QUESTION
Recently my partner admitted that he had protected sex with another woman. During our unprotected sexual encounter afterwards, we were both burning -- he around the rim of the penis and me on the outside of my vaginal entrance. The pain was so severe that we had to stop.

He went to the doctor, who said the irritation was from his soap and that he needed to wear cotton underwear from now on. That seemed to take care of things until about a month later, when after my period I began to feel very itchy. My vagina was swollen and sore and I had a discharge that looked like cottage cheese. I treated it with over-the-counter yeast infection cream. Is this a yeast infection or could this be an STD? Is it possible for a man to get a yeast infection?

ANSWER
Men can definitely get yeast infections, called balanitis -- usually itchy, red small spots on the glans of the penis that can burn with urination or other contact. Only a doctor can make a proper diagnosis after a medical examination, though. The description of your symptoms are fairly typical of a vaginal yeast infection. Both male and female yeast infections can be adequately treated with the correct choice of anti-yeast medication taken for the proper duration.

To your health,
Dr. K