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Dear Dr. Vanessa, How Can I Make First-Time Sex Less Painful?

September 9th, 2010

photo by Morning_theft

Every few weeks, Dr. Vanessa Cullins, a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist and vice president for medical affairs at Planned Parenthood® Federation of America, will be answering your questions here. To ask her your own question, click here.

Dear Dr. Vanessa,

I am a 34-year-old female virgin. There were times with one ex when I thought I was ready, but it would start to hurt, I’d get scared and then wouldn’t go through with it. I was wondering if I should see gynecologist and have my hymen broken ahead of time to save me from some discomfort. Everything I’ve read has said first intercourse sex is never “magical.” Could this help?

– First-Timer

Dear First-Timer,

It is possible that stretching the hymen open might help. The hymen is the thin, skin-like tissue that stretches over part of the vaginal opening. Some women are born with more hymenal tissue than others. Many are born with so little that they may seem they have none. Often, women stretch their hymens open during activities that have nothing to do with sex. These activities include working out, gymnastics, horseback riding, and other sports. Penetrative masturbation — with or without sex toys, such as vibrators or dildos — may also stretch the hymen open.

Women with a lot of hymenal tissue can stretch it open slowly over time. A gynecologist can tell you how to obtain vaginal dilators. They are a series of increasingly thick rods that can be used to stretch open the hymen. Or you or your partner can use fingers in the same way. Start with the smallest finger that causes no discomfort. Then increase to two to three fingers over time. This type of dilation usually takes weeks. It is best done as a form of foreplay when you are aroused. Don’t attempt penile-vaginal intercourse until you have been comfortably dilated to about the size of a penis a few times.

The hymen, however, is not the only cause of painful intercourse — also called dyspareunia. There are two very common causes. One is insufficient sexual arousal before intercourse. This leads to a lack of vaginal lubrication, which leaves the vagina too dry to comfortably enclose a finger, penis or dildo. This may be resolved with more foreplay and/or the use of artificial lubricants such as K-Y or Astroglide. Read the rest of this entry »

Naked News: Celibacy and Saying the Wrong Name in Bed Are Bad for Your Health

September 8th, 2010

photo by MarkNick

Read the rest of this post on SUNfiltered

Wise Guys – Can a Sexy Attitude Really Compensate for a So-So Body?

September 8th, 2010

photo by pat hawks

Advice from three of our guy friends. This week a straight woman asks,”I know that often a sexy attitude is sexier than a great body, but I can’t help feeling self conscious all the same. I’m 20 years old and though the general silhouette of my body is good (enough to get whistles and even car honks directed at me, which I honestly find insulting), I don’t like my body. I hate the cellulite, the stretch marks, the spider veins, wobbly bits, and moles I see in it. Would these bother a man as much as they bother me? Can a sexy attitude make them overlook those defects? How bad is too bad? Am I being paranoid?

Gay Single Guy (Jay Dyckman): First off…wobbly bits?  Bits can be wobbly?  Who knew?  Second, there is nothing worse than someone hung up on their physical appearance.  Staying in shape is great, wearing flattering clothes is smart and staying healthy is a must.  But otherwise, here’s a simple trick to feeling better (or at least not feeling bad anymore).  Every morning look in the mirror and say – out loud – “I’ve got what I’ve got.”  That’s it.  Let it all go.  You’ve got what you got so don’t spend even a second more worrying about it.

Straight Married Guy (David Jacobs): Bad news: we care more than you do — about the visuals, that is. But you knew that. The good news? We generally care more about the total package, not so much the minor details. (Moles? Whatever. And some “wobbly bits” we quite like!) Also, we often have different ideals of beauty/booty. Quoth Sir Mix-a-lot: “So Cosmo says you’re fat/ Well I ain’t down with that…”

Straight Single Guy (Tyler Barnett): There is nothing more attractive than a confident woman. A woman who carries herself well and feels great about herself is incredibly sexy. On the flip side, it is one of the most obnoxious things to hear a beautiful woman complain about minuscule flaws and imperfections. If you see yourself in a generally negative light you will give off that image, and it doesn’t sound like that’s your goal. I would suggest looking past the image in the mirror at what’s inside and determine if your issues are really physical ones. Insecurity tends to stem from various places, most of which are not located on the outside of your body.

Our “wise guys” are a rotating group of contributors, some of whom wish to remain anonymous and some of whom like the attention. This week’s Straight Married Guy is David Jacobs, a NYC-based photographer; our Gay Guy is Jay Dyckman, an LA copywriter; and our Single Straight Guy is Tyler Barnett of Tyler Barnett PR in LA. To ask the guys your own question, click here. To ask the guys your own question, click here.

