Anal Fisting - Keeping it Safe, Clean and Disease-free

by Larry R. Shockey

This is part 4 of a 4-part guide to anal fisting by Larry Shockey, organizer of Hell Hole San Francisco and Fist Fest.
• Part 1 – Learning the Basics
• Part 2 – Preparing for Play (Advice for Fisting Tops and bottoms)
• Part 3 – The Mind-Body Connection (Headspace Before, During and After the Scene)

DISINFECTING YOUR PLAY SPACE – COMING CLEAN

In the paragraphs below, I’m going to discuss many of the mean nasties you need to be concerned about—not just in a fisting scene, but in any edgy scene where there is a possible exposure to blood. In those paragraphs, I’ll talk at some length about prevention, safer sex practices and risk reduction during play. In this section, I’ll discuss overall cleanliness of the play space, and proper techniques for cleaning and disinfecting your play platforms (i.e., slings, benches, mats, linens and other surfaces) as well as your chains and toys.

Soft Surfaces

Let’s face it, not everyone has a sling or a playroom. Lots of guys fist on their beds. Here are some simple steps you can follow to help minimize the risk of contamination.

Buy a cheap set of white bed linens you can use for play. Buy a sheet of plastic that is large enough to completely drape your mattress.

Don’t tuck it in, but tie it (or use gaffer’s or painter’s tape to attach it—duct tape can pull off finishes) to the legs of your bed. It is important that the plastic sheet not have any seams in it. Seams can leak fluids onto your mattress—exactly what we’re trying to prevent.

Put your cloth play sheets over the plastic sheet. Tie or tape in place. Cover your pillows in drawstring trash bags and cover them with those inexpensive pillowcases so that the closure of the trash bag is at the bottom of the pillowcase. You can even double bag pillows if you want. If you are going to play in your living room, all of the above applies. Cover all your furniture and your carpet in plastic sheets with a cloth sheet overlay. You’d be amazed at the places lube can get into.

If you see blood on the sheets, remove them from the bed. If a clothes washer is not immediately available, put them in a trash bag until you can get to the laundry. You can use towels, or if necessary, stop the scene. If you have a washer/dryer immediately available, dump all your play sheets in the wash right after play and add a generous amount of chlorine bleach (like Clorox) into the wash. If you’ve used Crisco or another brand of shortening, there will be a residual smell. There are lots of recipes for removing the stains and smell, so I’ll leave you to the links at the end of this brochure to find the one that suits you best. (If you are using dedicated play sheets, this is not usually as big an issue.)

NOTE: It is always a good idea to wear gloves when handling soiled play sheets, equipment and toys, or when emptying the trash!

The plastic sheets can be sprayed down with either a 10% solution of bleach and water (10% bleach) or with a four-way quarternary disinfectant that’ll kill HIV, Hepatitis, MRSA and just about everything else. A good source of four-way quarternary disinfectant is Kinky Medical. Click on “antiseptics” and scroll to the bottom of the page for the four-way quarternary disinfectant (my favorite – a 2 oz. bottle makes four gallons and it only costs $5.00!).

“Hard” Surfaces

Ahem. I’m talking about slings, benches, tables and the like. These are generally much easier to clean since they are not porous or as porous as sheets. As far as disinfecting goes, I use the four-way quarternary disinfectant from Kinky Medical. It is safe, very effective, and it has no odor (unlike the bleach solution). I keep a quart spray bottle in the playroom and spray down all surfaces before and after use—even in between uses during a night of play. At my play parties, there’s a spray bottle at every play station.

Toys (dildos and other inserted non-electrical or battery operated objects that are to be reused) can be soaked in the same solution. I usually soak mine overnight, but the directions on the bottle say 10 minutes is sufficient. Be your own judge.

For de-greasing, I like Simple Green. You can buy it as a concentrate and dilute it to your own liking. It seems to be nice to leather slings and to other surfaces, while doing a great job in removing grease. Chains can be removed and soaked in a bucket of warm water containing a combination of Dawn dishwashing liquid and Oxi Clean overnight. You’ll still have to wipe them down thoroughly to remove any excess. I’ve found that for canvas slings, you can work some Dawn into the greasy parts using a small brush and soak them overnight in the washer in a combination of laundry soap and Oxi Clean, then agitate on gentle cycle—especially if there are metal parts that cannot be detached—then laid out to dry.

