The Butt – A Manual

Butts get a lot of attention and are a good tool to increase someone’s libido. Mostly the attention is focused on the outside, the shape. Less thought is put towards what is in between the butt cheeks, because shameful poop comes from there. It’s important however to know what goes on there and on the inside of your body, not only to tackle health issues but also to get maximum pleasure from anal sex, with the least amount of discomfort.

Anatomy of the butt
In between the cheeks there is the anus. It looks wrinkled and consists of folds of skin which can be stretched. The anus is surrounded by little hairs, but the amount, color and coarseness differ from one person to the next. The anus consist of two sphincters which are on top of each other and together are about four centimeters (1.5 inches) thick. The outer one is under your control and you can make it contract and relax at will. The inner one is controlled by your autonomic nervous system. You can only influence its actions indirectly. Normally it serves to let you hold things in without any conscious effort, allowing you to walk around without a diaper. When you need to go to the toilet, the inner sphincter signals its desire to relax, your outer sphincter blocks the proceedings until you’ve found an appropriate place. If you mean to put something inside your butt, you will need to work at relaxing the inner muscle as well as the outer one. You can do this by taking a couple of deep breaths (but beware of hyperventilation) or by massaging the muscle with a finger and letting tension flowing out of your entire body as much as possible.

Above these sphincters is the rectum. This is a somewhat s-shaped tube that is fifteen to twenty centimeters long (six to eight inches). This passageway is less sensitive to touch than the skin folds of the anus but does respond to pressure. The rectum leads into the lowest (again s-shaped) part of the colon (the sigmoid). About the length of an index finger inside the butt, towards the front of the body, you can feel a nub. This is the prostate, lined up against the side of the rectum. Not all men enjoy having it massaged (gently) with a finger or dick, but for many it is a pleasantly sensitive spot that gives a strong physical reaction when getting fucked.

On the outside, between the anus and balls, is a combination of skin and muscles which looks like a little ridge. This is called the perineum. Its muscles are connected to both the dick and the butt. Light pressure on this spot can be conducive to a hard-on and give a more intense orgasm.

“Sometimes you run into a guy who has a beautiful ass, but is only a top. Isn’t that a waste? It should be illegal. By the way: same goes for men who have a fantastic dick but are only bottom.”
– Matthew

Maintenance
There are various kinds of butts and some of the differences come with some problems. If the cheeks are naturally full and close together, the skin in between will be very warm and moist. This can lead to irritation, eczema and fungal infections. These can be treated with special creams, but prevention is better. Regularly use water to clean the sensitive skin between the cheeks, possibly combined with a soap-free washing lotion. Aggressive soap can lead to irritation. Use soft toilet paper and don’t be too rough when wiping: this can cause little wounds which can become infected. Be careful if you’re using a salve or cream between your butt-cheeks. Many are oil-based, which makes them incompatible with using a condom. Be sure to wash it away if you’re planning to get probed in the near future.

Don’t push too hard when you’re on the toilet. Let your intestines take their time to drop off their freight outside and don’t rush it. Forcing it increases the chances of developing hemorrhoids. These are blood vessels that bulge out from the side of the rectum because they have been put under high pressure. Sometimes the hemorrhoids can be seen on the outside of the anus. They can disappear by themselves, and a salve can be used to lessen the pain in the meantime. But sometimes they will have to be treated. In serious cases, an operation may be necessary. Generally a procedure involving placing a small elastic band around the hemorrhoid with special equipment in a hospital will suffice. After the procedure it atrophies and falls off. The hemorrhoid may return over time however.

Having discomfort near your anus doesn’t necessarily mean you have hemorrhoids. It could also be an anal fissure, which is a little tear in the skin around the anus. There are various things that can cause such a tear, including forcing the sphincter and constipation. Considering how vulnerable and moist the skin is there, healing can take quite a while and the fissure may tear open again, even after several months. To prevent this, it’s important that your stool isn’t too hard. Make sure you head for the toilet pretty soon after you start feeling the urge, and be aware of what you eat.

Moving right along
A proper diet isn’t just important for your health but also impacts your sex life if anal sex is a part of it. Neither stool which is too soft nor stool which is too hard is practical; the first can be messy, and the second may cause fissures or hemorrhoids. Some men prepare for getting topped by carefully cleaning their ass on the inside as well as the outside (look here for further information). But you may not always have the opportunity to do it. So for those times when you can’t or don’t want to flush (as well as for your general health) the best thing to do is to aim for a good medium in stool consistency, by eating consciously and properly. When it comes to regular bowel movements — which keep you clean naturally — the most important factor is eating a lot of fiber. This is found in, among other things, beans, nuts, vegetables, peas, whole-wheat products, certain fresh fruits (like apples and bananas) and dried fruit (like prunes and raisins). A regular eating schedule will help you have regular movements as well. Be sure to get enough exercise and drink enough fluids, about 1.5 liters per day.

“Okay, so my insides were a bit rumbly one night, but I decided to get fucked anyway. Cork and bottle. Shall I just leave it at that?”
– Marco

Anal sex: healthy or unhealthy?
A common misconception about anal sex is that it permanently loosens the muscles in your ass. In reality, someone who gets fucked now and then will have a stronger sphincter because he learns how to consciously relax and contract it. Irreversible stretching will only occur if the muscles get stretched to the point that they can’t quite recover from it, such as when someone gets fisted regularly or seeks out and challenges the limits of what he can fit into his ass.

When it comes to STDs, anal sex is more susceptible to infection. The tissue of the gut is thin and vulnerable. Its cells are specialized in the absorption of nutrients, but unfortunately they also welcome viruses and STDs quite easily. The outer layer of cells, in particular, is an ideal nesting place for HIV, so any exposure to it should be avoided. Look here for more information about HIV.

Should you want to insert any sex toy anally, check beforehand what kind of material it was made from. Research has shown that some of the substances used to make toys can cause cancer. Especially chemicals called ‘phthalates’ have a bad reputation; they are used to soften plastic as well as being an ingredient in pesticide, among other things. Because the chemical components of a toy aren’t always stated clearly, it’s generally best to put a condom over toys if the shape allows. This also speeds up the clean-up.

Finally, it’s important to note that you can’t feel pain in your gut, only pressure. This means that you can damage something there without noticing it right away. The alarms bells won’t go off until blood shows up in your stool. Be very careful if you’re fisting or fucking and don’t try to persevere if you feel discomfort at your anus or deeper inside. Not forcing your body will prevent you from having to deal with unpleasantness afterwards.

Last edit: 20-11-2018 Dutch version here.

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