A Beginner’s Guide to Double Penetration

The saucy vids (err, porn) you’ve stumbled upon or sought out may have led you to believe that DP is a sex act that involves a vagina owner being simultaneously penetrated in their bum by one penis owner and in their vagina by another.

But that’s just one of the many ways you can explore DP.

“Double penetration is any act that involves filling one or more orifices (anus, vagina, or mouth) with any combination of penises, dildos, ball gags, butt plugs (or other sex toys), fingers, and fists,” explains Luna Matatas, a sexuality, body, confidence, and kink educator and creator of Peg the Patriarchy.

To be very clear: There are no prerequisites for having DP. You don’t need a partner (or two+!) or specific genital makeup to explore DP.

“Anyone can explore double penetration,” Matatas says. “It can take place with one person dual-penetrating someone else, or a combination of three people, or an individual double penetrating themselves.”

Here’s a nonexhaustive (!) list of scenarios that all qualify as DP:

• a vagina owner being vaginally penetrated by a dildo and penis
• a vagina owner being penetrated by a dildo vaginally and a penis anally
• a vagina owner wearing a butt plug during P-in-V
• a vagina owner wearing a ball gag while being fisted
• a vagina owner wearing a butt plug while using an internal vibrator
• a penis owner performing oral while using anal beads
• a penis owner wearing a ball gag while being anally fisted
• a penis owner being anally penetrated by two dildos or penises at the same time
• a penis owner using two thrusting toys in their anus

Up until clicking on this article, chances are the only time you’ve heard about or seen DP is in porn. So, you might be wondering whether it’s something people actually do.

Yes, yes it is.

In fact, now that you know just how expansive the definition of DP really is, you may realize you’ve already explored it. (Fun!)

It can be capital-h Hot! And all caps PLEASURABLE!

It can feel really, really good for the receiver

It makes sense if you think about it.

Being vaginally penetrated can feel good thanks to internal hot spots like the G-spot, A-spot, and C-spot.

Being anally penetrated can feel good thanks to the ring of nerves at the entrance of the anus and that similar sense of fullness.

And, for people with prostates, it can allow for stimulation of the oh-so-sensitive P-spot. (Anal and prostate orgasm, anyone?)

And being orally penetrated can be hot because making your partner(s) feel good can make you feel good. Also: yummy power dynamics!

Suffice to say, whether one of the above orifices is receiving double the love or two are being filled at the same time, it can be a pleasure gold mine.

And the giver, too!

Mentally, the act of double penetrating someone can create a submissive/Dominant dynamic that makes the giver feel satisfyingly powerful.

Physically, DP can lead to more tightness and pressure on your its and bits than “regular” (read: single) penetration.

Taboos can be hot

The mere idea of doing something “naughty,” “off the beaten path,” or “forbidden” can be a serious turn on for some folks.

Daniel T., 39, who regularly penetrates his boyfriend while he’s wearing a ball gag, says, “DP feels amazing for both of us, but I think the taboo nature of double penetration is one of its main appeals for me.”

It can fulfill a fantasy

For some folks, DP is the fantasy.

For others, DP is a way to explore fantasies like group sex, being (consensually!) forced to engage in certain acts, and more.

Again, there’s no ~universal DP experience.~

So, whether it’s a solo, partnered, or multipartnered endeavor, whether you’re the giver or the receiver or both, and what hole(s) are being filled and with what, all affect how it feels.

For example, in a piece Elle Beau published on Medium, Beau describes the experience of being simultaneously vaginally penetrated by two penises as filling (and thrilling!).

“There was an initial sensation of being really stretched, but it almost immediately transformed into a feeling of just being very full, as if one really thick dick was inside me,” Beau wrote. “There’s just a sense of decadent abundance, which is also magnified by the mental turn-on of thinking about what you are doing.”

Cooper T., 24, a trans guy who regularly masturbates with a butt plug and double-ended dildo for DP, says, “It makes me feel full but in a gender-euphoric way.”

If you want to explore DP, let these steps — not your XXX-rated video history — be your guide.

Talk about it in detail

And we mean explicit detail.

Because there are so many different iterations of DP, just agreeing to try it doesn’t give you much information.

Be sure to address:

• Who’s going to be double penetrated?
• In what hole(s)? With what? In what order?
• What positions are you interested in exploring?
• What pregnancy prevention and STI protection methods are going to be used (if any)?

Buy what you need

What toys and tools do you need to achieve the DP of your dreams?

If, for instance, you want one partner to penetrate the other anally and vaginally, Matatas recommends investing in the SquareParts Deuce Harness.

“It allows people with penises to strap on a dildo and penetrate their partner with their penis in one hole and dildo in another at the same time,” Matatas says.

Vulva owners who want to sport two (2!) dildos can also wear the harness.

