You likely have questions about squirting, especially considering the many myths surrounding the sexual phenomenon. What exactly is it? Can you learn how? Is wetter better? Am I normal? To fill the gaping gaps of knowledge on this topic, we put together a guide on gushing, which includes step-by-step instructions from sex educators. Debra LainoDebra Laino, DHS, is a sexologist, doctor of human sexuality, relationship therapist, and life coach.
What is squirting, exactly? Squirting is the release of clear liquid from the urethra in response to high levels of arousal, says Debra Laino, a sex educator and relationship therapist based in Delaware. The phenomenon, which can happen with or without climax, is named for the typically high velocity of the substance. But while the term and so much of the porn depict squirting as a gushing stream, the fluid doesn’t always gush. “Squirting can also be a trickle or a light stream,” licensed clinical social worker and sex therapist Shamyra Howard, PhD, CST, LCSW, tells Well+Good.The volume also varies wildly, with women emitting anywhere from 10 to 100+ millimeters. For reference, most medicine dose caps hold 10 millimeters of liquid, while 100 millimeters is equivalent to an ungenerous pour of wine. What squirting is not, however, is an orgasm or female ejaculation. While the squirting is sometimes dubbed a “squirting orgasm,” the two experiences are biologically distinct, says sociologist and clinical sexologist Sarah Melancon, Ph.D, lead researcher and medical review board member with the Women’s Health Initiative. Additionally, “squirting and female ejaculation are scientifically and physiologically different, even if the terms are sometimes used interchangeably.” Both squirting and ejaculation involve the release of fluid from the urethra, but female ejaculation is milkier and released in lower quantities, explains Laino. Further, the two fluids come out of the urethra through separate sources. Female ejaculation comes from bite-sized bulbs of glandular tissues on either side of the urethra (known as the paraurethral glands), while the bladder is believed to be where squirting liquid comes from.Is squirt the same as pee? So you’re probably pondering whether squirt is pee. The answer? Not quite. “Squirting fluid is made up of a mixture of dilute urine substance—which contains lower levels of creatinine and urea than normal urine,” says Melancon. In other words, squirt contains some of the same ingredients as pee but isn’t pee, much like lasagna contains similar ingredients as pizza, while still being markedly different.“Squirt juice is clear, not yellow, and does not smell like pee,” adds Sarah Kelleher, LCSW, CHSE, a sex and relationship psychotherapist and holistic sex educator. But regardless, there is nothing hot about judging other people’s bodies during sex—especially when their happenings are entirely normal (and not to mention sexy). As Howard puts it, “All fluids released during sexual pleasure are erotic.” Can everyone squirt? Research on human sexuality is as sparse as the walls of a home you just moved into. Still, it is unlikely that everyone can squirt (or want to), says Kelleher. “Every body is different,” she says. It makes sense: “Just because two people have the same tools and anatomy does not necessarily mean that they experience the same physiologic response to stimulation,” says Kelleher. Hey, not all people enjoy having their nipples stimulated, either. No matter whether you’re part of the estimated 10 to 54% of women who can squirt, you’re normal! What does squirting feel like? The experience will vary from person to person, and how many times they’ve squirted before. Unfortunately, many individuals are plagued by stress, shame, and confusion the first few times they squirt, according to Laino. Squirting can be accompanied by a whoosh of wetness and a sensation similar to taking a wee. So often, an individual’s first thought during or after squirting is: “What was that?”However, once individuals move through those initial emotions—usually with a combination of education and a sex-positive partner—the sensation of squirting is a pleasurable one. “If squirting happens during orgasm, it might feel like a natural extension of the orgasm, as both involve the release of tension and a heightened arousal state,” says Kelleher. For some, because squirting involves the physical expulsion of fluid, it may make the orgasm feel even more intense, satisfying, or full-bodied, she says. Some people, on the other hand, may experience squirting outside of an orgasm. When not accompanied by the deep pelvic contractions or emotional intensity associated with orgasm, Kelleher says that squirting may not feel particularly intense. “It might feel like pressure relief or a slight burst,” she says. How to squirt alone or with a partner Start by taking the pressure off“If you…