Recent studies cast doubt on their effectiveness. Dry carefully after bathing, using a hair dryer as necessary. Avoid tight pants and pantyhose. Wipe from front to back after using the bathroom. Yeast organisms live in the bowel and you don't want to spread them to the vaginal area.
Monilia tends to flare up after a menstrual period.
If you have recurrent yeast infections, you might try using your anti-monilial medication for a day or two at the end of each menstrual period. It has been suggested, but not proved, that eating yogurt daily may reduce the risk of developing a vaginal yeast infection by reducing the number of yeast organisms in the bowel. Copyright 2000 - 2001 Group Health Cooperative.