When you have an itch “down there”, tight jeans may be the cause, but there may be something else causing you discomfort. That something could be a fungus called Candida, which causes what is often referred to as a "yeast" infection. Such infections are most common in women aged 16 to 35, although they can occur in girls as young as ten or eleven years old and less often in men and boys. You do not have to be sexually active to get a yeast infection.

The main symptom is itchiness, but a thick/whitish discharge could be present – usually odourless. Other symptoms include soreness and rash on the outer parts of the vagina and a burning sensation, mostly during urination. Though itchiness is a main symptom of yeast infections, if you've never had one before, it's hard to be sure just what's causing your discomfort. After a doctor makes a diagnosis of vaginal yeast infection, if you should have one again, you can then easily recognise the symptoms that make it different from similar problems. It is important to remember that if there is no itching, you probably have something else.

There are many causes of yeast infections, of which the biggest is lowered immunity. It can happen from doing too much, not getting enough rest or as a result of an illness. A recurring yeast infection which doesn’t clear up could be a result of being HIV positive, although this is a very unusual occurrence. Repeated occurrences could also mean antibiotics or other medications were used (birth control pills included), there was a significant change in diet, the person has diabetes, the person is pregnant or they have poor nutrition issues. Hot or humid weather could also lead to yeast infections, as well as wearing many layers of clothing. Although the infection can be transmitted sexually, it is not recognised as an STD. You do not necessarily have to be sexually active to get the infection, but urinating directly after sex help deter the infection. Using a condom will protect you from the infection.

If one partner has a yeast infection, the other partner should also be treated for it. A man is less likely than a woman to be aware of having a yeast infection because he may not have any symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they may include a moist, white, scaling rash on the penis, and itchiness or redness under the foreskin. As with females, lowered immunity, rather than sexual transmission, is the most frequent cause of genital yeast infections in males.

To completely avoid a yeast infection it is best to not only abstain, but also wear loose natural-fiber clothing and underwear, limit wearing pantyhose, leggings, tight jeans, do not use deodorant tampons or any other deodorised product near the gentle areas and dry yourself quickly and thoroughly after swimming/bathing.

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