Patient's question:
Should I buy new underwear during treatment, or wait until after treatment to change them? Will wearing old underwear during the treatment period lead to re-infection?Doctor's answer:
Candidal vulvovaginitis can generally be cured with proper treatment. Medications targeting fungal infections, such as clotrimazole, nystatin, and miconazole, should be used. Suppositories are placed inside the vagina, while creams are applied to the external genitalia. Treatment should last at least one week, and oral fluconazole or itraconazole can be added. If sexual partners have symptoms, they should also be treated. The external genitalia can be cleaned with a 2-4% sodium bicarbonate solution. Underwear should be exposed to sunlight or boiled to ensure thorough disinfection. It is important to avoid antibiotics, hormones, and birth control pills. Active treatment and control of abnormal blood sugar levels are necessary to prevent recurrence.