22 Things You Didn't Know About Using Anal Beads

Despite the name, anal beads are not sphincter accessories (no, you’re imagining Instagram gold huggies attached as a tail), but a category of butt-centric sex toy. The name is because the toy has bulbs on a cord, resembling beads on a string. Hey, the more you know!

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Anal beads are also a totally separate animal than butt plugs, although sometimes people confuse the two. An easy way to remember this is to just keep in mind that anal beads tend to be longer, while plugs are, like their name, shorter and y’know, plug-like. With butt plugs, the pleasure is from the feeling of fullness or heft and weight of the toy, while much of the sensation associated with anal beads is actually in the removal. Sometimes each bead gradually increases in size going up the string, and sometimes the beads are all the same size. If you’re curious about the best non-accessory of the butt play world, read on:

1. Sounds obvious, but only use things as anal beads that are specifically meant to be used as anal beads.

Unlike the vagina, things can get lost in your butt. Most anal beads come with a flared handle or loop for easy removal. Not to mention, you really only wanna be using body-safe materials anyways. Flared bases and or loops for removal are super important, notes Jaycee Chester, owner of Overkink.com, as these lessen your odds of something getting stuck. What you don’t want is a trip to the emergency room — especially nowadays.

2. When shopping for anal beads, know that you don’t have to use the entirety of the toy.

You don’t have to use the whole thing, says Chester. If you’re shopping for a set of anal beads but are turned off that they’re way longer than you feel comfy for, remember, there are no rules saying you have to stuff the entirety of the toy in your bum. You can always just use the first one or two beads if that’s more your speed.

3. If you’re going to use anal beads for the vagina, make sure to get a dedicated set for vaginal use only.

The sensation of removal from the vagina can also feel pleasurable to vulva-havers, but you should never mix and match beads for the butt with beads you use in the vagina for bacterial reasons. If you’re going to use beads in the vagina, just buy a separate set dedicated to vagina play, says Katherin Winnick, sex coach at letstalksex.net. Seriously, anal beads are not super expensive and the cost of a trip to your doctor’s office is gonna be way more.

4. Experiment with different sensations — besides insertion and removal.

A good foreplay tip is to rub the beads against you or your partner’s perineum (the area between genitals and anus) before insertion, says Winnick. Gently rubbing and massaging with the beads here can help you or a partner get used to the sensation.

You can also experiment with different kinds of anal beads. The materials used will impact the sensation as well. Glass anal beads offer more rigidity and are temperature-sensi, meaning they can heat up with your body. Silicone anal beads can have more “give” to them and offer more flexibility than glass or steel anal beads. And of course, you can always add vibration to the mix. “Yes, a basic anal bead is great, but I didn’t know joy until I found a vibrating anal bead,” adds Chester.

5. Time the removal to sync upwith an orgasm for maximum oomph.

Since the removal of anal beads is what makes them so pleasurable, try to time the removal of the beads to sync up with you or your partner’s orgasm. At the first signs of orgasm, start pulling the beads out one-by-one with a deliberate, consistent, and not-too-slow motion, says Winnick. Doing so will help to heighten the sensation of muscle contraction with a climax.

6. Make sure the lube you’re using is compatible with whatever anal beads you’re using.

While silicone lube is usually better for butt stuff than water-based lubes, you can’t use silicone lubes with silicone anal beads (which is what the majority of anal beads are made of), as it can degrade the material. Therefore, it might help to work backwards and choose an anal bead that works with silicone lubes (like one that’s made of glass or steel for example). Chester says she normally recommends using an anal bead that’s safe to use with silicone-based lubes as well. Since you’ll need a lot of lube (your anus doesn’t self-lubricate), silicone lubes that are thicker and don’t dry out as quickly as water-based lubes are worth it.

If you already have a set of silicone beads, don’t stress. You can’t use silicone lube, but you can always go for a thicker, anal-friendly water-based lube too!

7. Try them in the shower.

Stella Harris, certified sex coach, explains that this is often a good way to experiment with anal beads if you’re hesitant about any potential mess. Since water ≠ lube, make sure you use a good silicone lube. If the anal beads you’re using are also silicone, you’ll want to use a condom over them as silicone on silicone is a bad idea. Or, you can use a glass or steel toy — two materials that also allow for temperature play opportunities too.

8. Don’t forget to sanitize your lube container afterwards!

If you grab for more lube while you’ve already used your hands for anal play, you really want to sanitize and clean the actual container and packaging afterwards too. Harris also suggests investing in an automatic lube dispenser, or filling a disposable dixie cup with the lube you’ll need for each session ahead of time, and then disposing of it afterwards.

9. It’s not the same as a butt plug.

A butt plug provides a totally different sensation than anal beads. Alicia Sinclair, a sex educator as well as the founder and CEO of b-Vibe, explains that butt plugs are meant to go in your anus and stay in, while beads provide stimulation by being moved in and out of your butt. Whereas beads are supposed to be inserted one at a time for the same feeling of “fullness” from a butt plug, half the fun of beads is also the removal. You can pull them out and pop them back in again and again. The movement will stimulate the nerve endings of your sphincter to feel like you’re basically massaging your b-hole.

