How To Prevent Yeast Infections

Yeast infections aren’t too tricky to cure, but they’re no fun at all, and so prevention is certainly best, and some of it may be counterintuitive!

In other words, many people accidentally give themselves yeast infections by the very actions they take in trying to avoid such:

Yeast is everywhere

Well not truly everywhere, but pretty much everywhere that humans go, including our bodies.

And yes, including there.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (yeast infection, or more accurately, yeast overgrowth) occurs when Candida abicans, which normally lives in the vagina alongside other microorganisms, overgrows and causes inflammation. Symptoms can include itching, burning, irritation, redness, swelling, thick white discharge, painful urination, and discomfort during sex.

The biggest mistake many people make: most people know the vagina is self-cleaning, and yet still often forget that it does not need special vaginal washes and/or douching. These disrupt the normal vaginal environment and potentially increase problems, because they can wash out the protective bacteria (that are supposed to be there) while leaving C. albicans not only touched, but also now left there without competition for resources, making it easy for it to overgrow.

In terms of what you should do instead, for the vulva (the outside parts), plain water is generally sufficient, especially when irritation is already present (that’s a cue for you to do less, not more). And inside the vagina, once again, simply does not need washing.

Some people really struggle with this concept, so let’s put it this way: do you clean the backs of your eyelids, i.e. the inside part that rests flat against your eyeball? No? Why not? It’s because it washes itself! Inside the vagina is a very different microbiome, but is equally self-cleaning.

One other thing: keep the vulva dry! Yeast thrives in moist environments. No, you do not need to keep your vagina itself dry, for obvious reasons. However, do take care to dry your vulvar skin after bathing and before putting on underwear, and avoid remaining in wet swimsuits after swimming or using a hot tub.

For similar reasons, try to wear breathable clothing; cotton underwear is a reasonable option, particularly in humid conditions or if you sweat easily (which can also then be described as humid conditions, but we were initially talking about the weather). If you experience recurrent infections, consider limiting prolonged use of tight leggings and very tight jeans, which can trap moisture and increase friction and irritation.

^{Writer’s additional observation on that note: I’m not the boss of what you do with yours, but personally, if it’s summer and I’m wearing an ankle-length skirt (I have a lovely one I’ve been wearing a lot lately), I see zero good reason for me to be wearing anything under it! Shorter skirts / shorter dresses, on the other hand, if I’m wearing those, then indeed cotton underwear is the way to go, I find.}

The final thing to avoid mentioned in the video, is antibiotics (unless truly necessary) because much like the washing/douching, antibiotics can reduce beneficial bacteria as well as harmful bacteria, potentially creating conditions that favor Candida overgrowth. Not the only reason that antibiotics should only be taken if it’s really important, but it’s sure on the list.

We have some additional things we’d add to the list (see our “learn more”) section below!

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Want to learn more?

You might also like:

• What Causes Yeast Infections, & How To Get Rid Of Them?
• How To Avoid UTIs ← this also covers others UTIs beyond candidiasis, but yeast is also on the list
• Why STIs Are On The Rise In Older Adults ← yeast infections are not considered STIs per se, but a common cause of yeast infection is not washing things that go down there

Take care!