If there’s one body part we all have in common, no matter the sexual orientation, it’s our butt. Oddly, it’s one area where we have created the most ridiculous myths around it. So much so anyone who thinks they want to try anal play goes through 7 stages of grief first.
Then, when you do reach the acceptance stage, you have to deal with a second round of myths around butt plugs and bullet vibrators. Apparently, you can have butt plugs stuck inside you! (Doesn’t happen, usually.)
What Is a Butt Plug?
Butt plugs are exactly what you think they are. They are anal toys you use to fill up your butt. They stay in place once you insert them even as you move around, unless the movement’s too intense.
The flared base of the butt plug also prevents it from getting stuck inside your butt.
And so, people use butt plugs for three main reasons:
- To stimulate the nerve endings in the anus
- To prepare for anal sex
- To create the feeling of double penetration.
People with prostates like it when the butt plug hits the gland, which leads to intense orgasms.
It’s the same case for people with vaginas. The nerves are close to the vaginal G-spot, so you feel overstimulated even.
If you want to feel like you’re being double penetrated during vaginal sex without using a dildo, this is one way to do it.
David Ortmann, a sex therapist, confirms butt plugs help stretch the anus.
So, if you’re planning on having penetrative anal sex, it’s one way to prepare for it. You get used to the feeling of having something in your butt.
Some people wear anal plugs all day. Not even for sexual reasons. Simply because they love the sensation.
Considering butt plugs were marketed as a medical device in 1893, people did go around wearing them.
Dr. Young introduced them as Rectal Dilators, a device meant to cure - you wouldn’t believe it- headaches and insanity.
Over the years, the claims got worse, claiming it cures anemia, nervousness, indigestion, piles, and so on. All his claims weren’t exactly off the mark either, like how it can cure constipation. FDA put an end to it in 1940.
Butt plugs got its current name after 1962. It’s when Beate Uhse opened the world’s first sex shop. She sold a variety of sex toys we are familiar with today, including butt plugs.
Types of Butt Plugs by Materials
If the toy goes inside you, it should be nonporous. This means the material shouldn't soak up your body fluids inside it. Think metal, glass, or silicone.
Dr Timaree Schmit, who is also the host of the podcast DTF suggests going for silicone butt plugs over glass or metal. Silicone is bendable, which makes it easier to insert.
Though, all toys promoted as silicone are not always silicone. Manufacturers take advantage of the soft texture of silicone and mix in other materials.
Read the label thoroughly and do a flame test if necessary. If you can hold a lighter to the toy without the toy melting, it’s 100% silicone.
You can clean all three materials in hot water and soap.
You should avoid anything body fluids can leak into, like latex or hard plastic. These are hotbeds of bacteria waiting to happen, even if you religiously clean it inside out.
Latex is also a common cause of allergies for many people, so you’re better off avoiding it altogether. Plus, the general rule for any sex toy is - if it’s cheap, it’s not worth it.
Types of Butt Plugs by Shape and Size
Butt plugs have the shape they do for a reason. They start with a narrow tip, a rounder middle, and a flared base.
Butt plugs have to be flared. Any other shape and it can get lost inside your rectum.
Usually, you would find two types of shapes for the base. A rectangle or T-bar base is more comfortable if you plan on wearing it for longer periods. But the T-bar ones can get in the way of vaginal sex.
The round ones are more suitable for people with a vagina. But they do rub against your buttocks while you’re walking, which can be an unpleasant feeling.
For the size itself, Dr. Ortmann recommends starting with the particularly small ones. If you think it’s too small, you won’t even feel anything, then it’s perfect.
Because your anus is small.
These are usually the sizes you’ll find in the market:
5-7 cm You shouldn’t be thinking of anything bigger if this is your first time.
7-10 cm: Ideal if you’re ready to upgrade but don’t want to feel too full.
10-15 cm or longer: It’s almost the size of a dildo at this point. You want to go for this one if you want to get the feeling of double penetration.
