Hey Dr Sue — I Had Anal Sex With My Husband. He Went Straight To Vaginal Sex After. Can This Cause An Issue?

I’m sure this was a pretty concerning moment.

Women are told to make sure that when they switch from anal to vaginal that they’re using a new condom. And if there is no condom, that the penis or sex toy (or both) should be cleaned because of the risk of infection. So when something like this happens there’s this “What do I do now?!?” moment.

If this does happen, then try and clean the vulva as soon as you can with water and gentle soap. When I say gentle soap I mean one that is unscented. Also one that is not antibacterial. The antibacterial ones can be harsh on skin.

Some people will opt to use a boric acid suppository in this situation. I have to admit that when I was first asked about acid suppositories at a live Q&A event I was doing, I was kind of taken aback. I was just thinking “what new-fangled thing are women now being told to put in their vagina?” When they clarified it was boric acid it made way more sense!

Boric acid suppositories can help to restore the pH balance of the vagina. This can help with yeast infections. If you’re showing signs of a yeast infection and using a boric acid suppository and it doesn’t get better, you should follow up with your healthcare provider.