G-Spot
Both women and men have an identical ring of spongy erectile tissue surrounding the urethra (where urine leaves the body). This ring of tissue--the famed G-spot--is located on the front wall of the vagina, toward the belly button, roughly two inches inside. It is an integral part of the clitoral system.

During arousal, the sponge swells and hardens, and it can be touched by inserting a finger and stroking with a "come hither" motion. Some women find that once this sponge is firm with arousal, touch and vibration feel great, while others dislike the sensation altogether. Often the discomfort stems from a feeling of having to pee, which might be too intense for enjoyment, though many G-spot aficionados say this feeling soon passes and gives way to pleasure.

G-spot toys should be firm, smooth and have a curve at the tip that massages the 'spot. Many women particularly like the feel of G-spot stimulation with glass G-spot toys.

Some women, upon orgasm, may ejaculate a clear fluid from the urethral sponge. It is not urine, but instead a fluid similar to the fluid found in the male prostate. Some women and their partners find ejaculation very exciting, while others (or their lovers) may be alarmed. If you (or your woman partner) ejaculate and you feel uncomfortable about it, just remember that it is a result of something that felt really good. Not all women ejaculate, and not all women (who do) ejaculate do so every time.

Anal
Women and men both enjoy anal play, as the anus is a very sensitive area that responds strongly to pleasure, and the act itself is considered so taboo that it is exciting. Women and men have glands just inside the anus that make anal stimulation feel incredible, and particularly in men, the prostate. Studies have shown that prostate stimulation and ejaculation has healthy side effects, and it feels darn good, too.

Many men, though not all, find that when they're aroused, prostate stimulation is intensely pleasurable. The orgasms from prostate stimulation are often described by men as deep, intense, and powerful. The prostate gland is located just inside the anus, within the forward wall. It sits just below the bladder, producing the fluid that mixes with semen in ejaculate, and is connected to the urethra, the muscles that line the perineum, and the sphincter muscle. The gland is rounded, shaped like a walnut, but slightly cleaved down the center so it has a furrowed seam and two subtle halves that can be felt with the pad of your finger (when touched from inside the anus). Like with G-spot stimulation in women, use your fingers to make a "come hither" motion for manual prostate stimulation. In size it can be anywhere from the size of a small chestnut to a large walnut. When he's aroused, it swells and becomes firm to the touch, and it's a lot easier to feel. Penetration is the most direct way to stimulate the prostate by inserting a finger, dildo, or butt plug into his anus. External stimulation is done by massaging or applying gentle pressure to his perineum, on the area near, but not on, the anal opening.

The anus is an unlubricated area; it does not self-lubricate like a mouth or vagina, and the skin is thin enough to scratch, tear and scrape easily. Use lube, lots of lube. You can never have too much lubricant. Use a thick water-based, or silicone lube. Before you touch the anus, make sure your fingers are perfectly smooth and that you have no rough hangnails or calluses.

Never, ever engage in anal play unless everyone wants to. The main causes for pain during play are: a) you're going too fast, b) someone doesn't really want to be doing this right now, c) not enough lubricant, or d) the recipient needs more time to relax.

Never insert anything anally unless it has a flared base. Sex toys used for anal penetration must have a flared base, handle, or ring, meaning a base that prevents them from being pulled into the anal canal where they can get lost. This is a nightmare waiting to happen, and some of those emergency room stories are indeed true. The sphincter muscles have minds of their own and like to squeeze and contract involuntarily, which is something we cannot control. This serves to push and pull things in and out of the anus, and once something gets pulled in, there's no guarantee you're going to get it out. Take a look at a standard butt plug or anal beads and you'll see exactly what a flared base should look like. Some people like to time the removal of plugs or beads with orgasm (before, during or just after).

The thing to know about vibrators and anal stimulation is that the outer third of the anus, and the prostate, contain more nerve endings than the anal canal and respond best to touch and vibration. The inner portion, inside the canal, has fewer nerve endings and responds to feelings of fullness, pressure and rhythm. A vibrator will feel intense (intensely good) around the opening and the prostate area. But the vibration won't matter deep inside--the size, shape and motion of the vibe will. To maximize your buzz, try to select insertable vibrators that have the vibration located at the base.

Vaginal
The visible part of the vagina is called the vulva. Vulvas follow a few basic principles in appearance and structure, but color, size, shape and response to stimulation are all unique to the individual. The pubic mound (or mons veneris, or Mound of Venus), is the area over the pubic bone, and is usually covered with hair that can be anywhere from thick and lustrous to thin and wispy. Women wear their hair down there in a variety of styles: all natural and furry, trimmed, waxed into bikini-line obedience, or even shaved completely off. The Mound of Venus tapers eloquently down and between the thighs; this is the area where the inner thighs meet the torso and split into two outer lips around the vaginal opening.

