When you hear the term “yeast infection,” you probably think that it is a problem that only women have to worry about. But did you know that men can be afflicted with yeast infections as well, and left untreated, they can cause some serious health issues?
In men, yeast infections primarily affect the penis. A male yeast infection can be embarrassing, painful and lead to greater health complications if not treated, particularly when the condition is allowed to spread through your bloodstream to other parts of your body.
Yeast infections in males are more common than you might think, but fortunately, there are several treatment methods available. In fact, over-the-counter (OTC) medications can often effectively clear up a male yeast infection if they are applied diligently in the earliest stages.
What is a Male Yeast Infection?
The medical definition of a male yeast infection is a condition known as balanitis, or inflammation of the head of the penis. Penile yeast infections occur for the same reason in men as they do in women, because the microorganism, candida, which is responsible for the infection in both men and women, is normally found on our skin, particularly in damp areas. Yeast infections in both genders occur when something causes an increase or bloom in the candida normally living on the surface of our skin.
How Common are Male Yeast Infections?
Yeast infections in men can be more common than you think. It is estimated that about 3% to 11% of males will have a yeast infection in their lifetime. The condition is more common in uncircumcised men, affecting 1 in every 30 uncircumcised males.
What Causes Yeast Infection in Men?
It is normal for yeasts and other microorganisms to normally live on your skin. This includes Candida. Most of the time, these tiny colonies of yeast, bacteria, and fungi living on the skin do not present any serious health issues. But candida thrives in moist environments. Certain things can cause an overgrowth of the Candida living on the surface of the skin resulting in spreading into an infection below the skin. Poor hygiene can be one of the causes of this, but there are other contributing factors — such as engaging in sexual relations with someone already infected with an active yeast infection.
Balanitis is much more likely to occur in men who have not been circumcised. Like most fungi, Candida flourishes in damp, dark, warm areas. Therefore, the foreskin is an ideal environment for candida; this is why male yeast infection is seen predominantly in men who have retained their foreskin and why circumcision has been routinely performed on male babies in the US for many years for medical and not for religious reasons.
Can I Reduce the Risks of Getting a Male Yeast Infection?
As stated earlier, uncircumcised males are at the greatest risk of developing a male yeast infection. Other factors that can increase your chances of acquiring a penile infection include:
- Prolonged use of antibiotics
- Diabetes
- An impaired immune system, such as an HIV/AIDS infection
- Are overweight
- Poor hygiene
You can help prevent or lower your risk of acquiring a yeast infection if you are a man by refraining from sexual activities with a partner who you know already has a yeast infection present. You should also not have sexual relations when you have a known male yeast infection.
Other ways that you may be able to prevent or minimize the risk of getting a male yeast infection is to:
- Practice good gentile hygiene, particularly if you are uncircumcised
- Use condoms
- Wash and dry your penis well after engaging in sexual intercourse
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Male Yeast Infection?
There are a few obvious signs and symptoms of a penile yeast infection, including the following:
- Damp areas of the penis, often accompanied by a milky, foul-smelling discharge
- A sheen or whiteness to the skin of the penis
- Rash, redness, itching, or inflammation in and around the penis
How is Male Yeast Infection Diagnosed?
How is Male Yeast Infection Diagnosed?A diagnosis of a male yeast infection starts with a physical and visual inspection of the penis. Often, your doctor can recognize and diagnose a yeast infection simply by looking at the condition of your penis and foreskin. However, to confirm the visual diagnosis, your physician may want to get a sample of the infected skin and send it to a pathology lab for analysis and accurate identification of the infection.
How Are Male Yeast Infections Treated?
The majority of yeast infections in men respond quite well to over-the-counter antifungal medications. These include:
- Miconazole, also sold as Lotrimin, Cruex, and Desenexl
- Imidazole
- Clotrimazole
More serious or long-term infections may require prescription-strength forms of one of these medications. Oral fluconazole (Diflucan) and hydrocortisone cream may be prescribed for more serious male yeast infections.
Conclusion
Male yeast infections are common and can usually be treated well with OTC medications. However, if left untreated, they can lead to some severe complications. If you are a man with a yeast infection that has not, or is not responding well to, OTC treatment, you may need to see your doctor. You should not be ashamed or embarrassed to see your doctor for a male yeast infection.
Frequently Asked Questions About Male Yeast Infection
When treated properly and early, a penile yeast infection should resolve in about a week or two. Yeast infections sometimes return after seemingly successful treatment. If you have frequent recurring male yeast infections, your doctor may keep you on topical treatments proactively for a few weeks or months. If they continue to recur, your doctor may look for an underlying increased risk factor like diabetes or an immune issue.
If left untreated, a male yeast infection can cause other serious health complications. The most severe of these is a condition known as candidemia or invasive candidiasis, which occurs when the yeast infection enters the bloodstream and moves beyond the penis. This is more common in people with HIV/AIDS or who have a compromised immune system for some other reason.
While a yeast infection can be spread from partner to partner during intercourse, it is not considered a sexually transmitted disease (STD) because you don’t have to have sex to get it.
Chlamydia is a separate condition from yeast infection. Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. It is caused by bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis. It is not caused by a yeast infection.
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