Types of Butt Plugs by Features
1. Vibrating Butt Plugs
Vibrating butt plugs - you guessed it - vibrates. Most like the Je Joue Vesta Vibrating Butt Plug allows you to play with different speed and pattern settings.
Most experienced users claim they don’t feel much of a difference with a vibrating plug, but it can be fun with a partner. It’s more about letting your partner take control.
People with vaginas seem to appreciate it more than someone with a prostate. This is because the vibrations spread to the vaginal walls as well.
2. Jewel Butt Plugs
When sex toys look sexy, you feel sexy. Look at the one from Cheeky Charms. It’s teardrop-shaped, has a decorative gem at the base, and is deliciously small in size.
This is the charm of jeweled butt plugs. You might wear them to feel good or to surprise your partner.
3. Tail Butt Plugs
This one’s for the furries. Well, not really. Or maybe it is.
Tail butt plugs have a tail at the base. These usually resemble the tail of an animal like a fox, kitten, or a rabbit. Again, this one’s more suitable if you have a partner or maybe if you do live shows.
4. Inflatable Butt Plugs
Inflatable butt plugs are interesting. You buy these small plugs and once you insert them, you can increase the size as much as you want with a hand pump.
Like the Colt Weighted Pumper Plug comes with a hose you can attach to the base of the plug. Press the bulb to reach a size you like. You can remove the hose afterward.
If you’re someone who likes feeling full but doesn’t want to insert something really big down there, this is it.
5. Weighted Butt plugs
Weighted butt plugs are for those who like wearing butt plugs for the sake of it. As the name suggests, weighted plugs are heavy in the middle. You feel full, and yet, every time you move, it shifts enough you’re aware it’s there.
Some enjoy the consistent pressure while having everyday interactions with others. If it’s something you would like to try, you can go for the Adam & Eve product.
What Is a Bullet Vibrator?
A bullet vibrator is a vibrator shaped like a large bullet. It’s one versatile sex toy. It’s this tiny toy you can use to stimulate your clitoris, anus, penis, nipple, and what have you.
This is an external toy. It doesn’t have a flared base and so, don’t go around inserting it into your butthole. And if you do, be prepared for the real possibility of having it get stuck inside.
For anal play, bullet vibrators act more as anal massagers.
Insertable bullet vibrators do exist. But they are meant to stimulate the vaginal G-spot. You will know it’s insertable if the tip is curved.
Customers like it because it’s small and discreet. You can carry it around your purse. The design is usually like a lipstick or a flash drive.
If someone doesn’t use vibrators, they won’t identify it at first glance. And if they do, well, they’re a fellow user and you have nothing to hide.
Danielle Bezalel, the host of Sex Ed with DB, says they’re great for beginners and customers with a small budget.
You can use it alone or with a partner. It’s a device the size of your palm. So, you can use it to stimulate any sensitive zone in your body.
If you’re with a partner, labia owners can stick it there and have sex with their partner. It’s unobtrusive, so you feel the stimulation, but it doesn’t get in the way of the act.
Some men like feeling the vibrators right between their balls and anus.
More than anything, you don’t have to insert it to enjoy it. Some people aren’t comfortable inserting a foreign item into their body. This is one way to use sex toys without risking anything.
Final Thoughts
There are too many options for butt plugs and vibrators in the market. Beginners should start with a standard butt plug or an inflatable butt plug. With experience, you can try vibrating or weighted ones.
The good thing about bullet vibrators is there is no beginner or advanced mode. The most advanced you get is using an insertable one. In this case, following the same tips as for butt plugs will keep you safe.
Experience with different models and features.
Better yet, you can start with the Lovense Hush Vibrating butt plug or Nu Sensuelle Remote Control Vibrator. They’re available at a discount for first-time buyers.
If you have any questions, comment down below or mail us. We’ll be happy to guide you.