How do I get Crisco off me? Dawn dishwashing liquid. Shower with it. Honest. Nothing works better. (A bottle of Dawn in the shower stall is a great way to tell if your potential boyfriend is into fisting!). Salt easily removes J-Lube.

Play Spray – For Soft and Hard Surfaces

Hell Hole and Fist Fest use Play Spray. Relatively new to the market, it’s a topical spray disinfectant developed specifically for BDSM and sexual activities more likely to expose participants to the bodily fluids of their partners, specifically blood, mucus, semen, and other internal bodily fluids which carry MRSA, HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and other sexually transmitted infections.

It has no bleach or alcohol, making it safe to use on leather, latex, rubber, silicone. That makes it good for floggers, single tails, sounds, and leather gear, as well as to disinfect quickly and easily, within minutes, surfaces such as slings, crosses, benches, bondage tables, wrestling mats and any other surfaces which may come into contact with skin or bodily fluids.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT ENHANCEMENTS

My best advice is DON’T. Aside from its addictive qualities crystal meth, which is most often used by fisters, deadens your nerve endings. You don’t feel pain, and by the same token, you don’t experience the pleasure that fisting can give you. Furthermore, you’re not as likely to realize when something wrong is happening. Judgment is blurred and you’re less likely to take care of yourself or know when to. If you need Tina to get fisted, maybe you’re better off not getting fisted.

Any enhancement, when taken in conjunction with edge play, alcohol and marijuana included, can impair judgment and increase risk of injury. Be sure to discuss your tolerance with your partners, and please don’t over do!

Also remember that use of amyl (also known as poppers) in conjunction with medications for treatment of erectile dysfunction (e.g. viagra, cialis, levitra, and others), or with nitrates, which are commonly prescribed for various heart conditions can result in serious injury or death.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HIV, HEPATITIS, MRSA AND SYPHILIS

HIV

HIV is transmitted when blood or semen from an infected person comes into contact with the blood of an uninfected person. Unlike Hepatitis C, HIV is a very fragile virus and once exposed to air (and many other things) dies very quickly. There are still risks of HIV infection among fisters. The most common routes are:

• Colon-to-hand (and vice versa) through small cuts, tears or scratches in the colon or hands.
• Sharing lube among bottoms.
• Unprotected fucking and fisting.

Prevention:

• Always wear gloves. If you are not wearing gloves, make sure your fingernails have been clipped short and filed smooth. Make sure you don’t have any small cuts on your hands (including hangnails) and arms. You can do this by liberally applying hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol on your hands and arms before play. If you get a stinging sensation, glove up. As there is a possibility of transmission even with gloves, if you have any large or recent cuts, I suggest you postpone play until they are sufficiently healed.
• Don’t share lube among bottoms. Every bottom should have his own container, which is clearly marked with his name on the container (not on the lid). As fragile as HIV is, it can live in lube long enough to be transmitted to others.
• Don’t fist and fuck in the same scene. Even if you’re using gloves and condoms it is not good practice. It is kind of like playing Russian roulette with a completely loaded gun. Most of us don’t have Ciscofriendly rubbers lying around, and even if you do—which ones are they?? In the heat of the moment it is not always easy to tell—or to remember. Latex condoms break down quickly. It is practically impossible fist (or to fuck) someone without causing some internal abrasions and a little bleeding, so why tempt fate by adding semen to the mix. We all know that fucking is the most common means of transmitting the virus. So don’t do it.

Need more resources? Start with Stop AIDS Project and Project Inform.

Hepatitis A, B, and C

Hep A is transmitted through ingestion of something that has been contaminated by fecal matter. Washing hands thoroughly and use of hand sanitizer is not only recommended, but also mandatory.

Hep B is transmitted through contact with infectious blood, semen, and other body fluids, from having sex with an infected person, sharing contaminated needles to inject drugs, or from an infected mother to her newborn.

