Does Yogurt Really Cure a Yeast Infection?

It's something that makes even the tamest of women raving mad. The common vaginal yeast infection is just no fun but seems to be a rite of passage for all women at some point or another. But it got me to thinking about old wives' tales that I've heard before. One in particular that I've heard is that yogurt helps cure a yeast infection. But is it true?

At first glance, yogurt sounds like a good bet. It's much cheaper than any store-bought curing kit, and for those who believe in a more holistic approach, it meets the requirements. After asking my doctor about the theory and researching some medical books for myself, this is what I've learned:

Plain versus Flavored

If you're going to use any kind of yogurt to try to help your cause, go with plain yogurt. The sugar used to add flavor to yogurt actually helps to feed the infection, so eating flavored yogurt would be counter-productive in this case.

Plain yogurt works because of the live bacterial cultures it contains, and has no added sugar to feed the infection.

Internal versus External

Now comes the hard part. What I'd heard is that if you eat yogurt, it'll kill the infection. Apparently, that's not a true statement and you shouldn't rely on it. Eating any kind of yogurt regularly will in fact help prevent a yeast infection, so if you get them often, this is a good tip to keep in mind. However, once you have the infection, eating yogurt of any kind won't actually cure it.

What doctors have stated is that physically applying yogurt to the area of infection does in fact work. The best way to do this is to buy a container of plain yogurt (and make sure to keep it separate from your every day yogurt that you eat) and a box of tampons. Insert a tampon into the yogurt, then insert into the vagina. It will not only help to kill the infection, but also soothe any irratations you may be feeling externally.

Of course, if you are uncomfortable with trying this, you could always contact your physician and they can recommend a home curing kit or prescribe something themselves for you. And before trying any kind of home remedy (especially considering the body part you are trying to 'cure' here), I would recommend speaking to your doctor first.

So I guess the answer to the question is yes; technically, yogurt does work to solve vaginal yeast infections.