How Long Does a Yeast Infection Last? Facts vs. Fiction

How long does a yeast infection last?

Mild cases of yeast infection can last one to two weeks. Some yeast infection symptoms can naturally go away on their own without treatment needed on the affected areas after 5 days. Other symptoms such as yeast infection of nails may last longer and usually require more time to heal. The time a yeast infection last depends on many factors such as the severity of the infection, what is causing it, your body’s ability to fight the infection and more.

A common misconception about the time a yeast infection last, is that yeast infection medicine such as diflucan, monistat and others can speed things up and heal the yeast infections in a matter of days. While these may provide relief to some yeast infection symptoms, they do not treat the cause of the yeast infection. Depending on medicine or any home remedies for yeast infection without knowing the cause of your infection is the main reason why the symptoms keep coming back and even become worse as the infection is left untreated and evolves.

In this experts guide, we’ll answer all your questions on these topics. You will get all the facts you need to know in order to have an effective and safe yeast infection treatment according to your own body’s needs. We will also review common myths and critical mistakes that can make the infection worse and cause unnecessary discomfort and health complications.

In This Guide

What causes yeast infections?
How do you get a yeast infection?
How do you know if you have a yeast infection?
Yeast infection self test.
Do yeast infections go away on their own?
How long does a yeast infection last without treatment?

How long does a yeast infection last

One of the most important steps in any yeast infection treatment is to identify what causes yeast infections in each case. The reason or source of the infection can be different from one person to another and so does the needed treatment. When the cause of the infection is identified correctly, with the right treatment it is common to feel a relief from some yeast infection symptoms in a matter of days. In fact, in some cases, the needed yeast infection treatment doesn’t even require taking anything for the yeast infection, but more towards stop doing what caused the yeast infection to begin with.

While a relief of yeast infection symptoms can take a few days, a complete yeast infection cure may take more time. The time it takes in order to completely heal from yeast infections depends on the severity of the yeast infection, your current state of health along with many other factors.

Based on our long experience with many types of yeast infections cases, we strongly believe that what matters much more than how long does a yeast infection last, is how fast can you feel better so you can enjoy and improve the quality of your life.
A safe and effective yeast infection treatment that is designed to address the infection according to your body needs at pace your body is comfortable at, can minimize potential side effects, candida die off symptoms and unnecessary discomforts due to a treatment that may be too aggressive for your body to handle.

To learn more on the best yeast infection treatment for your body needs, see our experts guide:
yeast infection treatment protocol

What Causes Yeast Infections

Most yeast infections are caused by the overgrowth of yeast-like fungi called candida in the body.
Candida overgrowth occurs when the balance between candida yeast and the good bacteria in the body is being disturbed. The good bacteria that typically limit candida from overgrowing can’t do its job for some reason, so you end up with excess yeast overgrowth in your body.

When this happens, candida changes into a more aggressive fungal form that spreads and releases over 80 different toxins. These toxins can get anywhere in the body, suppress the immune system and cause a wide variety of health issues all over the body. Most candida overgrowth and yeast infections are caused by a strand of yeast called Candida Albicans.

How Do You Get a Yeast Infection

Below are the most common ways people get a yeast infection:

1 – Systemic yeast and candida overgrowth

Most people get yeast infections after developing a systemic candida and yeast overgrowth in their body. The result is different yeast infection symptoms all over the body. Among the top causes are antibiotics or medication that reduce the levels of good bacteria in the body, blood sugar issues, diet high in sugars, processed foods or that is not suitable for your body and other unhealthy lifestyle choices that can stress the body and lower the immune system function.

To learn more about yeast and candida overgrowth, see our experts guide for:
Candida Overgrowth & Excess Yeast

2 – Male yeast Infection

Men can get yeast infections of the penis by having unprotected sex with someone who has a yeast infection. Poor hygiene may also be a contributing factor since yeast thrive in moist warm areas.

To learn more about yeast infection in men and male yeast infection symptoms see our:
male yeast infection expert guide

Vaginal Yeast Infection

The most common cause of yeast infection in women is a systemic candida and yeast overgrowth in the body, where the vaginal yeast infection is only one of the symptoms. It is possible however, to get yeast infections in the vagina as a result of an isolated issue in the vagina, without a systemic yeast problem present. This can happen when the vagina is not kept dry for a long time, or when using harsh feminine hygiene products that upset the good bacteria to yeast balance in the vagina. It is also possible to get a yeast infection through sexual contact with someone who has a yeast infection.

To learn more about vaginal yeast yeast infections see our:
Vaginal Yeast Infection

How do you know if you have a yeast infection

This self test was developed to help you know if you have a yeast infection based on your current symptoms and medical history.
We start with the major signs of yeast infections and continue with more detailed yeast infection symptoms based on your individual findings.
Becoming aware of all these symptoms of yeast infection and how they are all related are the keys to a successful yeast infection treatment. It is very important to identify and address the root cause of your issues rather than treating individual symptoms.
Start the Test

Do yeast infections go away on their own

How long does a yeast infection last without treatment

It is possible for yeast infections to go away on their own without treatment if the reason that caused the infection stopped to occur and your body is strong enough to heal by itself. This is quite common in cases of mild yeast infections that are caused by a short event.

Here are a few common examples:

Jock itch can develop after being in hot and humid weather conditions for a few days, where the inner thighs were wet or moist for long hours. This is common in athletic or other activities in wet conditions. Once you get back to your normal drier (and cleaner) conditions, the jock itch infection can go away on its own without any treatment.
Vaginal yeast infections can develop after using some feminine hygiene products. A common problem with these products is that many of them contain chemicals that can disturb the balance between the good bacteria to the candida-yeast in the vagina. As a result, a vaginal yeast infection develops. Once you stop using the product (the cause of the vaginal yeast infection), it is possible for the infection to go away on its own.