Do I have a yeast infection?

[veronica37111]

I'm a bit worried that I might have a yeast infection. I had protected intercourse with my bf yesterday and now the surrounding area of my vulva is a bit red. I got a bit worried and decided to take a deeper look and I noticed there's some white stuff in my vaginal opening. I did a bunch of research but I'm still a bit confused. I read that itching is also one of the symptoms, but I haven't had any of that. I took note on some things that help get rid of the infection (just in case). How do I know for sure if it's a yeast infection? And if it is, does it go away on its own? How long would it take to go away? How can I prevent it in the future? What could've caused it? Need answers ASAP please!!

[Andy]

Hi there,

the only one who can say if you do or don’t have an infection is a health care provider but we can help you decide whether to bring this to them if you are not sure.
Do you have any other symptoms like pain or an off-smelling discharge? I’m asking because there are many other things that could cause the redness, like simply irritating the place during the sex you had, and a discharge by itself doesn’t have to be a cause of concert either.

If you want to know more about yeast infections and what you can do to prevent them, even though what you are experiencing now might not be one, you can read about them here: The why and how-not of yeast infections

[veronica37111]

Thanks for replying! And no, I have no pain whatsoever, and my discharge doesn’t have a weird smell either. But today I noticed it looked yellowish on my underwear, but when I checked with my finger it was clumpy white

[Sam W]

Hi veronica37111,

From what you're describing, it sounds more like you noticed some of your own vaginal discharge, which can vary a bit in color and consistency throughout your cycle. You can read more about that, and about times when odd discharge is cause for concern, here: Honorably Discharged: A Guide to Vaginal Secretions