What is Squirting? How it feels & tips on how to squirt

What is squirting?

Squirting refers to a specific type of fluid that’s released from the urethra (where you pee from) during sex. This is different from the sexual secretion that’s created during arousal, which typically lubricates the vagina (sometimes called ‘getting wet’). Squirting often happens during the female orgasm, but not everyone squirts, and not everyone who squirts does so all of the time.

Squirting vs female ejaculation

Until recently, squirting and female ejaculation were considered to be the same thing. However, research shows that these are actually different. While squirting can often produce enough liquid to wet the sheets and is similar to urine in its composition, female ejaculation produces a smaller amount of milky fluid. This fluid is produced in the Skene’s gland (sometimes called the female prostate) and exits through the urethra with sexual release. It is possible to experience both squirting and female ejaculation at the same time, while some people will experience one but not the other. 

While the fluid produced when someone squirts is similar to urine, it’s not the same as peeing during sex. Squirting is different from sexual incontinence (also called coital incontinence) when the bladder leaks during intercourse — this usually happens if you already have urinary incontinence, e.g., you let out a small amount of pee when you laugh or sneeze. 

What does squirting feel like?

Some people say squirting feels more intense than a regular orgasm or like a deep sexual release. An online survey of more than 320 women worldwide found that almost 80% of women found squirting enriched their sex lives. 

Others may find squirting more of a side effect from other pleasure, and some people describe it as feeling a bit like needing to pee. Everyone experiences sex and sexual pleasure differently, there’s no right or wrong way to feel about it. 

Do all women squirt? 

No. While squirting has become very common to see in porn, not everyone with a vagina will squirt during sex. There hasn’t been a lot of research done into squirting, and some people still deny it exists. The same is true for female ejaculation — not everyone has a Skene’s gland, this is the organ that provides the secretion that’s present in female ejaculate. 

How common are squirting and female ejaculation?

Studies into squirting show different results. One piece of research suggests that anywhere between 10% and 54% of women may experience female ejaculation during orgasm, while another study suggests that as many as 69% of women can squirt during sex.

Keep in mind that there is a lot of stigma surrounding female pleasure, and squirting in particular. This can influence how much it’s talked about and may also lead to it being underreported. 

Tips on how to squirt

Want to learn more about squirting and maybe try it out for yourself? As with all things related to sex, this is a learning journey. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Masturbate: Research suggests that people may find it easier to squirt from masturbation than from sexual intercourse. Self-pleasure is a useful way to explore what feels good and gives you time to focus on your own experience.
• Try different sex positions: Change things up with your partner, try some positions that offer deep vaginal penetration, such as reverse cowgirl or being penetrated from behind. 
• Use sex toys: Introducing toys can help you experience pleasure in new ways. Toys come in a range of shapes and sizes and can offer deeper penetration or stimulate the clitoris. You can use toys on your own, or you may want to use them as part of intimacy with a partner. Try using sex toys out and see what works for you. 
• Relax: Just like with a regular orgasm, worrying or feeling anxious can make it difficult to climax and can make sex less enjoyable. Try not to stress too much about the end result, it’s all about the journey, after all!

Myths & misconceptions

There are plenty of myths surrounding squirting and female ejaculation, let’s take a minute to debunk a few: 

Myth: Anyone can squirt

While squirting may be more common than previously thought, it’s not something that everyone can (or wants) to do. Everybody is different, as are our sexual desires and preferences. If you’re interested in finding out if squirting is something you can do, we wish you all the best on this learning journey. If it’s not for you, that’s good too!

Myth: Squirting doesn’t exist

Squirting and female ejaculation have had mythic status themselves for a long time. This is due to a lack of research on female health and the stigmatized nature of female pleasure. In recent years, more research has been done into this topic and is revealing the breadth of experience when it comes to sex. 

Myth: Squirting always produces a lot of fluid

While squirting may produce more fluid than female ejaculation or regular sexual arousal, it’s not always enough to soak the bed sheets. Like many things, this is often exaggerated in porn and may not reflect your own sexual experience.

Myth: Squirt is just pee

A common misconception is that the fluid produced during squirting is urine. This fluid has a lot in common with pee and comes from the bladder. However, research found that it also contains other secretions.

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