Women’s Favorite Pleasing Anal Touching Techniques

There is a wealth of research on anal sex, specifically penile anal sex. However, most studies only focus on topics such as how many people are doing it and the risks associated with this activity (i.e., sexually transmitted infections). Additionally, many studies focus only on men who have sex with men. However, we know that the anus is filled with sensory nerve endings and stimulating it can trigger sexual arousal and orgasm in people of different genders and sexual orientations [1]so it’s surprising that researchers haven’t paid much attention to the various ways people engage in anal stimulation and pleasure-related techniques.

So, what do we know about how women (and their partners) use anal stimulation to enhance pleasure? Let’s explore it.

Anal Pleasure Strategies for Women

One-third to one-half of women report having some form Before anal stimulation or touching. There are many ways people can explore this part of the body and gain pleasure beyond penile penetration, but there’s not a lot of data on different techniques.

However, an article published in PLOS ONE by Devon Hensel, Ph.D., and colleagues describe three different ways women find pleasure in anal touch. Based on reports from more than 3,000 U.S. women ages 18 to 93, researchers identified three common anal pleasure strategies: 1) anal surface, 2) anal shallowing, and 3) anal pairing [2].

1) Anal surface treatment

The anal surface involves touching and “the anus is reconceptualized as a flat erogenous zone”. In other words, the anus can be stimulated without penetration by stroking, applying pressure, or otherwise touching the anus without entering the body. Many people report doing this with their partner’s fingers or penis. Almost half of women said they enjoyed this non-penetrative anal stimulation.

2) The anus becomes shallow

As perhaps evident from the name, anal superficialization involves shallow entry into the anus, usually just inside the anal opening. Using a toy, fingers, or penis, anal shallowing involves penetration no deeper than the fingertip. About 35% of women who enjoy anal sex say the stimulation is pleasurable.

3) Anal pairing

Women also describe anal stimulation as pleasurable when combined with other types of stimulation (such as vaginal penetration, clitoral stimulation, etc.), which is called anal pairing. Likewise, almost half of women said this pairing technique was pleasurable, and some said it made orgasm easier.

Understand the importance of anal stimulation techniques

These stimulation techniques are important to many women’s sexual enjoyment, with nearly 40% of women stating that anal stimulation provides a unique pleasure compared to other forms of stimulation, and nearly 30% claiming that it makes their orgasms more intense. These findings tell us that although there is a strong focus on penile-anal insertive sex, other forms of anal sex are quite common and enjoyable for many women. Women can choose to engage in any or all of these acts on their own or with a partner, and can involve hands, penis, or toys. We also know that anal surfacing, shallowing, and pairing isn’t an exhaustive list of all the options available to those interested in further exploring their bodies, but it does help open up conversations that go beyond traditional ideas of anal sex.

It’s also important to note that it’s perfectly acceptable not to enjoy these types of stimulation, and it’s okay if a woman doesn’t have the desire to do so. Anal stimulation isn’t suitable for everyone, as everyone’s body is different and some women find it constantly painful (and not in a good way) [3]. If engaging in such activities is not pleasurable for you, realize that there are many other erogenous zones on our bodies that can be explored and focus on what brings you pleasure.

As Dr. Hensel, the lead author of the new study, explains, understanding and naming the techniques women use to bring themselves pleasure is crucial because it gives women easy-to-understand terms for how they relate to their partners. Communicate about what feels good or what activities they want to do and enjoy exploring. This communication is crucial given that many women report not experiencing pleasure when they first try anal stimulation. Many women said it was something they came to enjoy over time, citing things like having a partner they could reach out to, feeling emotionally close to their partner, and getting enough warm-up. It is an important factor in their discovery of the anus. pleasure.

If you’d like to learn more about this work, check out our podcast with Dr. Hensel, “What Women Feel About Anal Sex.” For more information, check out our blog post “Do Women Like Anal Sex?”

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refer to:

1. Agnew, J. (2000) Anal manipulation as a source of sexual pleasure. Venereology, 13(4).
2. Hensel, DJ, von Hippel, CD, Lapage, CC, & Perkins, RH (2022). Women’s techniques for obtaining pleasure from anal touch: Results from a probability sample of U.S. women aged 18-93 years. PLOS One, No. 17(6), e0268785–e0268785.
3. Herbenick, D., Schick, V., Sanders, SA, Reece, M., & Fortenberry, JD (2015). Pain experienced during vaginal and anal intercourse with other sex partners: Results from a nationally representative probability study in the United States. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 12(4), 1040-1051.

Image from Hensel et al. (2022); Graphic made with Canva