"My boyfriend has convinced me to try anal sex. What advice can you give me?"

The anus is a highly underrated erogenous zone, which with a few simple precautions, can bring you a lot of pleasure.

- This is a very sensitive area, so use a good-quality lubricant.
- Use a condom, as you would during vaginal sex, to avoid passing on STDs.
- Make sure you do not use the same condom for anal and vaginal penetration. Bacteria living in the anus can cause serious infections if passed to the vagina, so be very careful. If you don't use condoms, make sure your partner washes his penis thoroughly with soap and water, before vaginal intercourse.

As long as you are both completely comfortable with the idea and follow the suggestions above, there is no reason why anal sex should not be enjoyable for both partners.

Maude Julien, Sex Therapist