“Hi, is it possible for a toy to cause a yeast infection?”
If you are a woman and have never had a yeast infection, consider yourself lucky. Most women will experience a yeast infection at least once in her life, and some unfortunate women are prone to them. 😦
The vagina is generally acidic enough to prevent the overgrowth of Candida or yeast. Once that yeast starts overproducing, the itching, burning, and discharge begin. There are several things that can interrupt the normal PH in the vagina, causing yeast infections, including antibiotics, alcohol, sugary foods, douches, feminine deodorant spray, frequent sex, perfumed tampons, wiping improperly after a bowel movement, and wearing tight, damp clothing. Oh, and yes, your sex toys can cause yeast infections as well.
Porous toys that are made out of plastic, jelly, or latex, are very hard to keep clean. Always read the packaging materials that come with your toys. They should explain how to sanitize them properly. It is extremely important that you not only clean your toys after each use, but that you also completely dry them before putting them up. This will prevent bacteria from growing on them. As an added precaution, it helps to put a condom over toys used for insertion (especially porous ones). Then throw the condom away after each use and wash and dry the toy afterward.
Take a few minutes to read this article on the causes of yeast infections. It’s very informative and seems to cover a lot of ground. Also know that although you don’t hear about it very often, men do get yeast infections too. It is very possible for a wife to give her yeast infection to her husband and not know it because most of the time the man has no visible symptoms. Then after the wife gets treated and cured… they have sex again and guess what? Yes, the wife can become reinfected from her husband.
Make it a point to keep your toys properly sanitized after each and every use, and hopefully you won’t have to deal with recurring yeast infections caused by tainted toys.
5 Comments
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Christian Nymphos 
Or skip toys completely…
I’ve battled these every month for quite awhile. There’s definitely a hormonal link, as I always get them at the same point in my cycle- right before ovulation. After my little one is done nursing, I hope to do an intense detox, and hit the yeast hard, as I believe it’s a systemic thing. I can’t do this with a nursling, as the die- off might be too much for her system to handle. I the meantime, I just have to deal with it. BTW: I eat no sugar, or glutens. This can be a tough problem- very frustrating! My sympathy goes to all others out there who are dealing with this too! BTW: I am working w/ a hcp on this, and will definitely do so as well for the detoxing.
Are you absolutely sure you are dealing with infection, rather than cyclical fluids?
Or is it bacterial rather than yeast? They can be very similar.
i found after repeated yeast infections that maybe it was the condoms? with all the latex allergies, when purchasing new condoms we tried the latex free ones and since not one yeast infection!!!
i didn’t ask my doctor about this, but since it is working…just thought i’d throw it out there.
also, i asked my doc about getting yeast from hubby who said she didn’t know of any studies that proved this idea.
i do not use any flavored lubes or condoms. i find keeping anything that might have sugar in it as something that will definately cause a yeast infection.