Gay Saunas

There are gay saunas in most cities in the UK. These are venues where gay men go to meet other gay men – to relax and have sex. If you are thinking of going to the sauna there are a few things you might want to think about beforehand -

Sauna etiquette
When you arrive you will need to pay at the desk and they will give you a towel and a locker key. Once you have these you can get changed and explore the sauna. There are usually lots of different areas, so take your time and have fun.

Saunas tend to have rules, so ensure that you are aware of these. You will be expected to keep your towel on in all public areas. If a guy is interested in you it will be obvious. Don’t feel that you have to have sex with someone just because they fancy you. If you don’t fancy them, don’t have sex with them. If you have any worries about your safety get a member of staff.

Condoms
Whether a sauna has condoms and lube depends on which sauna or part of the country you’re in. So rather than relying on the sauna having them, take your own. If there are no dispensers around the sauna, you could keep condoms and lube

• in your locker
• under the key band that goes round your wrist or ankle
• tucked into the towel round your waist

Heat
Start slowly, with each visit building up the time spent in the hottest parts of the sauna. Avoid going from the hottest part of the sauna to the coolest, into cold water or outside. Heat up and cool down gradually.

You can get dehydrated after a few hours in a sauna – drink plenty of soft drinks or water. Heat puts stress on the body so try not to overload it. If you stay in the hottest part of the sauna too long, you risk fainting from overheating.

Drink
If you have been drinking alcohol before you get to the sauna or the sauna is licensed to sell alcohol you have to be careful – heat and alcohol don’t mix well. Alcohol dehydrates you and makes you more likely to faint from overheating.

You may be tempted to drink or take drugs to boost your confidence but if you are under the influence you are more likely to make bad decisions and take risks. Pace yourself, take lots of breaks and drink lots of water.

Drugs
Many guys end up in a sauna still on a high after taking drugs in a club.

One drug has been in the news due to people collapsing in clubs and saunas after overdosing : GHB (see drugs page for more information). This can leave you unconscious or cause a fit. Because of this some saunas now ban people found with GHB.

Things most likely to lead to passing out (or worse) are :

• Mixing GHB and alcohol
• Taking too big a dose of GHB

GHB is taken in  a small dose (usually one capful). The strength will vary, so you might take too much without realising. There’s a very small difference between a safe dose and an overdose.