Recently, I met an extremely sexy lady of around 34, who seemed to like me. She is also in the hotel industry, but in a much more senior position than me. Within a couple of days of meeting up, she had invited me to her room. I guess it was inevitable that we went to bed together.

Our 'affair' has continued since then no one else knows about it. She is real hot in the sack, and we have had wonderful times together. Now, there is one problem, doc. In the last few days, I have been very surprised by the fact that she keeps asking me for what she called 'the other kind of intercourse'. When I enquired what she meant, she explained that she was talking about sexual intercourse in her bottom.

I was quite shocked by this, doc. I had heard of rectal intercourse, but I thought it was something that only homosexuals do. Therefore, so far, I have not agreed to her request. I am not happy at all with it. But she keeps pressing me to try it, and she frequently says, 'You don't know what you are missing'.

So I am asking you kindly, doc: should I go ahead? And are there any dangers to my health if I do this rectal intercourse with her? Also, is it true what she is saying, that it would be 'more pleasurable' for me than regular sex? Finally, could it make me 'turn' towards homosexuality?

A You are in quite an unusual situation. Usually, it is the male who tries to persuade the female into trying out rectal (that is, anal) intercourse. Most women are not too keen on it to start with - mainly because it is likely to hurt them. It can also make them bleed. And if they keep on doing it, they can become a little incontinent of faeces later on in life.

For those and other medical reasons, I do NOT recommend rectal intercourse to women.

But in this case, we have a woman who apparently wants her lover (i.e., you) to do it to her. That is surprising. However, I guess that she is an experienced and sophisticated older lady, who takes pleasure in encouraging her partner to do exotic things to her body.

So, let me answer your questions. You ask: 'Are there any dangers to your health?' The answer is: 'Very few'.

You see, the man is at very little health risk from trying rectal sex, UNLESS the woman is carrying some infection - such as gonorrhoea ('clap'), syphilis, or HIV. Generally, it is the WOMAN whose health is at risk from this practice.

Admittedly, there is a possibility that giving your girlfriend rectal sex could infect you with a urine infection - because of bowel germs getting into your 'waterworks'. But that danger is not very great.

Now, you ask whether it is true that rectal intercourse would be 'more pleasurable' for you than regular intercourse. Most guys report that this is NOT the case. They may enjoy this activity, and they usually find that it feels 'tighter' than intercourse in the vagina.

But the majority of them say that they prefer ordinary vaginal sex.

Finally, you ask whether having 'bottom intercourse' with this woman could turn you into a gay man. No, that makes no sense at all.

Should you go ahead, and do what the lady asks? Well, I am a great believer in the idea that in bed no one should do anything that they dislike! You obviously find the idea of 'bottom intercourse' a little distasteful, so I don't think you should let this older person pressure you into it.

Q I am a girl of 16, and I am not sexually active. My problem is that I have been bleeding vaginally for over one month. It is making me feel weak. What must I do?

A This 'period' has gone on far too long. If it continues much longer, you will get sick from anaemia - which is 'weak blood.'

So you must see a doc this week. I guess the doc will put you on a hormone tablet which should stop the bleeding almost immediately, and should examine you internally to try to find out what is wrong. I beg you not to delay.

A No, the traditional remedy called 'Whitfield's ointment' does not usually cause acne - which is generally provoked by hormones.

Any doctor could help you with your acne. But if it does not respond to regular medical treatment, it would be worth seeing a dermatologist. Good luck.

A No, not unless you let yourself get chilly afterwards. Exposing the nose and mouth to low temperatures does lower the body's resistance to the cold virus.

A Yes. Any kind of stress is the enemy of erection. If you can get your man to 'calm down' and take life more easily, it is likely that his problem will vanish.

A This is a tragic story. It is appalling that your stepfather abused you, and I hope the cops catch up with him.

In view of the past abuse by an older man, I suspect it is significant that you have picked a boyfriend who is much older than you. Your email says he is 'good' and 'nice', which is something.

However, I think that you should try hard to consult a youth counsellor or therapist in your area, in order to deal with what you call your 'addiction' to sex.

A Your friend is not thinking quite straight. Even if condoms sometimes fail to prevent infections, they are still far better than wearing NOTHING. However, the only absolutely certain way to protect yourself against HIV is not to have sex.