Did you know that women have yeast and bacteria living in their vagina? Gross, right?! Well, it’s actually totally normal…that is, when their population is under control. If there is an overabundance of yeast and all hell breaks loose, you might notice some itching, burning, or rashes on your private parts. That, my friend, is likely to be a yeast infection.

No biggie though, as about 3 out of 4 women will get it at some point in their lives. But, what exactly is a vaginal yeast infection, how do you treat it, and is there any way you can just avoid it all together?

 


What’s a Vaginal Yeast Infection?

A vaginal yeast infection, also known as Candidiasis, is when the yeast that lives in the vaginal canal and around the labia (vaginal lips) start multiplying out of control and take over.  The bacteria, Lactobacillus, is actually the one that’s suppose to keep watch over the yeast to prevent it from doing just that.

 

yeast infection

 

However, Lactobacillus can’t do its job so well if there’s an imbalance in the body.

 

vaginal yeast infection

 

 

 

The common symptoms of a yeast infection are:

vaginal yeast infection symptoms

  • Vaginal itching
  • Burning sensation in the vaginal area
  • Vaginal discharge that often looks whitish grey and thick, although, sometimes it can also be watery.
  • Pain during sexual intercourse
  • Soreness
  • Rashes
  • Redness and swelling in the vaginal canal and vulva

 

What Causes a Yeast Infection?

As we discussed earlier, a yeast infection can happen because of the imbalance of bacteria and yeast in the body. But, what causes this imbalance?

The most common reasons are:

1) Overuse or Misuse of Antibiotics

As you may of heard before, there’s bad bacteria and there’s good bacteria. Lactobacillus, the bodyguard that keeps the number of yeast at bay, is good bacteria. Overuse or misuse of antibiotics can kill the good bacteria in our body, causing our defense system to go down and giving yeast a prime opportunity to multiply and cause an infection.

 

2) Diabetes

The reason why uncontrolled diabetes puts you at a higher risk for yeast infections is because diabetes causes sugar levels in your body to go up. Sugar is like food to yeast; the more food that is available, the more the yeast will grow.

 

3) Low Immune System

A weakened immune system can allow the overgrowth of yeast to easily take over and cause imbalances in the body.

 

4) Applying Topical Products in Your Vaginal Canal

The layer inside your vagina that comes in contact with your partner during sex is called the mucosal layer. This is the layer that cares for your vagina’s health. Your vagina, in usual circumstances, can take care of itself and protect against infections.

But, if you start to go and apply foreign creams and gels directly on it, especially those that contain the harmful ingredient called Manjakani, you start damaging your mucosal layer rather than helping it.

manjakani

When the mucosal layer gets damaged, there will also be a disruption in the balance of bacteria and yeast, causing an increase in the growth of yeast in the vagina.

 

Also Read: Do Vaginal Tightening Creams and Gels Actually Work?

I Have a Yeast Infection? What Do I Do?

If you’re quite certain you have a yeast infection, there are over-the-counter medications you can try using first. If you aren’t sure, however, it’s best to see your doctor to get proper diagnosis and treatment. Usually, a doctor can judge based off what you tell them and from your exam that you have a yeast infection and can prescribe you oral medication to take at home.

DO NOT HAVE INTERCOURSE if you suspect that you have a yeast infection or when you are being treated for one to avoid spreading it to your partner. In this case, sharing is not caring!

How Can I Avoid Getting a Yeast Infection?

Just educating yourself and applying some common sense can help you in the long run to avoid getting a yeast infection. You can start with these following words of wisdom:

Avoid Vaginal Creams & Gels

Vaginal creams and gels, especially those with Manjakani, can greatly damage your vaginal canal. It can destroy the delicate balance of your good and bad bacteria and drastically change your vagina’s normal pH. If that happens, you’ve just become a sitting duck for a yeast infection.

Stay Away From Manjakani

Manjakani has been recently made popular as a vaginal tightening agent. What most people don’t know is that Manjakani is extremely dangerous for your health and only temporarily shrinks your cells to make you think your vagina is getting tighter. Just wait a few minutes after you’ve applied it and notice how that “tightening” sensation fades away.

If you want to truly tighten your vagina in a safe, healthy, and natural way, try vaginal tightening pills with Kacip Fatimah and Morinda Citrifolia.  It’s much safer than applying harmful gels and creams directly into your vaginal canal and destroying your mucosal layer.

Also Read: The Ugly Truth About Manjakani

Avoid Douching

The vagina can generally take care of itself, so there is no need for vaginal douching. In fact, doctors everywhere discourage douching as it can throw off your vagina’s pH balance. It also flushes out your good bacteria which means there will be nothing to keep your yeast count in check!

Practice Good Hygiene

When you’re cleaning your vaginal area, just using mild soap and thoroughly rinsing with water is all ya need to do. There’s no need for perfumes or fancy antibacterial soaps.

Also, don’t forget to regularly change out your sanitary pads or tampons when you’re on your cycle. It’s easy to forget to stay on top of that task during a hectic day.

Manage Your Diabetes

If you’ve got diabetes, it’s so important to keep eye on your sugar levels. Diabetes can cause increased sugar levels which is like heaven for your yeast friends, allowing them to rapidly increase in number.

 

Conclusion

Now that you have a better understanding about yeast infections and how it relates to your body, you know that if you got one, it’s a common issue so you don’t need to freak out. However, you can definitely decrease your chances of getting one by just practicing good, basic hygiene.

You could cause more harm than good when you get inventive on ways to clean your vajayjay, despite all the products out on the market that try to convince you otherwise, especially those containing harmful Manjakani. Remember, your vagina was programmed to clean and care for itself, so let it do its job down there and you can provide support by staying healthy and keeping your immune system strong.