How long will it take for the yeast infection to go away completely?

Apart from the skin and nails, fungal infections also commonly attack intimate organs such as the penis and vagina. Anyone who experiences it, of course, will complain of various symptoms and discomfort in the intimate organs. That's why many sufferers of vaginal or penile yeast infections wonder about how long it will take for a yeast infection to clear completely.

How long does it take for a genital yeast infection to go away completely?

Yeast infection occurs when the development of the number of fungi and bacteria that live in the sex organs is disturbed. As a result, the fungus Candida albicans grows and multiplies rapidly in vital areas of the body. The appearance of itching, burning sensation in the penis, and discharge that clots from the vagina are some of the common symptoms caused.

Even so, a yeast infection of the sex organs, be it the penis or the vagina, takes varying amounts of time to finally heal completely. The determinants of when a yeast infection heals are divided into two, depending on the treatment process and the severity of the infection.

The severity of the yeast infection can be determined by how much Candida fungi live in the sex organs. Some are classified as mild, moderate, and even severe. In moderate and severe cases, the healing process for yeast infection takes about 1-2 weeks.

Meanwhile, if it is classified as mild, in only about 3 days the yeast infection can be completely cured. In fact, sometimes it can heal on its own without the need for special treatment. But still, fungal infections of the sex organs that are not treated thoroughly have the potential to recur at another time.

Medication to speed up the healing of a yeast infection

Not only aims to eradicate fungal growth, fungal infection treatment can also help calm the target area, relieve itching, and restore the balance of bacteria and fungi in the intimate organs.

There are 2 options to speed up a fungal infection to heal completely, namely:

1. Use OTC drugs

You can use over-the-counter or over-the-counter medications, for example, those that come in the form of creams, tablets, or ointments. Take for example clotrimazole (Gyne-Lotrimin), miconazole (Monistat), and tioconazole (Vagistat).

Although not always, some types of over-the-counter drugs sometimes cause irritation when used for the first time. But not to worry, these drugs can work so well that they relieve the symptoms of a yeast infection after being used for a few days.

2. Use prescription drugs

Yeast infection cases that are still relatively mild, may be able to recover quickly only with the use or consumption of over-the-counter drugs. Conversely, if your yeast infection is moderate or severe, prescription treatment can speed healing.

Types of prescription drugs for fungal infections are butoconazole (Gynazole), terponazole (Terazol), and fluconazole (Diflucan). As with prescription drugs, some of these medications come in the form of creams, ointments, or oral tablets.

After routinely using prescription and over-the-counter drugs, yeast infections usually resolve within a few days. However, try to stick with all of the recommended doses until the end, even if the yeast infection appears to have cleared up.

This aims to ensure that the infection has completely disappeared, as well as restore the balance of microorganisms in the sex organs. Yeast infections are at risk of coming back when not completely treated.