What was the desperate attempt made to cure a stubborn yeast infection? How did the individual find relief after years of struggle? Explore the personal story of overcoming this common yet challenging condition.

Battling a Relentless Yeast Infection

For two years, the author had been repeatedly diagnosed with yeast infections that left their nether regions itchy, irritated, swollen, and often feeling like they were on fire. Desperate for relief, they tried every over-the-counter medication available, visited doctors and specialists, and even resorted to unconventional methods like pouring Listerine on their vulva in a last-ditch effort to cure the infection.

Infiltrating Personal and Sexual Life

The persistent yeast infections had also infiltrated the author’s sex life. Sex was no longer about pleasure, as it would only further irritate the infection. The author turned to their fiancé’s penis as a “personal scratching stick,” craving hard and fast intercourse, but this too proved more painful than pleasurable.

The Desperate Listerine Attempt

In a moment of desperation, the author looked up at the Listerine bottle sitting on the vanity and thought, “Kills 99% of bacteria.” Yeast infections are fungal, not bacterial, but the author didn’t care. They poured the mouthwash on their vulva, only to be met with even worse pain that sent them scrambling to turn on the faucet.

Finding a Specialist and the Correct Diagnosis

It was over a year later before the author was finally referred to a vulva specialist, who quickly diagnosed them with bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition with similar symptoms to a yeast infection. The specialist expressed genuine empathy for the author’s prolonged suffering and provided the proper treatment, finally offering the relief they had been desperately seeking.

The Importance of Seeking Specialized Care

The author’s experience highlights the importance of seeing a specialist when dealing with persistent or recurring yeast infections or other intimate health issues. The vulva specialist was able to provide the correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment, saving the author from further unnecessary suffering.

Lessons Learned and Empowerment

Through this arduous journey, the author learned the value of persistence and advocating for their own health. They also gained a newfound understanding of the complexities of intimate health conditions and the importance of seeking specialized care when faced with persistent or recurring issues.

Normalizing Intimate Health Discussions

The author’s willingness to share their personal story is a testament to the power of open discourse around intimate health concerns. By normalizing these conversations, we can help ensure that others in similar situations feel empowered to seek the care and support they need, without the stigma or embarrassment that often surrounds these topics.

Seeking Professional Help: The Key to Overcoming Persistent Yeast Infections

When faced with a persistent yeast infection or other intimate health issue, it is crucial to seek professional help from a qualified specialist. Trying to self-diagnose or relying on ineffective home remedies can prolong suffering and lead to further complications. By working closely with a knowledgeable healthcare provider, individuals can find the appropriate treatment and achieve the relief they deserve.

The Importance of Empathy in Healthcare

The author’s experience highlights the significant impact that a healthcare provider’s empathy and compassion can have on a patient’s well-being. The vulva specialist’s genuine concern and understanding for the author’s prolonged struggle made a profound difference in their journey to finding relief.

Embracing a Holistic Approach to Intimate Health

Addressing intimate health concerns requires a holistic approach that considers the individual’s unique circumstances, symptoms, and medical history. By taking the time to listen to the patient and ask detailed questions, healthcare providers can better understand the underlying causes and provide more effective treatments.

The Power of Persistence and Self-Advocacy

The author’s story demonstrates the importance of persistence and self-advocacy when it comes to one’s health. Despite facing numerous challenges and ineffective treatments, the author continued to seek help until they found the specialist who could provide the correct diagnosis and appropriate care.

Normalizing Intimate Health Conversations

By openly sharing their personal experience, the author contributes to the normalization of discussions around intimate health concerns. This can help reduce the stigma and shame often associated with these topics, empowering others to seek the care and support they need without fear or embarrassment.

The Relentless Journey to Finding Relief

The author’s story is a testament to the determination and resilience required to overcome persistent health issues, particularly those related to intimate health. Through their perseverance and willingness to try unconventional methods, even in desperation, the author ultimately found the specialized care and treatment they needed to achieve the relief they had been seeking for years.

Advocating for Improved Healthcare for Intimate Health Conditions

The author’s experience highlights the need for greater awareness and education around intimate health conditions, as well as the importance of ensuring that healthcare providers are equipped with the knowledge and resources to provide effective, compassionate care. By sharing their story, the author contributes to a larger conversation aimed at improving healthcare outcomes for those facing similar challenges.

I Poured Listerine on My Vulva in a Desperate Attempt to Cure a Yeast Infection

When I told my fiancé I poured Listerine on my vulva, he asked through muffled laughter, “Are you stupid or crazy?”

