Fridae

One man liked to rim his partner but only after he sprayed the area with his favorite cologne. His partner came to see me with a terrible skin allergy around his anus. The skin was red and cracked and burned terribly. We traced the allergy to the cologne.

Intro
Rimming (anilingus) is a form of oral sex whereby you kiss, lick or probe your partner's anus with your tongue. The very idea repulses some while exciting others. Not everyone rims and it is your choice whether or not to partake.

Physiology
The skin around your anus is rich in sensory nerves that, when stimulated, can drive you (or your partner) wild. There are no sensory nerves for pleasure more than an inch or two inside your anus. When you gently stimulate these nerves around your anus, your sphincter muscles contract and your anus twitches. No, this isn't some type of anal seizure.

Technique
Gently lick the skin around your partner's anus. You can even probe gently inside with your tongue. Beware of teeth and biting because the skin, if cut, can easily become infected. If your tongue is pierced you might tear the anal lining if you aren't careful. A rough beard can also irritate the anal lining. Some people use dental dams (a piece of latex) or cellophane placed over their partner's anus as a type of safe sex barrier for rimming. Most, however, find that this takes away the oral pleasure and taste.

Hygiene
An asshole will always be an asshole and you can't sterilize it. At best, you can gently wash the skin with a moist cloth to remove any fecal residue. Avoid wet tissues or toilet paper that can flake and leave unappetizing bits of paper behind. A little perfume or aromatic oil may help with smells, but they can taste bad. Oils can also damage a condom if you are going to have protected anal sex.

Problems
The biggest problem many people face with rimming is getting their partner to do it in the first place. Again, it isn't for everyone. If your partner is bothered by your hygiene (or lack thereof) don't get bent out of shape. Listen to what he has to say -- he might be right. You may want to wash with a mild soap and gently dry the area. Something sweet that your partner likes (honey, chocolate syrup) strategically dabbed around your anus might help get your partner used to rimming. (Again, fat-based foods can damage condoms).

If you are a man, you can try and get your partner used to the idea of rimming by having him concentrate his efforts on your scrotum and perineum (the area under your scrotum). Most men will do this and if he gets into it his tongue might just drift further south.

For women, it's just a short lick from the clit down that slippery slope to the anus.

And for both women and men, a little arching of your back or lifting your legs in the air couldn't hurt either.

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Complications
STDs: Rimming has no risk of transmitting HIV -- unless your partner bites you or you have open sores. Hepatitis A can be spread during rimming, but a vaccination will protect you from this terrible infection. There are other STDs commonly spread during rimming: gonorrhea, herpes and condyloma.

Parasites: Parasites are a frequent complication of rimming. No matter how hard you scrub your partner's anus, you will not remove all of the parasite eggs; they are microscopic. Your partner may not have any symptoms of infection and may unknowingly pass it on to you. Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica are the most common parasites spread during rimming. Giardia lamblia causes a condition known generally as giardia and it is the most common parasitic infection in the U.S. The parasite lives in your small intestine and its cysts (eggs) leave your body with your stool. If you ingest these cysts the organism will grow in your small intestine. You might not have any symptoms or you might experience upper abdominal pain, non-bloody diarrhea and nausea. If you have these symptoms, discuss a parasite test with your doctor. An antibiotic, Metronidazole (flagyl), cures the infection.

Amebiaisis or amebic dysentery is another common parasitic infection passed during rimming. This parasite lives in your colon and its eggs leave your body in your stool. Although you may be symptom free, many people complain of crampy abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, and fever. Doctors diagnose the infection by examining your stool or with a positive blood test for parasite antibodies. Metronidazole (flagyl) cures the infection.

Infectious diarrhea: As with parasites, diarrhea-causing bacteria can leave your partner's colon and enter your body during rimming. No matter how hard you scrub the anus you will not sterilize it and these microscopic bacteria will be left behind. Your partner may not have any symptoms and won't know if you catch it. The most common types of diarrhea-causing bacteria are Salmonella, Shigella and Campylobacter. They cause crampy abdominal pain, diarrhea (can be bloody), fever and vomiting. Most often these infections run their course and go away. Antibiotics are not often recommended, except in the most severe cases or in people with HIV, because they can cause you to become a chronic carrier (someone who never gets rid of the infection and can pass it on to others; chronic carriers do not feel sick). Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) is an antibiotic commonly used to treat infectious diarrhea.

Skin infections: If your partner cuts, scrapes or bites your skin, cleanse the area well with an antibacterial soap. Soaking in warm water also helps to reduce the chances of infection. Repeat this several times a day until healing occurs. If swelling, pain or redness develops, see your doctor.