There’s no delicate way to say this, so here goes. Women are getting Botox in their buttholes.
At Lushful Aesthetics in New York City, the procedure goes by HoleTox. It first gained popularity among gay men hoping to make anal sex more comfortable, but women are booking appointments, too. Founder and nurse practitioner Chris Bustamante told VICE that women now account for just under 10% of his HoleTox patients. His first cisgender female patient came in about two years ago.
Some are hoping for better sex. Others just want their a**es to stop hurting.
There is some legit research behind the idea, at least. Botox relaxes muscles, and injections into the anal sphincter can relieve spasms and help chronic fissures heal. The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons recognizes Botox as a treatment option for chronic anal fissures, although the use remains off-label. There’s much less clinical evidence for its sexual benefits or treating hemorrhoids.
VICE spoke with three NYC women who’ve gotten HoleTox. All wanted to keep their names private, but when it came to discussing what happened to their buttholes, they were remarkably forthcoming.
Yes, Women Are Getting Botox in Their Buttholes. And Some Say It’s Worth It.
The first, a 51-year-old who’s actively dating, had enjoyed anal sex before, usually after a fun night of drinking. Attempts to recreate that enthusiasm sober hadn’t gone nearly as well, and she wanted to see if HoleTox could help her enjoy it without knocking back a few cocktails first.
A gay friend mentioned the treatment during a night out. She’d already been getting facial Botox for years, so she figured it was worth a shot.
“We all have buttholes, so it kinda just felt like why not?” she told VICE.
And she’s happy she tried it. “It’s been so fun!” she said. “Anal sex is not something I feel like ‘need’, but it’s definitely a fun option!”
Her appointment involved an anoscope, internal injections she couldn’t feel, and a few quick pinches on the outside. She estimated the procedure took about three minutes and said she experienced no side effects, although she’s kept her new bedroom adventure mostly to herself.
“I don’t think I’d want to have that conversation unless I had to,” she said of telling her regular doctor.
For a woman in her mid-30s who’d recently given birth, sex wasn’t even on the agenda. She was dealing with persistent hemorrhoids and anal spasms, and while creams helped temporarily, the hemorrhoids kept returning whenever she got constipated. Just what every new mother needs on top of everything else.
“I just wanted to feel comfortable again,” she said.
Her best friend, a nurse practitioner, was the one who suggested HoleTox. With maternity leave coming to an end and a newborn keeping her busy, the possibility of avoiding surgery sounded pretty appealing. She booked the appointment without mentioning it to her OB, although she’d previously discussed the hemorrhoids and received a prescription cream.
“I think part of me maybe didn’t want to get talked out of it? I’m not sure,” she admitted. She didn’t tell her husband about the appointment, either. Her best friend was the only person who knew.
She was breastfeeding when she went in, and research on Botox exposure during breastfeeding has been reassuring so far, although studies remain limited, especially for injections in this area. As for the appointment, she found it much easier than she’d anticipated.
“It’s a new experience for me to have someone putting the anoscope up there, but I mean after delivering a baby it just felt like a walk in the park.”
She started noticing improvement about a week later and says the hemorrhoids haven’t returned. She also used Preparation H after the injections and acknowledged that the cream could have contributed to her recovery.
Inside the Growing World of ‘HoleTox,’ the Botox Procedure for Your Butthole
The third woman, 45, had a different motivation. She loved anal sex, but one particularly rough encounter had left her with a fissure and hemorrhoid, putting her off penetration for years. Even after both healed, she couldn’t shake the fear of getting hurt again.
“I’m a bit of a size queen when it comes to men’s penises, and that doesn’t always easily translate to anal,” she told VICE. “But I just used to love it, and I wanted that back.”
She already knew Bustamante from the beauty industry and visited him for facial Botox and occasional filler. She’d even joked with him about getting HoleTox over Instagram before eventually deciding to give it a try.
She says the injections were easier than facial Botox, and she’s since returned to anal sex without the same fear of injury. She’s also had no reservations about telling her friends. Considering she’s already known for bringing up her anal bleaching experiences in conversation, HoleTox has given her something new to talk about.
There are risks, though. Relaxing a muscle responsible for bowel control comes with the possibility of incontinence, and that’s a rather unfortunate trade for a better sex life.
A review by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence found that about 10% of patients receiving Botox for fissures temporarily struggled to control gas, while approximately 5% experienced leakage involving liquid or stool.
Bustamante says he’s never had a patient experience fecal incontinence and starts with conservative doses. He also declines treatment when someone has inadequate sphincter muscle tone or certain active anal conditions.
“It’s always better to treat conservatively and adjust dosing at future visits if necessary so you can avoid this risk,” he told VICE.
His experience doesn’t replace clinical safety data, and three satisfied patients can’t tell us how the procedure works for everyone. Anyone considering it should discuss the risks with a medical professional beforehand, especially after childbirth or with an existing anal condition.
All three said they’d recommend it to a friend. Their butts, their call.
The post Women Are Getting Botox Injected Into Their Buttholes. We Asked Them Why. appeared first on VICE.