Dream Interpretation – I Was Connected to a Hot Guy By a Silver Cord

September 7th, 2010

photo by Helga Weber

Other people’s dreams are never interesting…except when they’re about sex. Each week, our dream analyst Lauri Loewenberg tells one lucky reader what their dirty dream means. This week, a reader asks Lauri:

I had this dream twice in one week and I would like to know what it means. I am not the sort of person to remember my dreams each night, so initially when this one was vivid in my mind in the morning I attributed it to stress at work or with my boyfriend. When I had the exact same dream a few days later I wrote it down because it made no sense to me. Here goes…

I was traveling at night in the rain to a baseball game in Oakland (I do not live there, but my boyfriend loves the A’s). On the way I stopped at an apartment I was unfamiliar with. I knocked on the door and was greeted by a beautiful man I did not recognize. I was immediately attracted to him and I tried to leave but a bright silver cord connected us from my chest to his. I gave up fighting and followed the cord until we were in a passionate embrace. I kissed the stranger like he was a long lost lover! We ran to his bedroom and made love, and afterward I went to his closet for a robe. I found women’s clothing and put on a light blue kimono. Then his live-in girlfriend came home! We hid in the closet, terrified. He went out to distract her but she found me. I felt terrible for hurting her but not sorry — I was in love. Then I woke up.

It is not my style to cheat or be a home wrecker, so I have no idea where these images came from in my brain!

Lauri: Your instinct that this dream was triggered by stress with your boyfriend is probably spot on. Your dream starts where you are driving in the rain, which is a good indication you have been traveling through life with a bit of sorrow lately as that is what the rain is, your tears (even if you only shed them on the inside). Your destination is Oakland, which you connected to something your boyfriend loves. Good job making that connection! This suggests that you are trying to reach a place in your relationship where your boyfriend will love you the way he loves the Oakland A’s.

You make a stop in the dream before you reach your destination because in waking life you need to stop and gather yourself because something is not going so well. The man in your dream is a part of you, he is a part of your self that you need to be attracted to and that you need to unite with (hence the sex) and utilize in your life right now. This is why you were connected to him in your dream… he is you, your male energy, the part of you that can be “ballsy” and stand up for what is right and handle the situation. Read the rest of this entry »

One-Night Stands Can So Lead to Beautiful Relationships

September 7th, 2010

photo by e.esders

Before we started writing about sex, we had no idea that so many scientists and researchers spent time so much time studying our sexual proclivities. These days we have trouble thinking of anything sexual that hasn’t been qualified and quantified and written up in a science journal.

Take the age-old issue of whether you’re ruining your shot at a relationship if you sleep with someone on a first date. According to science — at least, according to a new study out of the University of Iowa, just published in the journal Social Science Research — not necessarily. Once you factor out people who weren’t serious about entering a relationship in the first place, it’s pretty much even-stevens. Meaning, couples who boinked on the first date tend to be just as happy and satisfied in their long-term relationship as couples who held off for a while and just masturbated furiously when they got home after a date. (Okay, so that furious masturbation thing wasn’t actually in the survey — we made that up.)

Read the rest of this post on SUNfiltered

Your Weekly Stars: 09-07-10

September 7th, 2010

grandcentral_ceiling_421photo by Simply Schmoopie

aries (Mar. 21st-Apr. 20th)
Play a game of cat and mouse this week. No, you can’t be the cat. You were the cat last time. Give someone else a chance for a change. Play it safe, eat some cheese, be the damn mouse. And don’t even think about whipping out that black leather suit à la Halle Berry in Catwoman. And put down that leotard. You’ll be the mouse and you’ll damn well like it!

taurus (Apr. 21st-May 20th)
You’ve got a million things on your plate, you’re constantly on the go and you never shut up — and that’s a good thing. The hard part is finding someone who can keep up. Giving partners time to build up their enthusiasm muscles will help any potential relationships. So will secretly replacing their caffeine-free Diet Coke with Red Bull.

gemini (May 21st-June 21st)
Being in a relationship is not the be-all and end-all. Think of the time demands, the emotional dependency, the routine. Sure, we’re just saying this to make you feel better, but if you’re not with the right person then all that stuff can be an issue. Take some time to date yourself and find out what it is you really want (and no, we’re not just talking about masturbation).

cancer (June 22nd-July 22nd)
Your aggressive nature will send your lover running in the opposite direction. Or maybe it’s your body odor. Cover all your bases and keep both in check this week.

