# Really gross question about your anus **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 3, 2002, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786 "2002-09-03T11:26:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mellonhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e19adc/32.png) [@mellonhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mellonhead)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/1 "2002-09-03T11:26:54Z")
I’m hoping that there’s a doctor out there who can answer this… During a drunken BBQ this weekend, the subject of the anus came up - more specifically, the injury of the anus: Occasionally when making a bowel movement the object coming out is slightly larger than what the anus will allow. Therefore stretching occurs. Sometimes that stretching isn’t enough and little tears will afflict the area in question - causing you to bleed. The question is - given all of the bacteria that is in your colon and around the anus in general, why is it that your ass doesn’t have this huge infection while these anus-tears are healing? Even after a good shower, you’re still going to have to take a shit again…does your body have some kind of hyper-defense mechanism (other than the regular immune system) that’s protecting you?😕 ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/2 "2002-09-03T11:40:10Z")
I don’t know. You would think rubbing shit into an open wound would cause some infection. It has been used as a primative biological weapon in the past (pugial sticks? sharpened sticks diped in shit). Perhaps fresh shit is not as toxic and shit that has been laying around a while. Perhaps it requires a deep wound. Perhaps the anus is not really part of the human body but some parasitic alian life form that is immune to shit but likes to see us backed up from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/3 "2002-09-03T16:14:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by k2dave \* > \*\*pugial sticks \*\* Pungi sticks - yech. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/4 "2002-09-03T16:18:25Z")
It used to be a problem until they invented **Scotchguard**. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/5 "2002-09-03T18:00:24Z")
I once got an ass infection. At least I think that’s what it was. For a few the area slightly above my anus inside my asscrack was leaking blood and pus. Charming, I assure you. Fortunately it went away by itself before I had the good sense to go to a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/6 "2002-09-03T18:06:53Z")
Until an actual doctor arrives, I’ll venture a WAG… The bad stuff in your body is _yours_. In other words, you’re in homeostasis…in balance with yourself. Sure, some bad stuff, if applied to a place in the body where it’s not normally found, would cause problems. That’s not to say that an anal fissure can’t get infected. Og willing, you’ll (and I’ll) never know. ---
**Author:** ![Tiburon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e36b37/32.png) [@Tiburon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tiburon)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/7 "2002-09-03T18:25:35Z")
You know what? Oddly enough, I’ve posted this question before. I’m not sure if it was lost in the crash but I’ll do a search and see. Heh. Tibs. ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/8 "2002-09-03T23:59:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\*I once got an ass infection. At least I think that’s what it was. For a few the area slightly above my anus inside my asscrack was leaking blood and pus. Charming, I assure you. Fortunately it went away by itself before I had the good sense to go to a doctor. \*\* No, you didn’t have an ass infection. What you had was a pilonidal sinus. You are lucky that yours seemed to clear up fairly quickly. I had them for a period of around 4 years on and off. Talk about something that will kill your social/sexual life dead off. It’s like having a period 365 days a year. Yeah, you heard right, 365 days a year. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/9 "2002-09-04T00:22:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rysdad \* > **That’s not to say that an anal fissure can’t get infected** For some reason **“anal fissure”** conjures up quite a disturbing image which I can’t seem to get out of my head…😛 Still, its got a certain ring to it I suppose…:smack: ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/10 "2002-09-04T01:06:35Z")
I’ve been doing much better since I discovered my allergy to Preparation H… ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/11 "2002-09-04T01:54:50Z")
Bacteria gets into all parts of us on a daily basis. We’ve all got tiny scrapes on our hands and our hands are constantly touching things that no doubt are dirty. Occasional dirt blows into our mouths or people eat fruits and vegetables without washing them. But for the most part, thank G-D, we don’t get terrible illnesses from this. The same goes with the anus. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/12 "2002-09-04T05:14:35Z")
I recall a Daffy Duck cartoon where the question was posed, _Is there a proctologist in the house?_ Or something like that. I think a door slammed on a cartoon character’s butt. I never forgot this because I wondered how many kids would know the meaning of proctologist. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/13 "2002-09-04T06:05:23Z")
I once discussed this with a surgeon specializing in such things. Never mind why. He said that this particular topic (the lack of infections when there is a break in the skin of the anus) amazed him too and that in 40 years of practice he’d never heard a satisfactory explanation. ---
**Author:** ![Tsubaki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Tsubaki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsubaki)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/14 "2002-09-04T06:14:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WSLer \* > \*\*No, you didn’t have an ass infection. What you had was a pilonidal sinus. You are lucky that yours seemed to clear up fairly quickly. I had them for a period of around 4 years on and off. Talk about something that will kill your social/sexual life dead off. It’s like having a period 365 days a year. > > Yeah, you heard right, 365 days a year. \*\* You know, for years I thought I was the only one who suffered from a pilonidal sinus… Thankfully surgery cleared it up, and I’ve had no problems since. But being a woman, I still get a period every month… ---
**Author:** ![GopherGod72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f0a364/32.png) [@GopherGod72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GopherGod72)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/15 "2002-09-04T07:01:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tsubaki \* > \*\* > > But being a woman, I still get a period every month… \*\* I’m sure they could sew that up to. ---
**Author:** ![LolaBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@LolaBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaBaby)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/16 "2002-09-04T07:56:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samarm \* > \*\* > > For some reason **“anal fissure”** conjures up quite a disturbing image which I can’t seem to get out of my head…😛 > > Still, its got a certain ring to it I suppose…:smack: \*\* Yeah…band name. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mort\_Furd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mort\_Furd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mort_Furd)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/17 "2002-09-04T08:27:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Violet \* > \*\*I recall a Daffy Duck cartoon where the question was posed, _Is there a proctologist in the house?_ Or something like that. I think a door slammed on a cartoon character’s butt. I never forgot this because I wondered how many kids would know the meaning of proctologist. \*\* Well, heck. I thought everyone knew that those cartoons weren’t originally targeted at kids. Apparently not everyone knows, though. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/18 "2002-09-04T13:22:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samarm \* > \*\*Still, its got a certain ring to it I suppose. \*\* Sure does. The sphincter muscle. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/19 "2002-09-04T14:22:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cmkeller \* > \*\*… Occasional dirt blows into our mouths or people eat fruits and vegetables without washing them. \ The same goes with the anus. \*\* Not to even mention the fruit, has dirt blowing up people’s anuses become a problem? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786/20 "2002-09-04T19:38:45Z")
\ Since we’re talking about crap, anyway…I have heard that the main cause of bladder infections (in women) is from e-coli bacteria getting where it shouldn’t- which is why you have to wipe properly. Now, if this is the case, why don’t baby girls who are in diapers get them all the time? Are infants and toddlers super-resistant to that sort of thing? \ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-gross-question-about-your-anus/126786.md?page=2)