If  you’ve never had a yeast infection, count yourself among the lucky ones. Yeast infections are a surprisingly common condition, affecting somewhere around 70-75 percent of women at least once in their lifetime. Unfortunately, 40-45 percent of women will go on to experience a recurrence, as well. If you’ve had a yeast infection, there’s a solid chance you were willing to try nearly anything to alleviate the itching, burning, and other uncomfortable sensations that came along with it. 

So if someone told you (i.e., TikTok) that coconut oil could be used to treat a yeast infection, would you try it? There are some rumors out there that coconut oil can do just that. So to get to the bottom of this mystery, we reached out to two OB/GYNs, Dr. Felice Gersh and Dr. Kecia Gaither. Keep reading for more on using coconut oil to treat or even prevent a yeast infection. 

Why Do People Use Coconut Oil to Treat a Yeast Infection?

Even though there are a number of over-the-counter yeast infection treatments available, yeast infections can still be tricky to get rid of. And for some women who have a particularly delicate vaginal microbiome, some of the more conventional yeast infection medications can even promote bacterial vaginosis and other conditions, leading to a tricky cycle of illness and infection. 

Within a healthy vaginal ecosystem, there’s a balanced mix of bacteria and yeast, though this balance can be thrown off from things like the overgrowth of certain types of fungus, or when the fungus moves deeper into the vaginal cell layers. This can happen for all sorts of reasons, ranging from taking antibiotics, to pregnancy, increased estrogen levels, or even a weakened immune system, according to the Mayo Clinic. 

The reason coconut oil has been suggested as a yeast infection treatment is that coconut oil is known to have antifungal properties. This is promising given that most vaginal yeast infections are caused by a fungus called Candida albicans. There isn’t a ton of research available that looks into the effectiveness of coconut oil in treating yeast infections, but in one study, coconut oil was shown to be as effective as an antifungal agent against Candida albicans. Further research is needed before we can definitively say coconut oil can be effective in treating yeast infections.

Does Coconut Oil Actually Work as a Yeast Infection Treatment? 

Gynecologists have differing thoughts as to whether coconut oil can be used to treat a yeast infection. According to Dr. Gersh, coconut oil can kill yeast and can be used to treat vaginal yeast infections. 

“Coconut oil is a fatty acid that has powerful antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-parasite, and antifungal properties,” she says. “In other words, it can kill various bacteria, viruses, parasites, and certain species of yeast.”

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