leo (July 23rd-Aug. 22nd)
Resist the temptation to send your sweetheart flowers, tattoo their name on your butt, sky-write a marriage proposal or build a secret voodoo shrine with red candles, bird talons, Xeroxed copies of their face and lots of goat’s blood. There’s a fine line between enthusiasm and stalking; don’t cross it this week. ‘Cause if you ever watch Lifetime, then you know: Stalkers never win.

virgo (Aug. 23rd-Sept. 22nd)
If you chase anything long and hard enough, chances are you’ll become convinced that the chase is worth it. Chances are, the thrill of the chase will make you forget what it is you’re chasing. We’re not sure if it’s your fancy new Pumas or all those butt-clenching exercises you’ve been doing at your desk (yes, we see you), but this week, you’re going to win the chase. Enjoy the victory lap, because by the time you get home, you may be bored of your prize.

libra (Sept. 23rd-Oct. 23rd)
Frequenting old haunts is the best thing you can do for love this week. Who knows what that means, but at least you have plans for the weekend now.

scorpio (Oct. 24th-Nov. 22nd)
If you are subtle with your flirtations, you will attract someone very observant. And if you are obvious, you will turn off everyone and go home alone and sad. This week, get involved in organizations where you can meet large groups of people. Once there, try to attract someone very observant. Get the picture?

sagittarius (Nov. 23rd-Dec. 21st)
Spend more quality time with yourself. Resist the urge to turn on the TV. Remember, you’re not that boring.

capricorn (Dec. 22nd-Jan. 20th)
Don’t deny the world the fabulousness of you this week. Get out. Have fun. Don’t drink too many dirty martinis.

aquarius (Jan. 21st-Feb. 18th)
Aquarius, Aquarius, Aquarius. Why, oh why, do we feel like we just keep telling you the same thing week after week. Probably because we do. Are you listening? There are life lessons here that you should be actively applying in the day to day. For instance, take off those silly rose-colored glasses once and for all. And would you stop moving so quickly when it comes to relationships? Yeah, you’re right, you probably won’t, because you’re an Aquarius, after all. But please, just this once, won’t you try, for us?

pisces (Feb. 19th-Mar. 20th)
You are cruisin’ for a bruisin’ of your heart (and other organs) if you don’t ease up on the quick and casual, purely physical trysts. Animal lust is a beautiful thing, but so is Barbie, and we all know she’s not the first person we’d want around when the shit comes down. There’s something to be said for having a partner who has more between their ears than rubber-smelling air.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

September 3rd, 2010

photo by Jason Clapp

Writing about sex and relationships is hard work: all the Eyes Wide Shut balls we’re required to attend, all the whips and chains we need to inspect, all the pillow fights we have to have in our lingerie. It’s exhausting! So we’re taking a long weekend (and hope you are too!). We’ll be back on Tuesday refreshed and ready to take on all your pressing romantic inquiries.

Researchers Argue Over Whether Cougar Dating Exists

September 2nd, 2010

photo via IMDB

When we read that a researcher at the University of Wales Institute in Cardiff had released a study claiming that the cougar dating trend is a myth and a media construct, we were ready to buy his argument. After all, we’ve witnessed first-hand — and have occasionally, shame on us, been responsible for — how a so-called trend can get blown out of all proportion for the sake of a sexy headline. So we tend to be more than ready to believe that a much-hyped, now-sitcom-ed trend is actually just hype.

But it turns out that the researcher, Michael Dunn, doesn’t have the most water-tight argument himself. For one thing, his theory is based solely on stats from public online dating profiles, which as we all know, are notoriously unreliable sources of information (who knew the world contained so many men over 6 foot?!). The profiles he looked at (in North American, Europe, Australia, and Japan) showed that most women are looking for men their own age or older and most men are looking for younger women. In other words, Dunn’s real finding is that people don’t use mainstream online dating sites to find or be a cougar… or at least, if they do, they don’t admit it openly in their profiles.

Read the rest of this post on SUNfiltered

Your Call: How Can I Enjoy Receiving Oral More?

September 2nd, 2010

photo by Bogdan Suditu

Dear Em & Lo.

I’m a 48-year-old female and I can’t seem to achieve an orgasm during oral sex. It all seems too intense. However, I don’t have any problems when masturbating. I feel it is like… someone else scratching your feet… it tickles. If I do it myself, it doesn’t tickle. Is there anything I can do so that my man can achieve this wonderful thing for me?

– Don’t Tickle Me Elmo

What should D.T.M.E. do? Share your advice and experience below…