Is Squirting Pee? The Honest Answer Based on What Research Actually Shows
The squirting-is-just-pee claim is one of those statements that sounds definitive but isn't actually true. It's also not entirely false. The honest answer is: it's complicated, but mostly no. Squirting fluid is a mixture that includes fluid from multiple sources, including the bladder, but it's not urine. This is one of those areas where anatomy and physiology are messier than the clean categories we like to use, and understanding the actual research makes the whole topic less fraught than the internet arguments would suggest.
The confusion exists partly because squirting fluid does pass through the urethra, which is the same tube that carries urine. So the question "is it pee?" hinges on whether "passes through the urethra" means "is urine." In anatomy, the answer is no. Things can pass through the urethra without being urine. Semen passes through the urethra without being urine. Skene's gland fluid passes through the urethra without being urine. Just because something travels through the same plumbing doesn't mean it's the same thing.
The Anatomy: Fluid Comes From Multiple Sources
To understand what squirting fluid actually is, you need to understand where it comes from. There are three primary sources. The first is the Skene's glands, which are small glands clustered around the urethra. These glands produce fluid that's analogous to prostate fluid in people with penises. The fluid from Skene's glands contains PSA (prostate-specific antigen), glucose, and other compounds. The second source is the urethral sponge, which is tissue surrounding the urethra that becomes engorged with blood during arousal. This tissue can secrete fluid. The third source is the bladder, which fills during arousal and contributes fluid during the release.
All of this fluid travels through the urethra, which is why people confuse squirting with urination. But the urethra is just a tube. Water from multiple sources can pass through a river without all that water being the same type. Rain flows through rivers. Snowmelt flows through rivers. Groundwater flows through rivers. It's all water, but they come from different sources and have different compositions. Squirting fluid is the same concept. Multiple fluids are released through the same tube, but they come from different sources and have different compositions.
The Skene's gland contribution is the key to understanding why squirting isn't urine. Skene's glands are designed to produce and release a specific secretion with specific components. This secretion is not urine. It's created by the glands, not by the kidneys. It has a different chemical composition. It serves a different function. The fact that this secretion travels through the urethra (because that's where the glands drain) doesn't make it urine. It makes it Skene's gland secretion that happens to travel through the urethra.
What the 2015 Salama Study Actually Found
The most useful research on squirting fluid composition comes from a 2015 study by Salama and colleagues who collected actual fluid samples and analyzed their chemical composition. This is useful because it's based on data rather than speculation. They found that squirting fluid contains PSA (prostate-specific antigen), glucose, creatinine, and urea. Finding PSA in squirting fluid was significant because PSA is a marker for Skene's gland secretion. It's not a marker for urine. Urine doesn't contain PSA. Squirting fluid does contain PSA. This is evidence that the Skene's glands are definitely contributing to the fluid.
They also found creatinine and urea, which are components of urine. This is because some of the fluid comes from the bladder. The bladder does fill during arousal, and some bladder fluid does contribute to the overall fluid volume released. However, the presence of these components doesn't mean the entire fluid is urine. It means the fluid is a mixture that includes some bladder fluid along with Skene's gland secretion. The proportions vary between people and even between different squirting events in the same person.
The key finding was that squirting fluid is fundamentally different from urine. The PSA content alone demonstrates this. Urine doesn't contain PSA. Squirting fluid does. The glucose content also differs. Urine doesn't typically contain significant glucose (if it does, it's a sign of a medical problem). Squirting fluid does contain glucose. These chemical differences demonstrate that squirting fluid is not urine, even if some of the components come from the bladder.
Why the Bladder Refills During Arousal and What That Means
One of the reasons squirting fluid includes components from the bladder is that the bladder actually refills during arousal. This might seem strange, but it's a well-documented physiological response. During arousal, blood flow increases to the genital area. This increased blood flow affects the whole area, including organs near the urethra. The bladder becomes more active and starts producing more urine. This is why people sometimes need to urinate after sex. The arousal cycle caused the bladder to fill, and now the body is signaling that it's ready to empty.
This is also why hydration affects squirting. A well-hydrated person will have more fluid in the bladder, which means more fluid available to contribute to the overall volume released during squirting. This is a practical factor that people can actually control. Staying hydrated increases the likelihood of squirting producing noticeable fluid volume. This is one of the few factors that's entirely within someone's control, unlike Skene's gland size or anatomical variation.
The fact that the bladder contributes some fluid to squirting is fine. It's normal. It's not a problem. It doesn't make squirting "just pee" any more than the fact that male ejaculate passes through the urethra (the same tube that carries urine) makes ejaculate "just pee." The urethra is a shared tube. Multiple substances travel through it. The presence of one substance in a tube doesn't mean all substances that travel through that tube are the same thing.
Why "It's Just Pee" Is Wrong
The "just pee" claim oversimplifies in a way that's technically inaccurate. If we're being precise, squirting fluid is not urine. Urine is a specific biological product that has a specific composition. Squirting fluid has a different composition. It contains PSA, which urine doesn't contain. It has different glucose levels. It has different concentrations of other components. Chemically, they're different substances.
There's also a functional difference. Urine is a waste product created by the kidneys to eliminate metabolic waste. Squirting fluid is partly a secretion from Skene's glands, which serve a reproductive or sexual function. They're created by different organs, serve different functions, and have different compositions. The fact that some of the fluid comes from the bladder (which does contain urine) doesn't change the fact that the overall mixture is something different.
