Summer is fully upon us and you may find yourself spending your days lounging by the pool or spending a week at the beach. Either way, you will likely end up sitting in a wet bathing suit at some point.

And a few days later you may find yourself with a urinary tract infection (UTI) or a yeast infection - the real question is do you realize that one may have led to the other?

So time to unpack the question of if a wet bathing suit can truly cause a UTI or yeast infection.

Let’s start with UTIs:

While there is no direct connection between being in a wet bathing suit and having a UTI, you do run an increased risk due to the moist environment of your bathing suit causing the spread of bacteria. But since your wet bathing suit sits so close to your urethra, the likelihood is not 0%. 

You also have increased risk of contracting a urinary tract infection in situations like swimming pools or hot tubs that may not be properly cleaned and can harbor bacteria.

And how about yeast infections?

As for yeast infections, YES you are absolutely increasing your risk of contracting a yeast infection if you sit in your wet bathing suit for a prolonged period of time. The warm moisture of a wet bathing suit will create the perfect storm to set off a yeast infection by disrupting the vaginal pH. 

Luckily there are things you can do to help prevent UTIs and yeast infections this summer - and all year round!

1. Drink plenty of water to help keep the bladder and urethra flushed out to minimize risk of bacteria causing a UTI. You know your are well hydrated when your urine is light yellow to clear.
2. Change out of your wet bathing suit as soon as possible.
3. Be sure to fully dry your vulva when changing out of your bathing suit.
4. Opt for loose, breathable clothing and natural fibers like cotton for under and outerwear
5. After having sex, be sure to pee. Once you are done peeing, make sure you wipe front to back to decrease the spread of bacteria.
6. Avoid scented soaps and lotions for the vulva and vagina - ALWAYS!

As a reminder, many people contract what they think is a UTI and it is in fact not a UTI, but is pelvic floor dysfunction as tightness in the pelvic floor muscles will mimic the signs of a UTI like: 

• Pain or burning with peeing
• An increased frequency of needing to pee
• An increased urgency to pee
• Going pee more often, including at night

If you have ever felt like you have a UTI but tested negative, it is time to see a pelvic floor specialist! We are the experts here to help you figure out if your symptoms are coming from a tight pelvic floor, rather than an infection.