Skin Yeast Infections - Weight Loss Can Help

Skin yeast infections can occur on the skin anywhere on the body where the skin is allowed to remain moist and warm. Some people are prone to getting these infections especially if they are overweight and diabetic. Being diabetic also makes these infections worse and makes them take longer to heal than normal.

If you are overweight, anywhere you have a skin fold is susceptible to skin yeast infections. Remember to dry these areas well after bathing and keep them dry throughout the day. wear cotton underwear and clothing to maximize your skin's ability to breathe. Synthetics do not allow your skin to breathe and make you more susceptible to getting yeast infections.

I know that when you hear the term 'yeast infection' you normally associate it with a female vaginal yeast infection or thrush (a yeast infection in the mouth, usually a nursing infant) or athlete's foot. Yeast can grow anywhere if the conditions it needs to grow are all present at the same time.

Yeast infections, or candidiasis, are caused by a fungus called candida albicans. Areas infected become red, swollen, itchy and painful. If not treated these areas can become cracked and bleeding can occur. If they do open up then you run the risk of other infections setting in and causing further problems.

Years ago my mother fell and broke her humerus bone in her upper arm and because she could not move her arm for several weeks she developed a yeast infection under her arm and in her arm pit. Since she needed assistance bathing herself I would stop over several times a week after work and help her. What we did to treat the yeast infection she got was to spray a wash cloth with the same stuff you would use for athlete's foot and then carefully place the wash cloth under her arm. This worked very well and the yeast infection was gone in about seven days.

Antifungal medications are available over the counter but if you do not know what to use then do yourself a favor and get the advice of your doctor before spending any money. My mother's doctor advised us to use the spray and it worked like a charm but even as a nurse I probably would not have though about using the spray and tried to use some cream instead, possibly causing my mother more pain than I would ever intend on causing her.

Other treatment options are prescription medications that you take by mouth but obviously your need can only be determined by your doctor. Taking these medications carefully and only as prescribed is very important. Do not, I repeat, do not mix these medications with alcohol because if you do they create something a lot like formaldehyde in your blood stream and will make you wish you were dead or make you very sick at the least. Embalming yourself while you are still alive is ill advised.

Skin yeast infections are very easily treated and really are no big deal as long as you do treat them promptly and they do not become bigger than they need to be.