Do I have a yeast infection?

[girly_5]

Hi, I’m 13. I recently was looking in my vagina and I saw thick, white stuff there (don’t know how to describe it). And everyday I look there is more, my vagina is itchy and it kinda burns when I urinate. I am very clean, I shower twice a day and wash my vagina with feminine wash (so I don’t know why this is happening). What should I do? Should I tell my mom?

[klynn92]

Coming from a woman whos had MANY infections, and seen many drs. do NOT use any soaps there not even the ones that say they are for that purpose. get yourself a a shower hose and spray gently down there to wash yourself. If your sexually active already, this could also be a Bacterial infection. only wear cotton panties or none at all.

[specialmom]

I would guess you do have a yeast infection but do not fear.  They are very common in girls/women.  Have you been sick recently and taken antibiotics?  That's a really common time to get a yeast infection.  And anniebrooke told you the perils of vaginal wash. If you use something like that, it's only to be used on the outside of your area like in the creases and not IN the vagina.  It will wash out the good bacteria that helps with keeping yeast from growing (and bad bacteria too).  Never douche!  

Don't be embarrassed to tell your mom.  She knows it just happens sometimes and hopefully will get you help.  The first time you have a yeast infection, they always recommend being swabbed (simple, they just use a doctor's q tip thing and swab a bit of the discharge and look at it under a microscope) to officially be diagnosed and treated.  There is a pill the doctor can give you or over the counter products that do a fine job.  But mom's are there to help so talk to yours!  

[AnnieBrooke]

The feminine wash can cause problems for you. A normal vagina puts out secretions that are intended to keep the right balance of (whatever -- vaginal flora? I guess) to keep your vagina healthy. Inserting wash interrupts this process, for one thing the pH can get all out of whack.

You might well have a yeast infection, it's hard to tell from your description if that is what is going on or if you have the normal stuff you might see. (You could also have just the draining of the usual discharge, which looks different at different times of the month, and you could also be seeing a combination of dead skin cells and oils from the skin, which is called smegma.)

In any case, you could see a doctor to get checked, or it might be simpler to buy (or ask your mom to get you) an over-the-counter yeast-infection treatment, they are available at places like Walgreen's. If you try it and there is a change, then you will know what it was.