Butt-plugs are probably the most brilliant
anal sex toy ever invented. They have two properties that really make them unique. First, as you are inserting them, they get wider and wider until they're in all the way. Then the girth decreases, which allows for a comfortable fit between the
sphincter. Second, a very wide
base prevents them from sliding all the way in. This is so they don't get lost in there. Because of these two things, you can get your butt-plug in and then almost forget that it's there. You get the
anal stimulation while having your hands free to play with other areas.
Butt-plugs come in both vibrating and non-vibrating variants. For me, my favorite is the vibrating kind. Especially when it comes to anal sex and anal masturbation.
If you're new to anal sex, a small vibrating butt-plug is a good place to start.
Non-vibrating butt-plugs are usually smaller than the vibrating ones, which make them suitable for those who want to start playing with anal sex, but have trouble with inserting anything larger than a finger into the anus.
The smallest butt-plugs are the size of a slender finger, which should be an easy fit for anal novices. For the beginner, jelly rubber plugs are also a good bet, since they are less rigid. You can also get anal "training" sets, which usually include a range of increasingly larger plugs and some lube, often along with a vibrator. The smaller a plug is, however, the easier it is for it to slide out when you want it to stay in. Some of the small plugs now have a bump in them to give the sphincter muscles something to grab on to. Butt-plugs can also be curved or bent to better fit the contours of your inside cavity and give extra prostate or G-spot stimulation. In this case, the plug should curve toward your front as it is inserted.
To get used to playing with a butt-plug, first start off with some lube and a finger. Use slow and gentle in-and-out motions to let the asshole get used to having something inside it. When the anal muscles are relaxed and used to the feeling of penetration, insert the richly lubed butt-plug. Try leaving it in place for just a few minutes at first, then try increasing the time in later sessions. Stay relaxed and get used to it, try masturbating with it inside you, and then work up to intercourse or other sex play while wearing the plug.
For intermediate or more daring anal play, you may want to try a bigger plug, or one designed like a stack of increasingly larger balls. You or your partner can twist, bump, or work the plug in and out for more stimulation. The sensation gets more intense as the sphincter spreads open as you insert the wider plug into your ass and then clenches around the base of the plug. Some people prefer stockier or more bulb-shaped plugs.
As you get more comfortable with your butt-plug, you may want to include it into more of your sexual activities, or simply enjoy wearing it by itself. Some people (like myself) like to keep a butt-plug inserted for some time before anal sex, to make the anal muscles receptive to deeper anal penetration.
As you would come to expect of sex toys, very large butt- plugs are available for the people out there who really want to push their limits. There are also inflatable butt-plugs available. Although most are made of bendy silicon or rubber, more rigid metal or acrylic butt-plugs are also available. Some butt-plugs have something attached to the end that extends beyond the butt when inserted, this is usually as a part of a fetish scene. An example of this is pony play, in which participants may wear a horse tail buttplug where a horse tail is attached to the base end of the butt-plug, along with other horse gear.
Butt-plug tip: Usually, once a butt-plug is inside you can just leave it in there, concentrating on having fun. But if you are going to let it be there for more than an hour or so you should probably slide it out a little and add some lube before re-insering it about once an hour. This is to prevent unwanted tearing of the rectum in case the butt-plug dries out.
Of course, one should always be
careful when inserting objects into the anus, and the more lubrication used the better!