Shop Now Anal Beads, Babeland, $17

10. Don’t go cheap with anal beads — you want something you’re going to feel safe tugging on to remove.

Sinclair says to stay away from any cheap plastic anal beads with a thin, fabric string, as there’s no way to clean them and they harbor bacteria.

11. Silicone anal beads are the best material for beginners to start with.

Sinclair says it’s body-safe, nonporous, and will be the easiest to clean. To clean silicone, all you really need is mild soap and warm water. Anal beads are also available with more rigid beads, like a stainless steel or glass wand.

Shop Now Stainless Steel Wand, NJOY (Available at Babeland), $95

12. Go solo.

Sinclair always suggests newbies try anal beads alone first. “It’s always a great idea to try something new out by yourself first, so you know what you like and don’t like.” There’s a lot less pressure when it’s just you. If you do try it with a partner, make sure everyone has discussed it beforehand and that both of you are comfortable.

13. Start small!

Kenna Cook, sex educator and pleasure professional at O.school says that sometimes when trying out new toys, your eyes can be bigger than your anus. A set of anal beads will normally start small, with each bead gradually getting larger and larger. Sinclair says she recommends beginners try something with just three or four small to medium beads. You don’t want to make any promises your anus can’t keep.

14. Go slow and use lots of lube.

Cook says to go very slowly when inserting and removing the beads. Don’t just rip it out! “Slow in and slow out! They are completely different sensations. Be gentle with your anal tissues since the anus does not create its own lubrication and too much friction can cause tearing.” For silicone anal beads, use water-based lube. If your beads are glass or metal, you can also use silicone lube. Sinclair recommends using lube both on your body, as well as applying some to the actual beads themselves, to make things as easy and pleasurable as possible.

15. Don’t forget to take deep breaths.

Rachel Gelman, DPT, PT, a pelvic floor physical therapist, says that with anything anal, the trick is to go slow, get good lube, and practice deep breathing. She explains that breathing from your diaphragm will help you relax your pelvic floor, which will make the whole experience “easier”. To see if you are breathing from your diaphragm, you can put one hand on your upper chest, and one over your belly button as you breathe in through your nose. The hand on your belly button should move first, and your chest should move as little as possible.

16. Use a condom with your anal beads if you’re using them with more than one person.

Sinclair also recommends using a condom if the toy is made of a hazardous, porous material like jelly, to create a protective barrier. If you’re sharing the toy with your partner, you can also change a new condom over the toy when you switch between partners. You’ll still be able to ~feel~ each bead with a condom, and it makes cleanup slightly easier. Make sure the condom doesn’t have any numbing agents (pain is your body’s way of knowing when to chill) and doesn’t have silicone-based lube on it.

17. Baby wipes are going to be your new best friend.

Any “mess” really depends on how well you know your own body and digestive system. Sinclair says if you want to clean up before using anal beads, you have a variety of choices. If you’re looking for a quick clean, you can just use alcohol-free, unscented, hypoallergenic baby wipes; if you have some time, you can try to have a bowel movement 30-60 minutes beforehand and then wash your anal area with soap and warm water. Afterwards, you can use those baby wipes again to clean up. Sinclair also suggests taking an Epsom salt bath afterwards, as it can feel purifying and pampering for sore muscles.

18. Thoroughly wash your toys and do your laundry right afterwards.

Sinclair says your anus contains specific bacteria that shouldn’t be shared, so wash any dirty towels or sheets, dispose of any used latex barriers, and thoroughly wash your toys with soapy hot water. Don’t let that stuff sit around.

19. There are several different ways to use anal beads.

Sinclair says you can try taking them out as you near climax for a whole new different take on orgasms, or use anal beads as a warm up before sex. Sinclair says you can leave them in safely for about 2-3 hours. But don’t go overboard, and like, fall asleep with them in.

20. Try vibration.

Cook recommends b-Vibe’s remote controlled vibrating anal beads for added sensation, or placing a small bullet vibrator on the flared base of your anal beads, or around the tissues of your anus. Just don’t stick a vibrator or anything without a flared base in your anus! Sinclair adds that vibration can help you ease into anal beads since the vibration can help your sphincter muscles relax.

Shop Now Vibrating Anal Beads, b-Vibe, $140

21. Get comfortable with the smallest bead before you move onto a larger size.

Sinclair says to insert and remove the smallest bead a couple times to warm up before moving onto a larger bead.

22. Don’t be afraid to multitask.

Sinclair says that since anal beads can be worn hands-free, you can use your free hands for other erotic matters. Masturbate with a toy, play with your nipples, get handsy with a partner, you do you! You can also wear anal beads during penetrative sex — Sinclair says the beads can provide an “extra pleasurable sensation or both partners.”

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