The practical implication is that someone should not feel ashamed or disgusted by squirting. It's not pee, and it doesn't deserve the reaction that pee would deserve. It's a normal biological secretion created during sexual arousal. The fluid is clean in the medical sense (it's produced inside the body, not waste from the GI system) and completely normal. The concern should not be about the fluid itself, but about practical concerns like protecting furniture, which is why a waterproof surface matters.
Why "It's Completely Different From Urine" Is Also Oversimplified
On the other hand, the claim that squirting fluid is "completely different" from urine and has "nothing to do with" urine is also not quite accurate. Some of the fluid does come from the bladder. The bladder contains urine. So technically, some urine-adjacent fluid is part of the mixture. This doesn't make squirting "just pee," but it would be dishonest to claim the bladder isn't involved at all.
The honest picture is that squirting is a mixture. Some of it comes from Skene's glands (which is definitely not urine). Some of it comes from the urethral sponge tissue (which is also not urine). Some of it comes from the bladder (which does contain urine, or at least fluid in the bladder). The proportions vary. Some people might have squirting that's more heavily weighted toward Skene's gland secretion. Others might have a higher proportion of bladder fluid. Neither version is wrong or weird. It's just anatomy working in ways that don't follow clean categories.
This is one of those situations where the most honest answer is "it's complicated." Squirting is not urine, but it's not completely unrelated to urine either. It's a mixture from multiple sources, some of which involve the bladder. For most people, the practical response should be the same either way: it's a normal biological fluid, it's nothing to be ashamed of, and if someone's concerned about mess, a waterproof surface like the POUND PAD M ($59) solves that problem cleanly.
The Practical Implication: A Waterproof Surface Makes This Irrelevant
Here's the bottom line: whether squirting is partly urine, mostly Skene's gland secretion, or a mixture of both, the practical solution is the same. A waterproof surface protects the mattress. The fluid, whatever its composition, doesn't damage the blanket or sheets. Cleanup is straightforward. The emotional weight of the "is it pee?" question becomes irrelevant when the logistics are handled.
This is why preparation removes so much anxiety. If someone is worried about making a mess because they're afraid of urine getting on the sheets, a waterproof blanket solves that. If someone is worried about the emotional weight of "what if it's pee," the solution is still a waterproof blanket, because now they know it's contained and handled. The fear becomes irrelevant. The person can relax, which creates the conditions where squirting is actually more likely to happen.
The POUND PAD M is 60x80 inches and costs $59. It's waterproof, silent, and machine washable. For most beds, that's enough. If someone has a larger bed, the POUND PAD L (80x90", $59-79) or POUND PAD XL (82x108", $99) provide more coverage. The point is that for the cost of a decent dinner, a person can address the primary practical barrier and the primary emotional barrier simultaneously. They can stop worrying about the composition of the fluid and start focusing on pleasure.
Why the Anxiety About This Is Counterproductive
The amount of emotional weight some people put on the "is it pee?" question is disproportionate to the actual significance of the answer. Even if squirting were partly urine (which it is, technically, in the sense that the bladder contributes some fluid), that wouldn't make it disgusting or wrong. The human body is not divided into clean and dirty parts. The body produces all kinds of fluids—saliva, sweat, tears, mucus—and these are all normal and fine. Squirting fluid is in that same category. It's a normal biological secretion produced during arousal.
The anxiety about this question often masks a deeper anxiety: "is it okay for me to do this? Is it something I should be ashamed of?" The answer to both questions is no. Squirting is a normal physiological response, it's nothing to be ashamed of, and there's no reason to let anxiety about fluid composition prevent someone from exploring their own body and sexuality.
For couples, this question sometimes becomes a source of conflict when one partner is concerned about the fluid and the other is concerned about the judgment. If a partner is concerned about urine getting on the sheets, the solution is a waterproof blanket. If a partner is concerned about being judged for finding squirting disgusting, the solution is a conversation about anatomy and normal bodily functions. Either way, putting a POUND PAD in place removes the practical objection and allows the conversation to become about actual preferences rather than about hygiene fears.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is squirting actually urine?
No. Research shows squirting fluid contains PSA (prostate-specific antigen) from Skene's glands, along with glucose and other components not found in urine. While some fluid does come from the bladder, the overall mixture is different from urine. It's a blend from multiple sources, but it's not pee.
But isn't it passing through the urethra?
Yes, it passes through the urethra, but that doesn't make it urine. Semen passes through the urethra without being urine. Skene's gland secretion passes through the urethra without being urine. The urethra is just a tube. Multiple things pass through tubes without being the same substance.
What did the research actually prove?
The 2015 Salama study found that squirting fluid contains PSA (a marker for Skene's gland secretion, not found in urine), glucose (not typically found in urine), and also creatinine and urea (which come from the bladder). This proves it's a mixture from multiple sources, not pure urine.
Why do I feel like I might urinate during squirting?
The sensation can feel similar to the urge to urinate because the bladder is involved in the process, and the release involves the urethra and surrounding tissue. However, the sensation is distinct from actual urination. Both can feel like pressure and release, but they're different experiences.
Should I be concerned about hygiene?
No more than you should be concerned about any normal bodily fluid. Squirting fluid is produced internally during normal arousal. A waterproof blanket like the POUND PAD M ($59) handles any practical concerns cleanly. Beyond that, there's nothing to worry about.
About the author: Kim S. Rhodes
Kim S. Rhodes has spent the better part of a decade writing about sex-positive living, adult furniture, and the surprisingly practical side of building a more adventurous bedroom. She's reviewed hundreds of products, talked to couples who've bought the wrong thing, and has strong opinions about weight ratings and fold-flat storage. When she's not writing, she's probably rearranging furniture.