Butt plugs are an incredibly versatile sex toy that offers immense pleasure regardless of gender, orientation, or genitalia.

For individuals with a prostrate, a butt plug can create enough stimulation to offer pure pleasure, and for females, it can create a pleasurable pressure on the back vaginal wall. The anus is surrounded by numerous nerve endings and that’s why a butt plug's primary duty is to ensure that you feel very good.

"The anus can be a remarkable source of pleasure, so butt plugs, with a lot of lube, are a great way to loosen the anus up and get something inside of it," said David Ortmann, a psychotherapist and sex therapist in a report.

Butt plugs are often used as a preparation for penetrative anal sex, but unlike the vagina, the rectum doesn’t have natural self-lubricants. Therefore, sex educator Timaree Schmit advises that it is extremely important to prepare your butthole for such activity using sufficient lubricants and smaller objects—such as butt plugs and fingers—before penetrative sex with either a penis or a strap-on.

Shaped perfectly to suit their function, butt plugs are designed to have narrow tips that become wider towards the centre and then narrow again to a slim neck at the base. This design allows your rectum to accommodate them conformably.

Our rectum acts like a vacuum that sucks in objects, and according to Ortmann, placing a pull cord, flared bottom or a ring prevents butt plugs from getting stuck inside the anus. Additionally, when choosing a butt plug with a flared base, it is important to check that the device is body-safe.

Sex toys are sold as “novelty items” as they are more or less unregulated buy federal agencies. Therefore, it is the user’s sole responsibility to ensure that whatever toy they buy is safe for use in, on, and aroundtheir genitals.

“Once, I opened my lingerie drawer to notice that a rubber vibrator had leaked pink dye everywhere. If unsafe toys can stain my underwear, what else can they harm?” notes Schmit. “Cheaper toys might be made of chemicals that can leach into your body.”

Choosing the right type of butt plug is important that’s why sites like Loveplugs.co grants visitors access to a wide variety of butt plugs that are safe for use and easy to purchase.

According to the Kinsey Institute, butt plugs that are considered safe are made out of “silicone, borosilicate glass (Pyrex), or stainless steel.” However, Schmit suggests that for first time users, it is best to choose a silicone material over either glass or steel—as silicone has more flexibility and is easier to insert.

The three materials typically used in making plugs are nonporous and can be thoroughly cleaned after each use. On the other hand, butt plugs made of hard acrylics and plastics are porous and can become hosts for bacteria from an individual’ GI tract—which is neither attractive nor safe.

"Pick one that looks ludicrously small to you," advised Ortmann to beginners. "I remember buying my first one and thinking, 'This is a good medium size.' I don't think I got that thing inside of me for another decade."

For beginners, a useful tip would be to begin with the smallest size available and climb your way up.

Butt plugs are used for other things other than anal sex warm-up. In the BDSM community, some users see them as a tool for dominance and submission, and some advanced users can wear a butt plug out in public for several hours.

Additionally, heterosexual females use butt plugs to experience double penetration, while solo sex is another way users enjoy the pleasures gotten from butt plugs.

Once again, it is important to emphasise the need for a lubricant when using butt plugs.

“If you're using a butt plug with multiple partners, practice safer sex by putting a condom on it and using a non-oil-based lube before each use,” said Ortmann.

Oil-based lubes—including at-home options such as coconut oil—break down latex, while water or silicone-based lubes do not perform the same action. Silicone lubricants are thick and tend to last longer than the water-based option. Also, use a water-based lube on a silicone toy and for glass or stainless-steel butt plugs, any type of lubricant would work.

First time users are always plague with the question, “How do I put in my butt plug?” and according to sex and relationship expert Jessica O’Reilly, the key to a memorable anal sex is relaxation.

"Relax, breathe deeply and bear down slightly with your sphincter muscles as you insert [a toy] for the first time," writes O'Reilly in her book, The New Sex Bible: The New Guide to Sexual Love.

She points out that removal can be achieved much easily if orgasm has been reached during anal play, as it relaxes the pelvic floor.

On a final note, butt plugs are to be cleaned at all times to avoid transferring bacteria into the body—especially for females who use them. Your hands—and that of your partner—should be washed thoroughly with soap and warm water before touching any other genitalia.

Also, silicone plugs can be disinfected in a dishwasher while materials such as tempered glass and stainless steel can be boiled to disinfect them.