How to prepare for anal sex

The short version: comfortable anal sex is almost entirely about preparation and pace, not any special skill. That means basic hygiene, the right lubricant in generous amounts, working up gradually with fingers or a small toy before anything larger, and treating any discomfort as a signal to slow down or stop rather than push through. Below is the fuller walkthrough.

Talk about it first, outside the moment

A short conversation beforehand — what you're curious about, what's off the table, what a stop signal will be — makes everything that follows easier and safer. This isn't a formality; anal sex has a real learning curve, and both people knowing that going in removes a lot of unnecessary pressure to get it right the first time.

Hygiene, kept simple

A normal shower beforehand is enough for most people; elaborate routines aren't necessary and can sometimes cause irritation. If it's a specific concern, going to the bathroom an hour or two before and staying reasonably hydrated tends to help more than anything more involved. Whatever your routine, keep expectations realistic — it's a normal part of the body, not something that needs to be sterile.

Lube is not optional

Unlike vaginal sex, the anus doesn't self-lubricate, so using plenty of lubricant isn't a nice-to-have, it's the difference between comfortable and painful. Use a water-based or silicone-based lube — but if you're using silicone toys, stick to water-based, since silicone lube can degrade silicone toy material over time. Reapply generously and often; running low mid-session is one of the most common causes of unexpected pain.

Start smaller than you think you need to

Working up gradually — a finger, then a small toy, then something larger, over one session or several — lets the muscles involved relax and adjust rather than being asked to do that all at once. There's no schedule to hit here; some people are ready to progress in minutes, others need several sessions, and neither is wrong.

Relaxation matters more than technique

Tension is the biggest physical obstacle, so anything that helps the receiving partner relax — a comfortable, low-pressure setting, plenty of foreplay first, controlling the pace and depth themselves rather than being on the receiving end of someone else's rhythm — tends to matter more than any specific move. Positions that let the receiving partner control depth and speed, at least for a first few times, are usually the easiest starting point.

What to keep on hand

A generous, compatible lube and, if you're using toys, ones with a flared base designed for anal use are the essentials. If ordering online feels like a hurdle, our discreet shipping guide covers how to order without unwanted packaging, and our guide to cleaning and storing toys covers hygiene between uses, which matters more for anal-use toys than almost any other category. Condoms are also worth keeping in the mix — see our full breakdown of STI risk by sex act for why this act specifically carries a comparatively higher HIV transmission risk.

Afterward

Mild, brief tenderness afterward can be normal, especially early on; anything sharp, ongoing, or involving bleeding beyond a small amount is worth mentioning to a doctor rather than assuming it will resolve on its own. A quick check-in with your partner about what felt good and what didn't makes the next time easier than the first.

How common this actually is (Canadian data)

In the 2019 Trojan/SIECCAN study of Canadian university students, 27.1% of men and 12.6% of women reported anal intercourse during their most recent sexual encounter (this measures whether it happened, not who was insertive or receptive, and includes gay, bisexual, and straight students together). A larger study of 28,500 students across 41 Canadian institutions found about 37% had ever had anal sex, with 8.2% in the past 30 days specifically — so trying it once doesn't mean it becomes a regular part of every encounter.

Among gay and bisexual Canadian men specifically, rates run considerably higher: a general health survey found 44% had anal sex with a man in the past year, while a survey that recruits from gay/bi communities found 78.8% in just the past 6 months — a real gap driven by who each survey reaches, not a contradiction. See our full Canadian sex-research stats for the detailed breakdown by population and an honest note on what we couldn't find (there's no published Canadian statistic for married or heterosexual couples specifically, despite at least one national survey having asked).