How can I treat a yeast infection without my parents knowing?

For starters, yeast infections are nothing to be ashamed of! They happen to tons of people and it’s not because of sex or anything you’re doing wrong. That said, if you’re still embarrassed to talk to your parents there are a couple of options.

One option, and probably the best idea for the your first couple of yeast infections, is to go to the doctor. You don’t necessarily need to tell your parents if you’re going for sexually-transmitted infection testing, but it will be up to your doctor if they feel obligated to share this with your family. I would recommend calling ahead to see what the office policy is. Then they will test—but don’t be worried! It can be diagnosed with a simple urine test or you can swab your own vagina with a swab that’s kinda like a q-tip. Once they make the diagnosis they can provide treatment for you.

The second option is to buy treatment for yourself. The downside is that these tend to cost a fair amount of money but are available at drugstores without parental permission. The only options available like this (“over-the-counter”) are medications that you place inside of your vagina (rather than a pill which can be prescribed by your doctor). They can be kinda messy but they should be effective. Keep in mind that if it doesn’t completely take care of the infection you still may have to see a doctor.