Neither. I was desperate. Desperate to the point of madness. For two years I was repeatedly diagnosed with yeast infections that left the whole of my nether regions itchy, irritated, swollen, and often feeling like they were on fire. I was at the end of my rope.

Itchy, Irritated, Inconsolable

My mother got lots of yeast infections when she was younger, so when I first became afflicted, doctors diagnosed my problem as hereditary, saying I was simply more susceptible to the overgrowth of yeast. (Three out of four women get a yeast infection at some point in their life, so it’s pretty common.) But when the infections started coming just as regularly as my period, my mother said, “God, even I didn’t have that many.” I’m part of a gossipy Portuguese family, so it was only hours before almost every female in my extended family knew about it. For Christmas that year, I received what my aunt referred to as the Itchy Vagina package. It was stocked with tubes of Vagisil, medicated vaginal wipes, pads. I was less embarrassed, more thankful. My stockpile was running low.

At that point I had taken every over-the-counter medication available. Truthfully, I could have been the poster child for Monistat. The pharmacist seemed to think so—his eyebrows raised as I approached the counter with a basket full of vaginal products for the second time in a month. I had gone to see my primary care doctor, nurse practitioners, and gynecologists. I did everything they told me to. I ate yogurt. I popped probiotics. I never sat too long in my wet bathing suit. I wore only cotton underwear. At night I lay naked from the waist down, spreading my legs wide imagining air flowing in and out of me, fanning the disease away.

The infections had also infiltrated my sex life. Sex was no longer about pleasure—at least, not the pleasure I was used to. My doctors told me to stay away from sex, as it would only irritate the infection further (the vast majority of yeast infections aren’t contagious), but like an unruly kid who plunges a pencil under her cast to satisfy that burning itch, I turned my fiancé’s penis into my own personal scratching stick. I no longer wanted the slow, rhythmic hip thrusting I typically preferred. Every time my fiancé and I got under the sheets, I wanted it hard and fast, screaming for more. I never orgasmed, but afterward I fell asleep feeling satisfied.

But this—like almost everything I’d tried to relieve the itch—eventually proved more painful than pleasurable. My yeast infections were getting worse, and my poor vagina seemed like it would never heal. Still I scratched and scratched until my skin was raw. Until I got cuts and bled.

One day, feeling helpless as I sat in the bathtub for the fourth or fifth time that week with tears in my eyes, pressing a cold cloth against my burning skin, I looked up and saw the blue-green Listerine bottle sitting on the vanity: “Kills 99% of bacteria. ”

Yeast infections are fungal infections, not bacterial, but I didn’t care. I imagined microbes of bacteria floating through my vaginal canal, clinging to the walls. I imagined them multiplying by the thousands, creating metropolitan cities of red, rashy skin. Skyscrapers of itch. Smokestacks of fiery burn. I grabbed the Listerine and poured.

Spoiler alert: This was not a good idea. It was about five seconds before I screamed in even worse pain than I could have imagined, turning the faucet on full blast. I cursed and bit down hard on my tongue until the burning was over.

Finding Relief

You’d think pouring mouthwash on my burning vulva would constitute a turning point, but it was still a little over a year before I was finally referred to a vulva specialist. She ran her gloved finger around my labia as all the doctors I’d seen had done before. I tried not to flinch. When she was done, I pried my legs out of the stirrups, and sat straight, gloomily awaiting another nonanswer or ineffective home remedy I’d already tried a thousand times.

The first words out of the specialist’s mouth were that she was sorry for what I was going through—she couldn’t imagine what it must be like to live with so much pain. It was the first “sorry” I heard from a doctor that felt genuine. Instead of talking about yogurt or wet bathing suits or unscented soap, she asked me detailed question after question. She looked into my eyes and listened to all my symptoms. “You have BV—bacterial vaginosis. BV has similar symptoms to a yeast infection, which is why you’ve been poorly diagnosed all these years. I wish you would have seen me sooner. You could have saved yourself a lot of pain.”

I was too stunned to speak. “Apply the cream here and here, in this motion,” she said, referencing a drawing she made with a ballpoint pen. That’s it. That was all I needed to do to end the nightmare between my legs.

I quickly came to call the prescription my miracle cream because with it, my vagina healed. I don’t know why it was the first time I’d heard of the cream, or why no other doctor had thought to test me for BV. Perhaps in all the doctor appointments I’d gone to, I was too eager to accept the easiest diagnosis. Perhaps it would have been better to make my doctors listen to my voice, to see the pain in my face. With the right diagnosis, I finally found relief. When my cousins asked, I said my vagina was healthy and meant it. I no longer received Itchy Vagina packages from my aunts. I stayed in my bathing suit as long as I wanted. I threw away the disgusting yogurt.

