How to prevent a yeast infection
Hi!
Some days ago I read a full page article in the paper about yeast infections and how to prevent them. Now the things that they mentioned in the article were ok, but to my surprise they had forgotten a number of things which are so logical for me that I can't understand why they did not write about it and as a matter of fact, a couple of days of searching the Internet leaves me wondering why not everyone knows about this.
See, I had my first infection when I was 11 (yes, I was still a virgin) and was plagued by them at least once or twice a year until I was 30, when I found the way to prevent it.
A yeast infection is characterized by itching, swelling, burning and irritation of the vagina. Sometimes a white discharge is noted. A yeast infection is NOT a sexually transmitted disease, however there have been cases where a woman was reinfected by her partner. It is usually cured by a vaginal pill or cream, Canesten or others.
The cause of yeast infection is a yeast called Candida albicans, which naturally occurs in the vaginal flora and which is kept in check by Lactophyllis bacteria, also naturally occurring in the vagina. If this balance is upset Candida can get the upper hand and cause the symptoms.
There are different causes; wearing tight clothes may or may not be a cause but it certainly does not help to keep the genital area moist and closed off. Wearing a wet swimsuit can be a cause as it keeps the area moist and closed off. A positive correlation has been shown between wearing thongs and yeast infections, which is kind of logical as the string gets moist and rubs against the skin (will try to find a reference for this). Many women experience yeast infections after sex, but they can occur even when the woman is not sexually active. Seminal fluid is alkaline whereas the vagina is acidic, so it is possible that this could disturb the natural balance in some cases. Stress is often named as a factor, keeping tampons in for long certainly is a possible cause as is constant wearing of panty shields. Using soap is a definite cause: soap is alkaline and should never be used in the genital area. (Shampoo is soap too!) As a matter of fact, soap is not at all good for your skin in general and should be used sparingly if at all unless it is a special pH-adapted soap. Hormonal imbalance such as during pregnancy may be a cause, and certain sicknesses have been named such as HIV and diabetes.
But now for the real enchilada: I was pestered by yeast infections until 20 years ago. Since then I have not had a single case. So how did that happen? I will tell you. I traveled a lot and therefore constantly changed doctors. When I settled down for a longer time and kept coming back to my doctor for Canesten (where I now live in Sweden Canesten is presciption-free but it was not where I was living then) and she said to me:
"You know you can prevent those infections very easily? Just buy some Lactacyd and a canule bottle, and use it as the instructions say any time you feel even the slightest itch or irritation. Don't use it every day though, only when needed. "
I did as said. I don't know if the Lactacyd Intimtvål that you can buy here is the same, but I now have a much better solution anyway. I found out quickly that it was much cheaper to use vinegar instead ( a 5% solution will do) but I did not like the smell. Then I discovered the solution: yoghurt. Anytime I notice irritation I dip a tampon in plain yoghurt for a few minutes, insert it and leave it in for half an hour to an hour max. That's it. I have not had a yeast infection for 20 years now. (And by the way, I do use panty shields every day). I read on some websites that you can also use "filmjölk", which is a sour milk. Same thing there, it is the acid that does the trick.
When I was traveling this summer I started to feel irritation and it turned out that there is no natural yoghurt to be bought in Argentina or Brazil. I used fruit yoghurt, and it helped, but I would definitely not recommend it as I think the sugar may cause other kinds of bacteria or yeasts to grow.
References:
https://www.webmd.com/women/tc/vaginal-yeast-infections-topic-overview#1
https://www.medicinenet.com/yeast_infection_in_women_and_men/article.htm
If this article helps just one other woman it will have been worth writing it. Leave me a comment!
Some days ago I read a full page article in the paper about yeast infections and how to prevent them. Now the things that they mentioned in the article were ok, but to my surprise they had forgotten a number of things which are so logical for me that I can't understand why they did not write about it and as a matter of fact, a couple of days of searching the Internet leaves me wondering why not everyone knows about this.
See, I had my first infection when I was 11 (yes, I was still a virgin) and was plagued by them at least once or twice a year until I was 30, when I found the way to prevent it.
A yeast infection is characterized by itching, swelling, burning and irritation of the vagina. Sometimes a white discharge is noted. A yeast infection is NOT a sexually transmitted disease, however there have been cases where a woman was reinfected by her partner. It is usually cured by a vaginal pill or cream, Canesten or others.
The cause of yeast infection is a yeast called Candida albicans, which naturally occurs in the vaginal flora and which is kept in check by Lactophyllis bacteria, also naturally occurring in the vagina. If this balance is upset Candida can get the upper hand and cause the symptoms.
There are different causes; wearing tight clothes may or may not be a cause but it certainly does not help to keep the genital area moist and closed off. Wearing a wet swimsuit can be a cause as it keeps the area moist and closed off. A positive correlation has been shown between wearing thongs and yeast infections, which is kind of logical as the string gets moist and rubs against the skin (will try to find a reference for this). Many women experience yeast infections after sex, but they can occur even when the woman is not sexually active. Seminal fluid is alkaline whereas the vagina is acidic, so it is possible that this could disturb the natural balance in some cases. Stress is often named as a factor, keeping tampons in for long certainly is a possible cause as is constant wearing of panty shields. Using soap is a definite cause: soap is alkaline and should never be used in the genital area. (Shampoo is soap too!) As a matter of fact, soap is not at all good for your skin in general and should be used sparingly if at all unless it is a special pH-adapted soap. Hormonal imbalance such as during pregnancy may be a cause, and certain sicknesses have been named such as HIV and diabetes.
tripleclicks.comBut now for the real enchilada: I was pestered by yeast infections until 20 years ago. Since then I have not had a single case. So how did that happen? I will tell you. I traveled a lot and therefore constantly changed doctors. When I settled down for a longer time and kept coming back to my doctor for Canesten (where I now live in Sweden Canesten is presciption-free but it was not where I was living then) and she said to me:
"You know you can prevent those infections very easily? Just buy some Lactacyd and a canule bottle, and use it as the instructions say any time you feel even the slightest itch or irritation. Don't use it every day though, only when needed. "
References:
https://www.webmd.com/women/tc/vaginal-yeast-infections-topic-overview#1
https://www.medicinenet.com/yeast_infection_in_women_and_men/article.htm
If this article helps just one other woman it will have been worth writing it. Leave me a comment!
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