Learning to Trust the She-P

by Maja M.

A cave diver’s honest journey — and why the right adhesive remover made all the difference

There are few things in diving that teach you humility faster than your own bladder.

I learned this lesson the hard way during my first ''Cave Camp'', organized by my instructor Florian Symoens, in the Lot region of France, one of Europe’s most iconic cave diving destinations. Two years ago, I had completed my cave course there, and while the dives themselves were unforgettable, the post-dive routine was… less graceful. I vividly remember sprinting out of the water after training dives, desperately wrestling my drysuit off as if my life depended on it.

Summer in southern France easily means temperatures well into the high 30 degrees Celsius, and proper hydration is not optional, especially when you’re doing long, demanding dives. But every extra sip of water came with a ticking clock. Compromising on hydration was not an option. Adult diapers, however, were equally unthinkable for me. While many divers, men and women alike, swear by them, my brain simply refused to go there.

That left only one solution: a pee-valve and my very first She-P.

Enter the She-P (and the Sisterhood)

For those unfamiliar: a She-P is a silicone device designed for female divers, glued directly to the body and connected via a hose to a pee-valve installed in the drysuit. Sounds charming, doesn’t it?

Luckily, the guys from ScubaRepair quickly installed the valve in my suit, and soon after, I found myself ordering my first She-P. Have a look for all the options in their webshop, https://www.scuba-united.be/droogpakken/droogpak-onderdelen/p-valve-systemen/

What followed was a deep dive into online research: instructional videos, product manuals, and, perhaps most importantly, the legendary She-P Facebook group, called The divine secrets of the She-P sisterhood. A place of wisdom, warnings, and stories that had me laughing out loud more than once. Tales ranged from accidental mishaps to absolute triumphs, always accompanied by generous advice and a reassuring reminder that none of us were alone in this. Encouraged by this collective wisdom, I started experimenting. First with dry runs at home in the shower, then eventually in the water.

Glue, Glue Everywhere (and not all of it pleasant)

My early attempts were… moderately successful. The main challenge wasn’t the She-P itself, but the adhesive, specifically Uro-Bond-V. Applying it with a brush required patience and precision, and removing it afterward was a whole different battle.

The recommended Smith & Nephew remover wipes did remove the glue effectively, but unfortunately also caused a burning sensation on my skin around the vulva — not exactly a post-dive luxury. Baby oil? Baby wipes? Miracles for some, completely useless for me. The only thing that truly worked was manual removal, which left my already sensitive “drama-lama” skin irritated and unhappy.

To protect my skin, I started using skin prep wipes, which worked well. I also learned a few golden rules:

• Avoid showering with moisturizing soaps before application

• Hair removal helps. Shaving is common, but a short trim worked fine for me (even two weeks later)

• Longer hair = slightly more discomfort during removal

During this phase, every dive came with a quiet internal monologue of “Please don’t leak.” For peace of mind, I bought menstrual underwear as a discreet backup, which is far less bulky than adult diapers and a compromise I could live with.

Still, the whole setup process felt like a ritual best performed at home, in a clean bathroom, with time and calm. Reading about other women installing theirs in vans or behind bushes left me in awe. The She-P clearly had benefits, especially for dives over two hours, but the hassle often kept me from using it consistently.

A New Glue, Same Old Problem

Over time, the Uro-Bond-V thickened as components of the glue evaporated, becoming almost impossible to apply. Around the same time, production was discontinued altogether. With help and suggestions from the She-P community, I switched to Skinister medical adhesive, just before a trip to Mexico.

I immediately preferred it. The spray application was easier, though far less precise than the brushing technique required with the Uro-Bond. My solution? Baking paper. Folded into an oval and placed over the reservoir area, it protected everything that didn’t need to be glued. Pro tip: protect the surface underneath too, unless you want a permanently sticky bathroom floors.

The Skinister worked beautifully during dives, but removal was still an issue. Dedicated “She-P underwear” became a must, as glue stains are unavoidable. After Mexico, the She-P went unused for months. The hassle of installing it meant that I often skipped using it. If I wanted to go diving after work, I already had a two-hour drive ahead of me, and adding extra preparation time was not always appealing. My dives simply weren’t long enough to justify the effort... until there were no more excuses.

CCR Cave Training, Warm Water, and No Way Around It

This winter, I headed to Cueva del Agua in Spain for CCR cave training. A 29°C warm water cave in January is about as good as it gets. But warm water and a shallow cave also meant longer dives and more hydration.

A few weeks before the trip, Bram mentioned that Scubarepair now carried the Skinister Medical Adhesive Remover. That was all the encouragement I needed.

On January 2nd 2026, the experiment began.

Application: What Finally Worked for Me

Over time, I refined my application technique. What works best for me is the following:

I squat down, hold the device, and use my middle finger to find the perineal area (the spot between the vaginal entrance and the butthole). I glue the She-P from back to front. I apply roughly half of it while squatting, then stand up and glue the remaining half. This method gave me a much better seal at the front, where I had experienced minor issues before.

I then firmly press the device against my skin and wait briefly. While some recommend waiting at least 15 minutes between applying the glue and attaching the device, I personally did not notice much difference when applying it immediately or after a few minutes.

The result? No leaks. None.

Not after four-hour dives.

Not while scootering.

Not even while squeezing through restrictions.

The little voice of doubt was still there, but luckily, it turned out to be wrong.

The Grand Finale: Removal (Finally, a Happy Ending)

Back at the apartment, I removed the She-P in the comfort of the bathroom. A few sprays of the adhesive remover onto toilet paper, a few gentle wipes… and then something unexpected happened.

Nothing!

No burning.

No sticky residue.

No irritation.

Little side note: Toilet paper is not the ideal tool. After a few wipes, it starts to disintegrate, leaving little paper remnants and soaking up more remover than needed. While it still works, a compress or gauze pad would definitely be a better option, both for comfort and efficiency.

On another occasion, after using a bit more adhesive and with slightly longer hair, removal felt more uncomfortable at first. I sprayed the remover directly along the edge of the device, as I had read you could do. Almost instantly, the adhesive started to release. One more spray, and the She-P was more than halfway off. 

I was genuinely thrilled. For cleaning the She-P itself, I still prefer Smith & Nephew wipes, sometimes sealing the device with a wipe in a ziplock bag, a method that makes glue removal remarkably easy. After each use, I rinse the She-P and hose with hot water and let them dry. For longer storage, I disinfect it using denture-cleaning tablets dissolved in hot water (thank you, Kruidvat).

One final practical tip: if you need to remove the She-P somewhere less luxurious than home, rinse it quickly and place a piece of baking paper over the adhesive side. It sticks just enough to protect it and peels off easily later.

Picture 2: Save-a-post-dive kit containing: a spare pair of underwear, removal wipes, a bind to protect your underwear from adhesive, a syringe to flush the p-valve, a plastic bag to put in the used She-P, and a few sheets of baking paper, all stored in repurposed diving mask container

Final Thoughts

The She-P isn’t magic. It requires patience, experimentation, and a willingness to laugh at yourself occasionally. But for cave dives, decompression dives, or any dive where duration and hydration really matter (or for divers whose bladders like to empty themselves sooner than wanted), it can be a true game changer.

For me, the missing puzzle piece was a remover that actually respected my skin. The Skinister Medical Adhesive Remover turned frustration into confidence and made the entire system finally feel sustainable.

And that, in the end, is what allows us to focus on what really matters: the dive!