Today the Listerine incident is a funny story I retell for my girlfriends. They think it’s a riot every time. And I admit, it is a little funny now that the Listerine bottle is safely back on the vanity. I write this story not as another funny joke to tell at parties, but as a rallying cry for women to speak up to their medical providers. For too long I trusted the men and women in front of me. I listened to their prognosis before I’d even finished uttering my symptoms. “Is this common?” I would ask, my voice getting quieter every time. The doctors would shrug their shoulders, offer me a sympathetic smile, and ask me which pharmacy I used. Time and time again, I believed in their expertise and denied my body.

It wasn’t until the specialist looked me in the eye and really listened that I realized that question wasn’t important. It shouldn’t matter that my pain was common. It was unbearable and I didn’t—shouldn’t—have had to grit my teeth and accept it. What I needed was to listen to my body and advocate for myself. And to stay away from the Listerine.

Sarah Chaves is a writer in Boston. Follow her @sarita_chaves on Instagram.

Is it really a yeast infection?

If you want to skip straight to solving your yeast infection, we’ve written a step-by-step guide on How to Decode your Yeast Infection using science!

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For around two years, I had recurrent vaginal yeast infections – or so I thought. Every few months, like clockwork, I would start to sense that slight itch that indicated that it had happened again. I would head straight to the pharmacy for some anti-fungal medication, and then spend the remaining two to three days driven to distraction by the itching and cottage-cheesy discharge. 

Like many other women and people with vaginas, I brushed this off and never did get to the bottom of the cause.

Yet, yeast infections can be a serious problem for many people with vaginas, causing discomfort and disruption to their daily lives and affecting their self esteem and relationships. Yeast infections are usually easy to treat, but if you’re suffering from recurrent yeast infections, it may not be what you think it is. 

Since most women have had a yeast infection at some point, many assume all similar symptoms that arise in the future are also yeast infections. However, yeast infection symptoms can be very easily confused with other, lesser known infections.

What is a Yeast Infection?

A vaginal yeast infection is a fungal infection that causes irritation, discomfort, unusual or copious discharge and intense itchiness of the vagina and the vulva (the tissues at the vaginal opening) and may involve the following symptoms:  

• white vaginal discharge (often like cottage cheese), which does not usually smell
• itching and irritation around the vagina
• soreness and stinging during sex or when you pee

70% of people with vaginas will experience a yeast infection in their lifetime. Most will experience a single yeast infection which will clear up with treatment. However, many people experience recurrent yeast infections with symptoms returning at least three times a year, and some people even suffer from chronic yeast infections, in which the symptoms return immediately after treatment. 

While a single yeast infection is easily treated by over-the-counter medicine, recurrent and chronic yeast infections can have a huge impact on your quality of life. Many people report that chronic yeast infections affect their self-esteem, relationships and everyday activities.

In some more extreme cases, recurrent yeast infections are linked with chronic pain in the vulva, also called vulvodynia.

What Causes Yeast Infections?

Acute yeast infections are fairly straightforward, and are usually caused by an overgrowth of a fungus called Candida albicans. Other times, however, it can be caused by a related member (a non-albicans Candida) such as Candida glabrata. It’s important to test to find out which species is causing a yeast infection because this affects treatment approaches. For instance, whereas the commonly used antifungal called fluconazole has been shown to work against C. albican infections, C. glabrata infections are often resistant and require other prescription antifungals.

Your yeast infection symptoms may be the result of a non-albicans Candida infection.

It’s important to note that Candida species exist in two forms and that the first form exists naturally in healthy vaginas at low levels but the second form is at high levels when a yeast infection is present. Although scientists are unsure about the mechanism by which healthy levels of Candida change and become a yeast infection, research is clear that a yeast infection is the result of a disrupted vaginal microbiome.

This disruption can be triggered by antibiotics, diabetes, immunosuppressant medicine or changes in hormones. Hormonal changes in turn commonly occur from menopause, pregnancy, contraception use, and sexual activity. In a disrupted vaginal microbiome, protective vaginal bacteria known as Lactobacilli are depleted in number. Lactobacilli work to protect you from Candida growing out of control by producing lactic acid which creates an unfavourable environment for this fungus. So when this protective lactobacillus microbe population is disrupted, all hell can break loose.

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How to Treat a Yeast Infection

Most acute yeast infections can be treated with over-the-counter medicines available from a drug store without a prescription. They are usually an antifungal cream, ointment or suppository, and some types combine a pill with a cream. Depending on the treatment, it can take one to seven days to be effective.

