Streaming is the ‘discreet’ masturbation technique loved by 20 million women

Who said taking a shower has to be just for freshening up?

There’s a steamy sex act loved by 20 million women which typically takes place in the bathroom.

It involves using a shower head to get to orgasm, with 62% of women reporting that they get sexual pleasure from streaming water on to their vulva. That is according to sex education site OMGYES, which has dubbed this masturbation act ‘streaming’.

It’s a pretty handy way to get yourself off, says Gigi of sextoysuk, who has dubbed the shower the ‘Jack of all trades’.

So, if you’re looking to have a steamy encounter with your water pressure,we’ve got you covered.

Getting to grips with streaming

Simply put, streaming is where you use water pressure on your clitoris to masturbate while having a shower or bath.

‘It’s a discreet way to masturbate because showers are private by nature, it’s time you get for yourself,’ Gigi tells Metro. ‘You have an opportunity to connect with your body and have the relaxation you need to have an orgasm.’

As well as the private setting that minimises the risk of someone barging in on you, the various techniques allow for a very personalised intimate experience.

‘Showers can be very sensual, so start by warming up the rest of your body with the shower head, then circle the clitoris, then place the water on your vulva,’ she suggests.

‘Variations in water pressure can add different sensations, just as vibrators come with different vibration patterns and intensity levels, so you can turn the water down or up.

‘Some showers will allow you to change the way the water comes out to rainforest or a straight stream, which is an interesting way to change it up.’

The closer the shower head is to the vulva, the more intense the sensation is going to be. On OMGYES, women shared the different ways they like to use this water to pleasure themselves.

‘The run down’ is one technique, where water pressure is placed on the cushion of the clitoral hood and the entire vulva gets a cascade of water – avoiding direct clitoral stimulation – which can be good for those who are more sensitive.

Applying the water directly onto the clitoris is another way but while it could feel amazing, some find it too much. One to build up to.

Other women enjoyed indirect splashes of water by focusing the shower to the side of the clitoris, so just spray hits the sensitive parts.

Who practises streaming?

Interestingly, Gigi says that while a lot of women use the shower head to masturbate, it’s often the first way they’ll attempt self-pleasure in their lives.

This is because the bathroom is far more private than your bedroom when you’re still living with your parents. But it doesn’t mean that only younger women are having fun this way.

‘People still do it in adulthood but less so because they then have their own space and can buy sex toys,’ Gigi, for sextoys.co.uk, explains. ‘But when shower heads have been their primary form of masturbation they might be quite habituated to that so it’s a more reliable way to orgasm.’

The don’ts of streaming

Now, you may think that not much can go wrong with streaming, but there are just a couple of things to be aware of.

‘It’s only really safe for external clitoral stimulation because you don’t want to be shooting water up your vagina because that’s how you wipe out the good vaginal flora and you’ll end up with a UTI, yeast infection, or bacterial vaginosis – and you don’t want that,’ Gigi says.

The second thing to be aware of temperature play. The expert says that shower head play can have a kink element to it in terms of pain play, where you switch from really warm water to really cold water – but exercise this with caution.

‘You don’t want to use scalding hot water on your vulva because it’s very sensitive tissue,’ Gigi adds. ‘Normal warm water is fine, you can use cold if you like, it won’t hurt you but it could be painful for some.’

But Gigi warns of getting carried away in shared spaces. ‘People use pools and hot tubs to masturbate, but they’re shared communal spaces and shooting your juices into that shared space isn’t hygienic or respectful,’ she says.

‘But by all means, use your own shower to your heart’s content.’

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