What is a yeast infection?
A yeast infection is a very common infection caused by a type of fungus called “candida albicans”. Everyone has candida in their bodies, but usually it is kept in balance, a yeast infection is when the balance is upset by something and too much grows. Yeast infections are commonly found in moist, warm places like the vagina or mouth. This post will focus on the Vagina.
How to spot a yeast infection!
As with any illness or infection you’ll have symptoms. Typical symptoms include itchiness, and soreness on your vulva or around the entrance to the vagina. Your discharge may change, it is usually odourless and can be thin and watery or thick and white. Some people say it may remind you of cottage cheese. Pain during sex or a stinging sensation when peeing are signs of a yeast infection.
How to treat a yeast infection!
If left a yeast infection should go away, but there are some things you can do to help treat it. You can buy pills or pessaries (little things you put up your vagina) to help treat it, and internal and external creams for relieving itchiness and soreness.
Prevention
- Apple cider vinegar. Home remedies websites recommend having a bath with some apple cider vinegar (about 2 cups) can help cure and prevent a yeast infection. If you are treating an infection you can have two of these baths a day, but if you are just doing it for prevention then you can have these baths twice a week.
- BV gel can help restore the pH of your vagina, I’ll link it at the bottom. You buy it in little, one use, tubes that you squirt up your vagina once every three days (for prevention). Or once a day for a week (for treatment).
If you are prone to yeast infections, you should steer clear of a few things.
- Putting things in the bath. Don’t wash your hair in the bath, or use bath bombs/creams/gels. Just have a bath with normal water in it (unless you are using apple cider vinegar). The other things you put in there can trigger an imbalance and cause an infection.
- Wash your vagina with water. Do not use any soap (even feminine washes can upset the balance).
- Wash yourself after sex. After you have sex have a shower or just use a handheld shower head thingy (if you get what I mean) to wash your vagina. This is especially important after oral sex as spit can trigger an infection. If you cannot access a shower, carry some feminine wipes with you.
- Eat good food. Food like fruit, live yoghurt, nuts and seeds can help prevent infections. Whereas sugary food and food high in caffeine can give you infections. Things life coffee, sugary drinks and snacks.
- Use lube during sex. Lube is important during sex and can make a difference to if you get an infection or not, (I will link my post about lube below). Vaginal dryness can cause infections so using lube will help you.
Those were just some tips and helpful ideas on how to avoid yeast infections. They can be very painful and uncomfortable at times, and if you have a reoccurring infection go and see a GP or doctor. I hope this helped and you got some new things to try if you are prone to infection like me.
Have a great day! Xx
Link to blog post about lube: SMOOTH OPERATOR
Buy:
letstalkaboutsex 