If you have recurrent or chronic yeast infections you should speak to a doctor for alternative treatments.

While the exact causes of yeast infections remains unknown, there are a few things you can do to help prevent them. Wearing breathable underwear, such as from a fabric like cotton as opposed to polyester, can help your vagina to remain healthy. Many synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon trap heat and moisture which can be a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi.

The vagina’s pH balance is delicate (it’s one of the first things Juno Bio looks at in our at-home test kits!). A disrupted vaginal pH can contribute to several vaginal problems, including yeast infections. One of the easiest ways you can accidentally affect your pH is with scented products, such as period products or detergents, so these should be avoided.

Douching is also not recommended for vaginal health (though occasionally, doctors might recommend a specific bicarbonate douche for Cytolytic Vaginosis – do your research and make your own call!). Although it might seem like you’re cleaning your vagina, you’re actually killing the good bacteria inside your vagina that help fight off infections. You should clean the vulva with water and maybe some gentle soap, but the vagina should be left alone, unless told otherwise by a medical professional. ‍

What Else Could the Symptoms Be? 

Many conditions are often misdiagnosed as a yeast infection. In fact, one study found that two-thirds of non-prescription drugs used to treat yeast infections were used in error. Antifungal drugs are typically extremely effective at killing the Candida causing a yeast infection, although resistance to antifungal medication is becoming more common, likely in part due to overuse of these medicines.

If antifungal treatment from your drug store hasn’t helped your symptoms, you might not have a yeast infection. Yeast infections are often confused for other vaginal conditions, such as cytolytic vaginosis.

Cytolytic vaginosis has many of the same symptoms as a yeast infection, and is caused by overgrowth of Lactobacilli in the vaginal microbiome. Though this bacteria is usually protective, high numbers can cause a breakdown of vaginal epithelial cells, which are the top layer of the vagina.

This breakdown then leads to high amounts of discharge which is easily confused with a yeast infection. However, unlike yeast infections, cytolytic vaginosis will not respond to antifungal treatments.

Changes in hormones can also lead to symptoms that are similar to a yeast infection. In particular, oestrogen levels decrease during menopause leading to vaginal itching which is often misdiagnosed as a yeast infection. This symptom can be cleared in menopausal individuals by increasing oestrogen levels via oestrogen patches, pills or hormone replacement therapy.

Cytolytic vaginosis has many of the same symptoms as a yeast infection, and is caused by overgrowth of Lactobacilli in the vaginal microbiome.

What Can I Do Next? 

Whether you’re suffering from what you think are recurrent yeast infections, or simply want more information about what’s going on inside your vagina, you should speak to a medical professional. When doing so, it’s important to be your own advocate. No matter if it’s your first appointment or fourteenth, you are not powerless. 

Do your own research beforehand, speak with friends and family about the outcomes you’re hoping for to help you approach your discussion with a doctor, and don’t be afraid to request a second option. 

You could need specific medical interventions, or it may not be a yeast infection at all. A comprehensive microbiome test can give you the answers you need to get you started. The first step is knowing exactly what you’re working with. 

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If you want to learn more about yeast infections and figure our how to get to the bottom of one, we’ve written a step-by-step guide on How to Decode your Yeast Infection.

Articles

March 29, 2019

Let’s talk about yeast (Malassezia dermatitis)

Yeast is a fungal microorganism that is always present in pets as part of a healthy external and internal microflora. As long as the state of health is in a harmonious balance, everything is fine. But when the immune system malfunctions, or when the dog is being treated with antibiotics, getting a haircut or a shave, or perhaps the animal is scratching and combing itself, the yeast can go underground, where it will develop and grow in the hair follicles. and then all over the body.
In some dogs, symptoms of yeast development can be observed in the early stages, when they appear in small numbers as black or brownish dots in the lower abdomen, around the genitals, or at the base of the legs. But often these signs go unnoticed, being mistaken for dirt – it seems that these are just inconspicuous specks or part of the aging process.
By the time you notice pronounced signs of illness,
the yeast infection will have already spread throughout the body, the fungi will gain a foothold in the deep layers of the skin. This condition may worsen or subside, depending on the time of year, but never disappears on its own.

Yeast infection symptoms
Any of them is a fairly bright indicator of the disease, regardless of when it began. And if there are two or more symptoms, it means that the dog is infected with yeast systemically.
The cyclical manifestation of symptoms (appearing in the spring and disappearing in the fall) is often confused with grass and pollen allergies. But allergies in their “pure form” are quite rare, unlike yeast, which is very common.