The outer lips are similar in color and texture to the skin found everywhere else, but are usually a little darker and covered with hair. The outer lips are analogous to the male scrotum, and both are formed from the same tissue in utero. Their appearance ranges from full and covering the clitoris and vaginal opening, to thin and revealing the clitoris. When a woman spreads her legs, you will see a hairless second set of lips that surround the vaginal opening, the inner labia. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes: they can be practically nonexistent or long and prominent--and no matter what size they are, they are never the same on each side. It is common for them to be different sizes. Inner labia come in many shades; pale peach, mauve, shades of pink, burgundy, or dark chocolate, and the color may deepen after childbirth. The inner lips are richly endowed with nerve endings, and the clitoral hood--where they meet at the top of the vaginal opening--is analogous to the foreskin of the penis. Some women enjoy stimulation of the inner lips more than their clitoris.

The vaginal canal, or vaginal barrel, responds to stimulation differently than anywhere else on the body. The outer third responds to vibration and the sensation of fullness (or stretching), while the inner two-thirds responds to the feelings of fullness, pressure and rhythm. A vibrator may feel great near the outside, but it's the shape and how it's used inside that may matter most.

The vagina is a delicate ecosystem that can be upset by oils, bacteria and sugars. Always clean porous toys well, and never share toys unless you cover them with a condom. Never spread bacteria from the anus to the vagina, because that will cause an infection.

Nipples
On the front of our bodies, nipples beg to be kissed, licked, sucked and nibbled. Some people like more stimulation than this, and you can excite them with nipple clips, vibrating nipple clips and nipple pumps. (See pumps for more info on using nipple pumps). To apply a clip, gently pinch the nipple between your thumb and forefinger, pull slightly, and apply the clip to the fleshy part of the nipple. Clips will hurt at first, then the pain will subside as endorphins kick in--but when you remove the clip, the sensation will rush back and it will hurt even more. Some people like to time this removal with orgasm (before, during or just after). Never leave clips on longer than five minutes, and never use clips that don't have rubber-tipped pinchers. Test clips on your delicate inner arm first, and never use clips on someone who has a breast-related medical condition.

Clitoris
Just inside a woman's outer vaginal lips, at the top of the vagina, is the clitoris. Each one is unique, and they come in an endless variety of shapes, sizes and colors, and the appearance has little to do with how they respond to touch. Most women require clitoral stimulation to achieve orgasm, though some may not need it at all. Vibration, oral (tongue) and manual (fingers) are all well suited for clitoral stimulation to orgasm.

The clitoral hood is the jacket that houses the glans, or tip, of the clitoris. The clitoris starts where we can see it, and extends deep beneath the surface of the vulva. At the top it connects to the pubic bone, and beneath the glans it splits into a wishbone shape, extending under the sides of the vagina all the way to the anus.

The sensitive glans (the part that can be seen under the hood) contains 8,000 nerve endings, more than anywhere else in the human body, male or female. If you touch it in an unaroused state, it is so sensitive that it might feel painful. To begin to touch the clitoris, always use indirect stimulation, such as stimulating on the side, or massaging (or vibrating) the legs of the clitoris on either side of the vaginal opening.

The clitoris is actually a complex clitoral system, connecting nerves, tissues, muscles and ligaments that react with one another when a woman is aroused. The clitoris, the area underneath the inner lips, the ring around the urethra (where urine leaves the body), and the wall of the perineum, all contain erectile tissue which fill with blood and swell upon arousal, sometimes noticeably, sometimes not.

Penis
The penis is a shaft, or tube, that ends at the tip, where you'll find the head, or glans. When arousal triggers an erection, the penis fills with blood, hardening the shaft and head. However, an erection does not always indicate if a man is aroused or not, and a man can be perfectly, happily aroused and remain unerect.

The largest concentration of nerve endings is in the head, and it can be very responsive to stimulation. The head is often bulbous, anywhere from slightly to quite pronounced, and some men less than others. If he's uncircumcised, in its soft state it will be covered in a thin jacket of skin called a foreskin. As his penis becomes aroused, the glans will harden and emerge.

Beneath the head of his penis is usually the most sensitive part, and some men will claim this to be their "sweet spot," the spot they really enjoy having touched when they're aroused. This spot can range in location from just at the urethral opening to further down the underside of the shaft.

Underneath the penis is where we find the scrotal sack, containing the testicles or balls. A man's testicles are very sensitive to touch, but many men enjoy having them caressed, lightly massaged, or even gently tugged or pulled during foreplay and arousal. Most men will not enjoy having them slapped, spanked, or even sucked, but there are exceptions, and this type of pleasure play should be expressly discussed in advance.

Penis toys include erection rings for restriction (read how in erection rings), vibrators, masturbation sleeves (read how in sleeves) and pumps (read how in pumps).