23/03/2026
To p*e or not to p*e?
From the DAN Medical Line: Is it harmful to p*e in a wetsuit? 🤔
As immersion diuresis shifts blood into the central circulation and increases urine production, many divers feel the urge to relieve themselves during a dive. Holding it can be uncomfortable, distracting, and may increase the risk of bladder irritation or UTI.
Urinating in a wetsuit is common and generally not harmful when exposure is limited.
A few considerations before you answer nature's call:
• Prolonged contact with urine can disrupt the skin's protective barrier and pH, potentially causing redness, itching, or rash if not rinsed off promptly.
• Very tight wetsuits may prevent full bladder emptying, increasing UTI risk.
• Urine can activate small hydroids, larvae, or jellyfish fragments — which may be present from past dives or enter through gaps in a poorly fitted suit — causing irritation or welts.
• Compounds in urine can gradually degrade neoprene if the suit is not thoroughly cleaned.
Read the full article: dan.org/alert-diver/article/wetsuits-and-urination/
✍️ Article by Leandra Lynn, AEMT
📸 Photo by Frazier Nivens
