Anilingus

Anilingus (sometimes spelled analingus) refers to stimulating the anus and the surrounding area with the mouth and tongue. It's the anal counterpart of cunnilingus or fellatio, and the French have a pretty name for it, la feuille de rose, the rose leaf.

If the area is so sensitive, it's because it's richly innervated, a bit like the glans or the clitoris, and the skin there is very thin. Hence sensations often described as electric, more diffuse than those of penetration. The practice isn't oriented one way or another, it concerns men as much as women, whatever their orientation.

As for technique, you go gradually, from the outside towards the centre. Flat tongue for broad sweeps over the perineum and the crease, then the tip to trace circles around the anus, with pauses, breath, changes of rhythm. No need to force your way in, the caress happens mostly at the surface, and you can add a hand on the genitals or gentle thumb pressure to multiply the sensations. Comfortable positions include lying face down with a cushion under the hips, on all fours, or on your back with legs raised, and those most at ease sometimes work it into a sixty-nine.

Hygiene is part of the pleasure, because it lifts the mental brakes. A recent shower, a mild soap, maybe a trip to the loo beforehand, and you're set. To limit the risk of infections (hepatitis A, intestinal parasites, STIs), you can use a dental dam or a square of latex, and the golden rule is never to go from the anus to the vulva or the mouth without rinsing or changing protection. Itching, pain, bleeding or lesions around the anus, you stop and talk to a doctor.

Nothing here is compulsory, it's a practice you ask about, offer, and drop without argument if either of you isn't comfortable. Not to be confused with anal sex, which involves penetration, nor with a simple anal massage with a finger. Another name you'll often come across: rimming.

Synonyms : analingus, feuille de rose, rimming