It’s a lot more serious for guys!
Yeast infections are fairly common among women, but they’re NOT a common problem for men. In fact, men only develop yeast infections as a result of contact with the genitals (or mouth) of a woman currently suffering from an outbreak. Male yeast infections are also MUCH more serious than it is for women, as the infection is much more painful on the head of the penis.
Thankfully, there are a lot of options available to help you deal with your infection ASAP:
Medications
There are a lot of medications you can use to treat the yeast infection:
- Terconazole (Terazol)
- Miconazole (Monistat)
- Butoconazole (Gynazole)
- Tioconazole (Vagistat)
- Clotrimazole (Gyne-Lotrimin)
- Fluconazole (Diflucan)
These medications are all available as OTC, meaning you can purchase them without a prescription. You can ask the pharmacist which they recommend for treating your male yeast infection, but the treatment process should be much the same for men as it is for women.
The only difference between treating male and female yeast infections is that men will most likely use the creams, ointments, or tablets. Women can use suppositories or medicated tampons, but for men, these aren’t an option.
If the OTC medications aren’t working, you may need to get a prescription from your doctor. The stronger medications have a much higher chance of negative side effects, but they will usually be the more effective option for dealing with the infection.
Medications for Drug-Resistant Infections
The drugs listed above are effective for dealing with most common male yeast infections, but what if you catch a strain of drug-resistant candida? Or, what if it’s not C. albicans, but another strain of candida yeast?
There are medications that can treat both drug-resistant and non-albicans infections–usually one called Mycostatin. Or, fluconazole is another option (an oral medication) that is potent and able to deal with most yeast infections.
READ MORE: 10 Natural Antibiotics
Home Remedies
The good news is that you don’t have to automatically turn to medications to treat the infection. There are a number of methods you can use to deal with the male yeast infection on your own:
- Probiotic yogurt — Probiotic yogurt contains bacteria that can fight off the yeast causing the infection. Eating the yogurt is effective, but you can also dip your penis into the yogurt–promoting direct exposure to the bacteria. Do this a few times per day (washing it off 20-30 minutes later) to get rid of the yeast infection.
- Tea tree oil — Tea tree oil is a VERY potent anti-fungal agent, but it’s also very strong. You need to dilute it to no more than 5%, mixing it with almond oil to prevent it from burning your penis. A few drops of the mixed oil will go a long way toward dealing with the nasty yeast infection, though be prepared for a burning sensation.
- Garlic — Garlic may be the LAST thing you want to put on your penis, and the truth is that it CAN burn the sensitive skin if you’re not careful. However, applying a bit of garlic directly to the infected area can be a very effective way of getting rid of the infection. Just be careful not to leave it on for too long.
The truth is that, for most men, the best option for treating male yeast infection is to go the route of medications. The yeast infection can become very painful very quickly, so it’s better to deal with the fungal infection before it turns serious.