Hep C is most commonly transmitted when the blood of an infected person enters the body of an uninfected person—during fisting—through small scratches in the colon and open wounds in the top’s hands. Hepatitis C, unlike HIV, which is a very fragile virus, is extremely hearty. Hep C can live—and be contagious—for up to four (4) days in dried blood on an exposed surface such as a sling, counter top, floor, or bed sheets.

Vaccines are available to prevent transmission of Hepatitis A and B. There is currently no vaccine to prevent transmission of C. If you are sexually active it is an excellent idea to take the Hepatitis A and B vaccines and to add the test for Hepatitis C to the battery of tests for HIV and STD’s. Current experts in the field of prevention recommend testing every three months if you are sexually active with multiple partners. There is a high degree of success of cure for Hep C (between 50% and 80%) if the infection is caught early. Unlike other forms of hepatitis, exposure to C does not result in the development of antibodies to the virus. This means that even though you have been exposed, you may continue to be contagious to others and to carry the active virus in your body. GET TESTED!

Remarkably, there is currently considerable debate among doctors and public health officials as to whether Hepatitis C is sexually transmitted! As fisters, we know (or should know) that at least through fisting, it can be. Currently, neither the SF City Clinic, nor Magnet, offer testing for Hepatitis C to anyone other than intravenous drug users (or others who inject drugs), so unless you are willing to put yourself into that category to get tested at one of these sites, the only alternative is through your private physician.

Unfortunately, testing for Hep C is completely off the radar for most physicians, unless you happen to be HIV+ in which case your doctor is probably recommending an annual Hep C test. If you are negative, insist that your doctor include testing for Hepatitis C the next time you get your regular HIV and STD screening. You may be carrying Hep C—and exposing other people—and not even know it.

Even using a condom, I don’t recommend having anal sex (with a dick) during or after a fisting scene. Make fucking foreplay.

MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Anreus)

You’ve heard a lot about this skin-eating virus in the news lately, and you should be concerned about it as well, especially if you are having sex in public where many people are using the same equipment. My sources say that cleaning equipment with a 10% bleach solution between uses greatly decreases risk of transmission. The four-way quarternary solution is also effective.

What are the symptoms of a MRSA skin infection?

Signs of a skin infection include redness, warmth, swelling, and tenderness of the skin. Some people with MRSA might think they have a “spider bite”. For most people, it isn’t serious. Others may develop boils, blisters, pustules or abscesses. The infection can cause a fever and/or chills. People with fever and/or chills should see their health-care provider.

How is MRSA spread?

Staph, including CA-MRSA, is primarily spread when someone’s skin comes in contact with the skin of someone who has Staph. That sort of skin-to-skin contact can happen when someone is playing sports, having sex, or doing other things. It can only be spread with skin-skin contact or skin-contaminated object contact.

What should I do if I think I have an active MRSA infection?

If you notice any of the symptoms of a Staph infection, you should contact your health-care provider. You may need antibiotics or other treatment. Your healthcare provider will discuss treatment with you. Do not try to treat yourself. Whenever antibiotics are prescribed, take all of the medication even if you think the infection has gone away. This will help prevent the Staph germ from becoming more resistant to antibiotics.

Is MRSA a sexually transmitted disease (STD)?

Data do not exist to determine whether sex itself—anal, oral, or vaginal intercourse—spreads MRSA. But we do know that skin-to-skin contact, which occurs during sex, can spread MRSA.

How do I protect myself from getting and spreading MRSA?

Practice good hygiene:

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. If soap is not available, use hand sanitizer instead.
• Showering or washing after contact sports, gym use, or sex may reduce the risk of skin-to-skin transmission.
• Practice safer sex. Always use gloves and condoms.
• Thoroughly clean & disinfect equipment and surfaces after each use.
• Keep wounds covered with clean, dry bandages.
• Take antibiotics only as prescribed by a healthcare provider
• Do not share personal items such as used towels, clothes, razors, or anything else that makes contact with skin.
• Clean and disinfect items that are shared before and after every use (athletic/workout equipment, slings, benches, tables, etc.) with disinfectant or detergent. A list of products approved by the Environmental Protection Agency that are effective against MRSA is available. Check the link in the resources section. These products should be used only as directed. NOTE: At Hell Hole parties, we provide a quarternary disinfectant spray at every station, which should be applied before and after every session.
• Use lotion to keep skin moist; damaged skin can provide an opening for infection.

