some toys designed to double your fun. These dildos and vibrators have two shafts, one for vaginal penetration and the other for anal penetration. A few of the “rabbit-style” dual-action vibrators have two shafts or an extra attachment for anal penetration. Some double-ended dildos—which are usually extra-long dildos meant to be shared by two partners, one at either end—are flexible enough to fold one end back and use for double penetration. If your partner wants to be able to penetrate you in both places at once with a strap-on, try the Menage-A-Trois Harness, a strap-on harness with two holes, one for a penis (or dildo) for the vagina and another for a penis (or dildo) for the ass.
For some people, if it doesn’t vibrate, it doesn’t do the trick. Vibration not only feels good, but it’s also a proven way to relax muscles, so vibrating toys are great for anal penetration. There are butt plugs and dildos that vibrate, and some come with a removable vibrator so you can have the best of both worlds. There are vibrating probes made and marketed especially for anal play. Some not only vibrate but are bendable to allow for the perfect angle. Some are long and slender and the shaft rotates as it vibrates. Just as with dildos, vibrating toys that are curved are ideal for prostate and indirect G-spot stimulation during anal penetration.
One word of warning: Many vibrating toys are designed especially for vaginal and/or clitoral use, including vibrating bullets, smooth slimlines (which resemble an oversized lipstick top), and dual-action vibrators. Dual-action vibrators are made for vaginal penetration with an attachment for clitoral stimulation; the most well-known is “the rabbit,” made popular by
Sex and the City
and named for the bunny whose ears vibrate against the clitoris while the toy is inside the woman. The rabbit, and other vibes like it, should not be used anally because the base of the toy, which contains buttons and other controls, is not flared. Same goes for the slimline-style vibrators. Vibrating bullets are attached to the controls by a thin wire, which could technically snap off, causing the bullet to get lost in the rectum; for that reason, I don’t recommend it for anal play.