4 Things to Consider Before You Have Sex on the Beach
Aug 16, 2017 · US News & World Report · Link to Article
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Having sex on the beach may sound fun at first – a calm sea breeze, the blazing sun and your partner all in one place. But the potential consequences could leave you infected, bug-bitten and/or sandy in all the wrong places. Here's what experts think you should keep in mind the next time you decide to, as Danny Zuko from "Grease" would say, get "friendly down in the sand."
Plan ahead if possible. If you're feeling frisky prior to jetting down to the beach, don't forget to pack a blanket, something to lie down on to protect your body. Dr. Hilda Hutcherson, of Columbia University and a co-director of the New York Center for Women's Sexual Health, says that sometimes, of course, sex is going to happen without planning. In case it is spontaneous or you don't have a blanket, Hutcherson recommends women be on top during intercourse as to avoid friction burns.
This could also protect you from critters like sand crabs or other little bugs that can bite. " … You may not notice it when you're in the throes of passion but only notice it afterwards, that you have been attacked by some little things," Hutcherson says.
See a doctor if you think something's wrong. There are a number of things that can go wrong when you're having sex on the beach, but one of the major ones concerns women: getting sand in your vagina. It can be difficult to remove and become a breeding ground for bacteria, yeast and other things that prime the vagina for infection. Symptoms like pain, spotting or itching are all cause for visiting your doctor. If you aren't exhibiting anything out of the ordinary, Hutcherson says you can pick up a mild vinegar and water douche from your local pharmacy and use it to get all the sand out of your vagina.
Susan Wysocki, the president of iWomansHealth and a member of the American Sexual Health Association's board of directors, says even if sand does go where you don't want it, she doesn't foresee major problems with that.
Sunscreen is your friend. Obviously, if you're taking off your clothes on a sunny beach day, you're going to increase your chances of getting burnt.
It isn't necessarily a bad idea. Hutcherson actually recommends couples struggling with a boring sex life to have sex out in public to turn up the heat. Sex in public isn't an uncommon practice – around 43 percent of participants in a 2015 American probability survey reported it as a lifetime sexual behavior. You have to be careful about where and when you're doing it, though, in case you get caught since you could be breaking the law.
Wysocki didn't have many concerns, yet still warns that using suntan oil as a lubricant could compromise condoms and disintegrate the latex. Her concerns weren't about the sex, but more the circumstances, i.e. getting a little too drunk or acting out of character in beach communities.
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For general media inquiries about sexual health topics and/or to schedule an interview with one of our experts, please contact Susan Gilbert, NCSH Co-Director, at
susan.gilbert@altarum.org