Other toys you may wish to invest in include:

• an anal-safe dildo, like the Fun Factory Limba Flex Dildo or the New York Sex Toy Collective Shilo
• a double-ended dildo, like the Fun Factory Sharevibe or the PeaceMaker Double Dildo
• a butt plug, like the b-Vibe Snug Plug 1, Tango Plug, or b-Vibe Rimming Plug
• anal beads, like the CalExotics Naughty Bits Butt Balls or b-Vibe Cinco Vibrating Anal Beads
• a ball gag, like the Padded Pillow Mouth Gag or Crank Ball Gag
• a harness, like the Malibu Thigh Harness or Tomboi Brief Harness

Just remember: If it’s going to go in your bum, it needs a flared base!

Lube, lube, lube, and probably even more lube

Even if the hole(s) being penetrated can be self-lubricating (think: the vagina), lube is still nonnegotiable.

If you’re planning to use a silicone-based toy, clinical sexologist Megan Stubbs, EdD, recommends a water-based lube, like the Sliquid Sassy or Cake Toy Joy.

If not, a thicker silicone-based lube, like Uberlube or pJur Original Silicone, is best.

Also: “Remember to reapply lube once you’re in motion,” Matatas adds.

Consider establishing a safe word

Before getting down, Stubbs recommends picking a safe word.

“The stoplight system works really well,” she says. “When you need to slow down or take a pause, you can simply say ‘yellow.’”

If the mouth is one of the orifices being penetrated, also establish a nonverbal safe sign. For instance, maybe three consecutive taps on the thigh mean stop.

Start one ‘penetration’ at a time…

And now on to the actual DP. Woohoo!

“Go slow, get your mind and body aroused from the things you normally like during sex,” Matatas says. Then, and only then, should you start penetrating.

“Start with one finger or toy before adding in a second object,” she says. “When you add the second object, go slowly and mindfully. Back off if there are any burning sensations or sharp pains.”

Communicate

Like, three times (!) as much as you think you need to.

Matatas recommends slowing down and checking in throughout. You might say:

• “Are you ready for another [toy/penis/dildo]?”
• “Does this angle [demonstrate] or this angle [demonstrate] feel better?”
• “How is this feeling for you?”

Exploring DP with two partners requires much of the same prep, patience, and process as exploring DP with one.

You need to talk about it ahead of time in deep detail, invest in lube and other sex aids and toys, go slower than slow, and communicate throughout.

But there are a few additional steps.

Spend more time talking beforehand

Stubbs recommends spending extra time discussing STI status and sussing out barrier methods in advance.

Why? Because unless you’re in a throuple or regularly having threesomes with this group, one or more of the people is likely a new lover.

As a reminder: Go slow

“Sometimes in figuring out what positions work, people forget to go slow and ease into it,” Matatas says.

So, remember that the person receiving the DP should be setting the pace for all the penetrative acts.

“If you’re planning to use dildos, penises, or larger toys, it can be really fun to start off with both people using their fingers to penetrate one person to get a sense of how that person reacts in pleasure and in discomfort,” Matatas says.

Explore multiple positions

“Positions can be tough to figure out, especially when there are multiple parties to consider,” Matatas says.

Some positions to try include:

• doggy style
• rider on top
• 69ing

Don’t get discouraged

“Double penetration may not happen the first time you want it to happen… or even the fifth,” Stubbs says. “And that’s totally OK! Every time you explore, you’ll learn a little bit more about your body and what does and does not work.”

In other words, try to enjoy the learning curve instead of cursing it.

“There are so many ways to explore DP on your own,” Matatas says. We <3 options!

For example, “You can use a ball gag in your mouth and a butt plug, flared-base anal beads, or dildo in your anus,” she says. “Or you can try a U-shaped, double-ended dildo for dual vaginal and anal penetration.”

When all is said and done, be sure to check in on each other’s emotional and physical needs, or your own if DPing solo.

“Emotionally, double penetration can feel really intense,” Matatas says. “So, debrief with your partner(s) about how you’re feeling, what was hot, and what you could have done without.”

Matatas also recommends tuning in with your body: “Your holes might be sore, swollen, and feel drier than normal.” Aloe-based lube, drinking water, and applying Momotaro’s Salve can all help.

“If there’s any lingering or sharp pains past a day or two, it’s worth ringing up your healthcare provider,” Matatas says.

Whether you’re solo, partnered, or multipartnered, DP play can bring (at least!) two times the pleasure.

Will it for you? Guess you’ll have to try to find out.

Gabrielle Kassel (she/her) is a queer sex educator and wellness journalist who is committed to helping people feel the best they can in their bodies. In addition to Healthline, her work has appeared in publications such as Shape, Cosmopolitan, Well+Good, Health, Self, Women’s Health, Greatist, and more! In her free time, Gabrielle can be found coaching CrossFit, reviewing pleasure products, hiking with her border collie, or recording episodes of the podcast she co-hosts called Bad In Bed. Follow her on Instagram @Gabriellekassel.