A majority of us ladies have had a yeast infection before and it’s totally normal.
Yeast infections can be so uncomfortable and embarrassing as the vagina becomes completely itchy, red and in some cases, tears due to scratching. In most cases, a yeast infection does not last longer than a week and while you can get over the counter treatment for yeast infections, it’s always important to go to the doctor and get the right diagnosis and treatment. But what causes the infection? Well, here are some of the possible causes.
Wearing the wrong underwear.
There’s a reason why you’re always advised to wear underwear made of breathable fabrics like cotton, to allow for the vagina to breathe. While still on underwear, do note that you should avoid wearing wet underwear or sleeping in underwear. Bacteria thrive in moist conditions so while sleeping, it’s important to let the coochie breathe.
Tight clothing.
This is just like the underwear point. If you’re used to wearing very tight jeans, this could be the reason why you keep getting yeast infections. Tight trousers and jeans do not leave room for your vagina to breathe, especially if they’re not made of breathable fabrics.
Scented soaps and shower gels.
The vagina is self-cleaning. To clean it, you only need warm water and a clean cloth. Scented soaps and shower gels may contain chemicals which disrupt the vagina’s PH, leading to a yeast infection as well as irritation of the vagina.
Antibiotics.
You might have taken some antibiotics and after some time, felt your vagina begin to itch. That’s normal. Antibiotics are meant to kill bacteria when you’re sick. However, sometimes, they kill the good bacteria which is good for the vagina, leading to a yeast infection.
Keeping a tampon on for too long.
You need to change your tampon every 6-8 hours, failure to which, you can get the Toxic Shock Syndrome and also a yeast infection because if you leave a tampon on for too long, that creates a moist environment for bacteria to thrive.
