Ugh: The Deal With Yeast Infections

Got that itch?

When You Get That Itch - Yes, we all know that yeast infections are part of the course for being a woman, but they still suck and are pretty annoying. Learn more about what causes them and what you can do to prevent them from coming back. By Kellee Terrell (Photo: Image Source/Corbis)

1 / 10

When You Get That Itch - Yes, we all know that yeast infections are part of the course for being a woman, but they still suck and are pretty annoying. Learn more about what causes them and what you can do to prevent them from coming back. By Kellee Terrell (Photo: Image Source/Corbis)

What’s a Vaginal Yeast Infection? - Yeast — a harmless fungus — isn’t always a bad thing. It’s completely normal to have a few yeast cells in our vagina. But when you have too many and everything is out of balance, it’s called a yeast infection. Most times, the infections we have are caused by Candida albicans. (Photo: BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images)

2 / 10

What’s a Vaginal Yeast Infection? - Yeast — a harmless fungus — isn’t always a bad thing. It’s completely normal to have a few yeast cells in our vagina. But when you have too many and everything is out of balance, it’s called a yeast infection. Most times, the infections we have are caused by Candida albicans. (Photo: BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images)

Know the Symptoms - Pain during sex, vaginal itching, burning when you urinate and soreness are common symptoms of yeast infections. You might also see thick, cottage cheese-like discharge in your panties. FYI: If this discharge has a strong foul odor, you might have another issue other than a yeast infection. (Photo: I Love Images/Corbis)

3 / 10

Know the Symptoms - Pain during sex, vaginal itching, burning when you urinate and soreness are common symptoms of yeast infections. You might also see thick, cottage cheese-like discharge in your panties. FYI: If this discharge has a strong foul odor, you might have another issue other than a yeast infection. (Photo: I Love Images/Corbis)

How Are They Diagnosed? - It’s pretty easy to misdiagnose a yeast infection on your own if you've never had one. If that's your case and you're experiencing these symptoms, your best bet is to go the gyno for a pelvic exam. They can take a swab and determine what is going on. Most women who get them occasionally and know their bodies and the symptoms usually can diagnose and treat them with over-the-counter meds. (Photo: 0Sean Justice/Corbis)

4 / 10

How Are They Diagnosed? - It’s pretty easy to misdiagnose a yeast infection on your own if you've never had one. If that's your case and you're experiencing these symptoms, your best bet is to go the gyno for a pelvic exam. They can take a swab and determine what is going on. Most women who get them occasionally and know their bodies and the symptoms usually can diagnose and treat them with over-the-counter meds. (Photo: 0Sean Justice/Corbis)

What Increases Your Chances of Getting One? - There are plenty of things that can cause the yeast in your vagina to get out of whack: Taking antibiotics, pregnancy, being on hormone therapy or birth control pills, and certain chemicals in soap, to name a few. (Photo: Barr Laboratories/Getty Images)

5 / 10

What Increases Your Chances of Getting One? - There are plenty of things that can cause the yeast in your vagina to get out of whack: Taking antibiotics, pregnancy, being on hormone therapy or birth control pills, and certain chemicals in soap, to name a few. (Photo: Barr Laboratories/Getty Images)

ADVERTISEMENT
Are They STDs? - The CDC doesn’t label yeast infections a STD, because you don’t need to have sex to develop one, BUT be clear: You can get from an infection from oral, vaginal and anal sex, says WomensHealth.Gov. One way to reduce your risk of getting one is to use condoms and dental dams. (Photo: Rob Melnychuk/Corbis)

6 / 10

Are They STDs? - The CDC doesn’t label yeast infections a STD, because you don’t need to have sex to develop one, BUT be clear: You can get from an infection from oral, vaginal and anal sex, says WomensHealth.Gov. One way to reduce your risk of getting one is to use condoms and dental dams. (Photo: Rob Melnychuk/Corbis)

How Common Are They? - Before you freak out the second you have an itch, yeast infections are pretty common. Three out of four women and girls will have one in their lifetime, with 50 percent of women having two or more. (Photo: Joson/Corbis)

7 / 10

How Common Are They? - Before you freak out the second you have an itch, yeast infections are pretty common. Three out of four women and girls will have one in their lifetime, with 50 percent of women having two or more. (Photo: Joson/Corbis)

What Frequent Infections May Mean - If you are getting four or more yeast infections a year, you need to talk to your doctor — it might be a sign of something else going on such as diabetes or HIV infection. (Photo: moodboard/Corbis)

8 / 10

What Frequent Infections May Mean - If you are getting four or more yeast infections a year, you need to talk to your doctor — it might be a sign of something else going on such as diabetes or HIV infection. (Photo: moodboard/Corbis)

Treating Yeast Infections - Speaking of treatment, yeast infections are not hard to treat. The most popular form of treatment is an antifungal that will get your yeast in control in three to seven days. This treatment can come in the form of an ointment, pill or crème that you insert in your vagina. You can get a prescription or an over-the-counter treatment like Monistat. (Photo: Monistat)

9 / 10

Treating Yeast Infections - Speaking of treatment, yeast infections are not hard to treat. The most popular form of treatment is an antifungal that will get your yeast in control in three to seven days. This treatment can come in the form of an ointment, pill or crème that you insert in your vagina. You can get a prescription or an over-the-counter treatment like Monistat. (Photo: Monistat)

Preventing Them - The good news is that there are simple things you can do to prevent getting them. For starters, always wipe front to back, don’t douche, use gentle soaps when washing your privates, avoid scented soaps and sprays, change pads, tampons and panty liners more often, wear looser pants and panties and change out of wet bathing suits as soon as possible. Also, eating more yogurt often helps, too. (Photo: Tim Pannell/Corbis)

10 / 10

Preventing Them - The good news is that there are simple things you can do to prevent getting them. For starters, always wipe front to back, don’t douche, use gentle soaps when washing your privates, avoid scented soaps and sprays, change pads, tampons and panty liners more often, wear looser pants and panties and change out of wet bathing suits as soon as possible. Also, eating more yogurt often helps, too. (Photo: Tim Pannell/Corbis)