Thrush is caused by the yeast Candida albicans. It is not just a female problem – men can have it too. In men, Candida can cause itching, redness and soreness of the glans (head of the penis) and the foreskin. In some men, the foreskin swells and becomes cracked; this is probably caused by an allergy to the yeast.

The medical term for redness and soreness of the glans is ‘balanitis’. Candida is the usual cause, but there could be other reasons (look at the section on Penis problems: red, sore and itchy). Therefore you need to check with your family doctor or go to a genitourinary medicine clinic. Also, thrush in men can be the first sign of diabetes, so your doctor will do a diabetes check.

How do you get thrush?
Thrush is not classed as a sexually transmitted infection, because many people already have small amounts of the Candida fungus. Whether or not it causes problems depends on the situation. Candida likes warm and moist skin, and skin that is already slightly damaged. It also thrives on the high sugar in people with diabetes. So if the skin of your genitals is already irritated by perfumes in soaps or shower gels, or if you are careless about drying yourself after washing, or if you have diabetes that is uncontrolled (perhaps because you are unaware you have diabetes), Candida is more likely to multiply. When it has multiplied, you may begin to notice symptoms.

If you have a regular female partner, it is quite likely that she will also be carrying Candida in her vagina. If she does not have symptoms, she probably does not need treatment. However, if you keep getting thrush, it might be worth her having treatment even if she has no symptoms.

Treatment
Thrush in men is usually cured easily with an antifungal cream. To prevent it coming back, take care over your choice of soaps – avoid perfumed soaps and shower gels, and anything else that could irritate your skin.

• Bacterial vaginosis
• Chlamydia
• Genital herpes
• Genital warts
• Gonorrhoea
• Molluscum
• Trichomoniasis
• Thrush in women
• Visiting the clinic
• Useful contacts

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