SYPHILIS

What are the symptoms?

Syphilis infection occurs in four stages, named primary, secondary, latent and tertiary (late).

Primary Syphilis

Symptoms usually show up 2–12 weeks after being exposed. The first sign is often a skin sore called a chancre (shank-er). You may have more than one, or you may have chancres and not notice them because they are inside your anus or vagina. Chancres can also appear on your scrotum, penis, vaginal lips, and anus or in your mouth. They are usually not painful. The sores will go away after several weeks without treatment, but you would still be infected.

Secondary Syphilis

Most people who have secondary syphilis notice a skin rash covering their body 4 to 12 weeks after infection. The identifying feature of this rash is that it shows up on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Often it is not itchy. Other common symptoms of secondary syphilis are swollen glands in various areas of the body, fever, fatigue, patchy hair loss, weight loss, and headache. Since these symptoms are so similar to those of many other health problems, syphilis has sometimes been called “the great imitator”. Additional symptoms during secondary syphilis that are particularly important are syphilis warts and white patches (condylomata lata and mucous patches, respectively). These warts and patches are highly infectious and can occur in moist areas of the body like the mouth, side of the tongue, anus, etc. Secondary syphilis symptoms usually last anywhere from 1 to 3 months, but sometimes they last longer, and once in awhile the symptoms come and go over a year or two. But even after the symptoms of secondary syphilis clear up, if left untreated, the infection continues in your body.

Latent Syphilis

Latent syphilis causes no symptoms. The infection can be detected only by a blood test. If not treated, latent syphilis continues for life. Many people with latent syphilis never have serious problems, but some progress to the final stage, called tertiary syphilis.

Tertiary (late) Syphilis

About one-third of untreated people with syphilis experience serious damage to various organs and body systems. Tertiary syphilis can appear any time from a year to 50 years after becoming infected; most cases occur within 20 years. The brain, heart, liver, and bones are the most commonly involved organs. Tertiary syphilis can cause paralysis, mental problems, blindness, deafness, heart failure, and death.

How do I avoid getting syphilis?

The risk for syphilis is directly related to the number of sex partners you have: The more sex partners, the greater the risk on contracting it. Having more sex with fewer partners reduces your risk of getting syphilis. Abstinence is the only surefire way to avoid getting syphilis or other STDs. If you’re sexually active, using condoms consistently and correctly for oral, anal and vaginal sex is your best bet for staying sexually healthy. Also, regular STD checkups at least every six months if you’re sexually active with more than one monogamous partner is recommended. Syphilis and other bacterial STDs are curable with proper diagnosis and treatment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Larry Shockey has been a member of the kink and fetish communities for more than fifteen years, and for almost that long, he has been leading discussions, workshops and presentations on safer fisting techniques. Larry has led programs for Leathermen’s Discussion Group, The SF Ring, Leather Levi Weekend, The Citadel, led discussions on creating the proper headspace for fisting bottoms and tops, developed a hands-in 4-hour workshop for intermediate players and has facilitated discussions for advanced players.

In September 2008, Larry brought a public fisting venue back to the SF sex scene for the first time since the closure of The Sling. Known as Hell Hole, this monthly play party has been widely and well-received by men not only in San Francisco, but from across the US and around the world. He is also organiser of Fist Fest, a series of men’s weekends at locations throughout the US where men come together to enjoy handballing. And finally, The Handball Academy is a nonprofit organization which provides safer sex education, training, and social opportunities to persons who engage in high-risk sexual activities.

Larry recently accepted a position as an individual director on the San Francisco Bay Area Leather Alliance and will be working with the Alliance on the mental and medical health of the communities and helping develop a kink community center which will celebrate us in all our various flavors.

This article is extracted from the booklet The Sacred Art of Fisting: Practical Tips & Considerations for Men who Engage in Anal Fisting. You can download the complete guide from The Handball Academy.

Deviance & Desire

Anal Fisting – Keeping it Safe, Clean and Disease-free