The anus has a lot of nerve endings, so anal sex can be pleasurable to both the man and the woman. That said, it also comes with a lot of risk. If you want a healthy sex life, you absolutely must know how to have anal sex safely. It’s true that no one has ever gotten pregnant from anal sex—but many, many people have contracted sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) this way.

In fact, anal sex carries with it a much greater risk of passing on sexually transmitted diseases than vaginal sex. Because the anus isn’t made to be penetrated, the chances of a small tear occurring are much higher, and that little opening is like a welcome mat to diseases. Condoms offer protection, but condoms are more likely to break or come off during anal sex, so this form of sex is definitely riskier unless both parties are absolutely disease free.

In order to perform anal sex safely, you must follow certain guidelines.

  • The first guideline has to do with cleanliness. The basic purpose of the anus is to keep fecal matter, which is full of germs, inside the colon until the time arrives to release it. Obviously, merely wiping the area with some tissue isn’t going to remove all the germs, so you must wash the area thoroughly.

  • Many folds exist on the inside of the anus, so even an enema won’t necessarily remove all germs; therefore, you must definitely use a condom during anal sex.

  • Because the anus was not designed to be penetrated from the outside, you need to use a lubricant to help keep the anal tissue from ripping.

  • Of course, you must never insert the penis into the vagina after anal sex without first removing (or switching) the condom.