Is having anal sex harmful

However, there can be risks associated with anal sex other than sexually transmitted infections STIs , so it's important to take steps to minimize these risks. Researchers say adequate application of a personal lubricant, relaxation, and communication between sexual partners are crucial to avoid pain or damage to the anus or rectum. Steps to safer anal sex include: Gay Men and Anal Eroticism: The study group comprised of 4, adult men and women who answered questions regarding anal sex and fecal incontinence. More specifically, the penile circumference girth is the important size to know, since the length seems irrelevant for the purpose of dilation. Anal sex has been more accepted in modern times; it is often considered a natural, pleasurable form of sexual expression.

Retrieved April 30, Retrieved December 15, Journal of Sex Research. In Japan, records including detailed shunga show that some males engaged in penetrative anal intercourse with males, [] and evidence suggestive of widespread male-female anal intercourse in a pre-modern culture can be found in the erotic vases, or stirrup-spout pots, made by the Moche people of Peru; in a survey, of a collection of these pots, it was found that 31 percent of them depicted male-female anal intercourse significantly more than any other sex act. The Larco Museum houses an erotic gallery in which this pottery is showcased.