Chewing or licking of the feet, dirty rusty fur between the toes. When a dog chews or constantly licks its feet, there is always a good reason for it. Of course, the animal may be disturbed by a wound, a cut, a broken nail or something else, but the systematic chewing of the legs is a clear sign of infection. Another symptom is a change in the color of the hair between the fingers, they become dirty red due to the developing fungus.

Ear scratching and head shaking. Ear mites also cause intense itching in the ears.

Lethargy and loss of appetite. There are many reasons for this, but when these symptoms are combined with others on this list, yeast may be the cause.

Loss of hair on the tail and upper back. There can be many reasons for this, but yeast is the most obvious symptom.
Spots (tiny black dots) in the lower abdomen or dirty red color around the genitals. Daily (or at least weekly) care should reveal this early indicator of disease.

Bad smell and greasy coat (seborrhea), often accompanied by profuse dandruff. This is an active fungal infection of the hair follicles, but the disease is easily treated with DERMagic products.

Hair loss after a short haircut or shaving. When a dog is cut or shaved too short, for example for surgery, the yeast can get under the skin, eventually destroying the hair follicles. DERMagic Skin Rescue Lotion will help prevent this.

Any shade of black or gray skin , especially if accompanied by hair loss.

So how do you tell if your dog has a yeast infection or an allergy or something else?

If, after starting treatment with topical antifungals (such as Rescue Ointment or DERMagic Lotion, the hair starts to grow back, the black skin disappears, itching and licking stop, and the skin on the lower abdomen returns to its normal pinkish white color, the dog has been infected with yeast. It may have been an allergic reaction to something at first: a virus, a flea or other insect bite, a food allergy. But if the immune system does not function properly, this leads to the spread of yeast. This is something that many veterinarians can miss .

So how do you solve the problem? Very simple – use the DERMagic System! Follow the instructions carefully, use your camera to record the condition of the dog before, during and after the treatment, and keep us updated on the progress of the recovery process. Remember that patience and persistence are the keys to success!

Skin fungus – health articles

11/10/2022

Skin fungus (mycosis) is a common fungal disease that is caused by parasitic, pathogenic fungi. The type of fungus that has entered the human body determines the nature of the course of the disease. There are skin fungus, foot fungus, hair fungus.

Types and symptoms of skin fungus

Keratomycosis

. Usually proceed without itching and inflammation. Caused by fungi living in the superficial layers of the skin and the stratum corneum of the hair. In this group, the most common skin diseases are versicolor versicolor.

Dermatophytosis

. These fungi live in the deeper layers of the skin and cause inflammation at the site of localization. These include diseases such as trichophytosis, epidermophytosis, microsporia, rubrophytosis and scab. Epidermophytosis – a fungus settles in the skin of the interdigital folds of the feet and soles, causing peeling. Then bubbles appear, which open up and form painful, itchy, weeping, inflamed areas. Then all manifestations disappear, and the disease passes into a chronic stage with an exacerbation in the warmer season. Over time, the nails fade, yellow spots appear and a thickening of the nail plate appears. With trichophytosis, this disease is also called ringworm, skin, nails and hair are affected. Infection is possible through personal contact with sick people and animals, and after a week a rapidly growing, scaly red spot appears.

Yeast infections

, or candidiasis, are caused by fungi of the genus Candida. These yeasts are usually present on the surface of the skin, but under favorable circumstances, they begin to overgrow. There is redness, peeling, itching, rash. Most often, this infection affects the armpits, groin, and skin folds at the flexion points. People who are obese, diabetic, and taking antibiotics are especially susceptible to Candida infection.

Deep mycoses

. They affect the skin and subcutaneous tissue, as well as internal organs and cause inflammation in them. These diseases are much less common and their treatment is more serious and lengthy.

Prolonged exposure to the fungus has a negative effect on the entire body. Toxins released during the life of the fungus have a general toxic effect, as a result of which bacterial and viral complications, drug intolerance, and exacerbation of chronic diseases can occur. Therefore, if the symptoms described above appear, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Reasons

– insufficient adherence to personal hygiene rules
– various skin injuries
– decreased immunity
– metabolic disorders, endocrine diseases (diabetes mellitus, diseases of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands)
– gastrointestinal diseases associated with impaired digestion and insufficient absorption of nutrients
– uncontrolled and prolonged use of antibiotics, the use of certain drugs, including oral contraceptives and corticosteroids
– constant stress and long-term lack of rest
– smoking and alcohol abuse.

Diagnosis and treatment

To successfully cure a skin fungus, it is necessary to accurately determine the type of fungus using a laboratory test.