Oral and Anal Sex Risks

[Harry from Hogwarts]

Hi everyone,

Not to be too blunt but I read another post somewhere on this board that talks about people having oral and anal sex because they want to avoid pregnancy, but they don't think about STDs with these sexual practices. Is anal sex really as much a risk for STDs as regular intercourse? What are some precautions?

[Saint Savior]

Use of lubricants with anal sex could increase risk of HIV

Links to an article that details research showing anal sex is 20X riskier for STDs than vaginal sex. The anus is very tight, not self-lubricating like the vagina, and the thin tissue is easily torn and ripped. An absolute must with anal sex is using condoms.

A recent study (Dezutti et al.) found that using lubricants with anal sex - an understandable practice to make things more comfortable- can actually increase the risk for STDs. It may be because many lubricants have properties that make them toxic to cells, thereby increasing irritation, stripping away protective cell layers, and so on. The research linked above showed two specific lubricants, PRÉ and Wet Platinum, to be safer than some other common brands.

[Frederick]

You know, I don't think I ever really associated STDs with anal sex, just like I never thought much about oral sex as a risk. Makes sense, although I would never have guessed the risk with anal sex is so much greater than vaginal intercourse. I hear ya about the anus being tight, not lubed, etc. but man, "20x greater risk"?

[Saint Savior]

I hear ya about the anus being tight, not lubed, etc. but man, "20x greater risk"?

This is a big number, for sure. One of the issues with anal sex is the skin is kinda thin and, given the lack of natural lube, can tear and bleed easily. This torn skin, presence of blood, etc. increases the risk when exposed to STDs.

For more on risk reduction go to http://getstdtested.com/forum/hiv/145-hiv-faqs.html