The bizarre trend was sparked after celebrities including Kourtney Kardashian, Charlotte Crosby and Sophie Kasaei revealed they have lightened their behinds.
In fact, there’s been a 23 per cent surge in the number of women seeking anal bleaching as they feel the pressure to “look like porn stars” in the bedroom, according to a top London clinic.
The procedure involves lightening the colour of the skin around the anus. It’s done purely for cosmetic reasons to make the skin the same colour as the surrounding skin on the backside.
But, is it worth it? And does it hurt?
Two weeks ago we sent fitness instructor and mum-of-two Tracey Kiss, 30, from Aylesbury, along to HB Health Clinic in Knightsbridge, London, to have a 30 minute session.
She took boyfriend Freddie Shaw, 27, along with her and claims it’s boosted her confidence in the bedroom…
Why I chose to try anal bleaching – and my verdict
TO be honest I’d not really given too much thought to that area of my body, I guess because it’s not talked about a lot and people find it all a bit embarrassing.
But I can see why more and more women are having it done. We all like to be well groomed – I get regular bikini waxes and remove all my pubic hair.
Reading more about it, I did become a bit concerned deep down as to how mine looked.
I love sunbathing and wearing G-strings, and I’ve even had designer vagina surgery!
I’m into body building and I realised I’d not really been giving that part of my bum as much attention as everywhere else. So I thought, why not look into it?
I never realised just how many shades and colours skin in that area could be, and that I could even select as my “end result” colour.
Bizarrely, Freddie seemed to know more about the procedure than me! Perhaps he’d done his research. It was great to be able to ask him what he thought and not have him freak out in horror or laugh at me.
Obviously I don’t look at that area of my behind very often, but from time to time he does “encounter” me from that view. While he had no complaints, I decided it would nice to have the dark-ish brown colour of the skin down there look more uniformly like the rest of me.
That’s the reason most models and celebrities say is behind them having the procedure.
I was surprised at how quick and simple it was.
When I got to the clinic I had to lie on my back with my knickers off – just like I was having a smear.
I was given special glasses to wear to protect my eyes from the laser and EMLA Cream was then applied to the surface area to allow the skin to numb for several minutes before treatment began.
The Double Wave Laser removes the melanin layer present in the sensitive area, meaning the source of the darker colouring is permanently treated, without leaving any scars or burning.
I didn’t know how sensitive I would be for the very first zap, and I was worried I might jump with the surprise of it.
I’d imagined it would be painful but it was over with really quickly. I’ve had my underarms and rosacea on my face treated with laser before and I’d always felt a short, sharp sting during those procedures.
With this, I merely felt a couple of pings as laser shots were set off at my bottom. It was certainly easier than child birth or period cramps!
I chatted to Freddie about grocery shopping while Dr Madhok administered the laser, which helped me to relax as it took my mind off it.
Afterwards my bottom felt quite “hot” because of the laser and I was given healing cream which needed applying twice a day. We also couldn’t have sex for a week.
I couldn’t wait to see what it looked like, and I was thrilled with the results.
I had Freddie take before and after images and I used a mirror between my legs to check on the recovery. The area is considerably lighter and looks just like my normal skin.
It’s gone from what I would say was latte brown to a strawberry milkshake colour. The whole experience was bizarrely liberating.
Now when I think about it, it’s just like having the circles under your eyes improved!
It’s something that has really given me an extra boost down below and certainly smartened everything out there.
I’ve nicknamed the procedure my “cracking facelift” because it really felt like a face-lift for your anus.
When we had sex a week after the procedure I felt like a virgin again. It’s allowed me to be more adventurous between the sheets. It’s made me feel super confident.
Having anal bleaching doesn’t mean you want anal sex or are obsessed with it. It’s about body confidence. Talking about it with my man was as liberating as having it done.
I think if the treatment makes you feel good about your body, then have it done.
I’ve never had any negative comments on the appearance of my anus, but I had the procedure for me. I love the results and am glad I did it.
Freddie said: “I love the fact we can talk about these things. If you can accompany your girlfriend for anal bleaching I think you can definitely deal with any of life’s other hurdles.
“It’s made us closer as a couple. Tracey is more confident in the bedroom and I love that. I’m glad she did it for herself and not me, because I love her how she is.”
Sheri McDaniel, clinic manager at HB Health of Knightsbridge, said the laser treatment is currently the most popular among patients, accounting for about 95 per cent of anal bleaching cases. In other cases women are seeking creams.
“The vaginal bleaching has always been quite popular but recently anal bleaching is becoming really popular as well,” she said.
“A lot of women have issues where the pigmentation has gotten a lot darker and they are insecure about it.
“It is usually hormonal. So if you become pregnant, if you go through menopause, if your hormones change at all during your lifetime that is what will spark it to get darker.”
Dr Minoo Madhok, who performed Tracey’s bleaching, added: “Laser treatments tend to require two to three sessions, using a high-tech laser to remove a layer of melanin, which is responsible for darkness.
