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NightWindWhisper -> RE: Sex induced yeast infection? (4/7/2007 3:11:12 PM)
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Surficial yeast infections of the vagina are quite common. The organism is Candida albicans. The smell if you swsih a finger is well, bread-like. If it's not it could be BV and should be looked at. Many women get recurring yeast infections which clear related to hormonal and (probably linked) pH changes in the vagina. It's common to get a yeast infection after aggressive and or lots of sex activity over a short time. Sometimes they clear in a few days, and other times require treatment. Common treatment is an antifungal product you can buy at a drugstore. I imagine these are miconozole or econozole products and should reduce symptoms very quickly (a day) but follow directions. It may say not for mucosal use in which case don't use it.
Yeast occurs much the way bread yeast grows, by splitting, so one cell makes two, which makes four. In fact I'm sure that one could swipe some, and place in in a bowl with a tablespoon of sugar, and half a cup of flour, plus a cup or two of water and keep it ~98 degrees and use it to make bread. (Gross idea eh? I'd bet that it'd make a decent tasting loaf, but I'm not going to try. However yeast can do something else. Under the right circumstances it can grow hyphae, or tendrils. This is what mushrooms do, and if one digs under many mushrooms you find a matt of tiny white hypae. In the vagina the immune system should immediately attack the hpyhae since they are invasive, and cause tissue damage. (They actually penetrate into the skin, which the yeast mode sits on top of the tissue). If you have a compromised immune system, or if you have recurrent YI's it probably is a good idea to have it checked out by a Practitioner. There are stronger antifungal topical agents, and systemic (pill form) meds.
Interestingly Candida albicans has at least on one occasion gone hyphal, and produced a fruit (a mushroom) within the sinus of an advanced AIDS patient. But that is quite extreme. In is possible that the rough sex did chafe and remove some surficial tissue allowing hyphal formation, but being healthy your immune system probably stopped that rather quickly. Usually we are tough organisms.
Your friend's penis probably can be cultured for Candida, but there is really no treatment that I know for males. You could spray his dick with Miconazole nitrate spray (topical anti-fungal spray sold at pharmacies for jock itch or athletes foot (similar fungal organisms)). If a male has an intact foreskin it is possible that he has a subclinical YI which does not bother him, but could initiate one in you. All vaginas can culture Candida albicans as far as I know, it is part of our normal flora. It is only problematic when the body let's it get out of hand. If you do try this, buy a creme, not a spray. The spray is alcohol based, and apt to burn. If he has sub foreskin yeast problem I'd expect that when pulled back it'd smell yeasty. It may be gross sounding to consider smelling such stuff, but in reality many bacterial and fungal infections have very distinctive smells, some identifiable at a long distance from the patient.
I've heard enough anecdotal evidence that yogurt douche, or eating yogurt is supposed to be helpful. I have no clue about a yogurt douche. But I have to wonder about the veracity of simply eating yogurt as there is (as far as I know) no way for the beneficial cultures (acidophilus or bifidus or others) to get from the stomach to the vagina, so it doesn't make sense to me. But who know?
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