Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to yeast infection treatment.

Monistat 1 is a topical cream used to treat vaginal yeast infections. The brand claims that it “relieves yeast infection symptoms 4x faster than the leading Rx pill,” and it's supposed to relieve symptoms within one day.

But does Monistat 1 contain research-backed ingredients for treating yeast infections? Does it have any unhealthy ingredients? Does Monistat 1 cause side effects? And how does the brand compare to popular anti-yeast products like FemiClear?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Monistat 1 to give our take on whether or not the product is likely to be effective for treating vaginal yeast infections.

We'll also discuss the risk of side effects, share a video with proper use instructions, and compare Monistat 1 to other popular anti-yeast products to pick our winners (and losers).

Key takeaways:

• Active ingredient is clinically proven to have anti-yeast effects
• Contains an inactive ingredient we consider unhealthy
• We do not currently recommend Monistat 1

Ingredient Analysis

The ingredients in Monistat 1 are shown below:

Tioconazole is an antifungal, and is the only active ingredient in this product. It's included at a dose of 300 milligrams (mg) and a concentration of 6.5%.

A medical review published in the Drugs journal found that tioconazole is more effective for treating vaginal yeast infections than other commonly-used antifungals.

A 1986 clinical trial analyzed whether tioconazole at the same concentration as in Monistat 1 could successfully treat vaginal yeast infection. 86% of patients using tioconazole were symptom-free after one single treatment.

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is a preservative ingredient that's clinically shown to cause tumors in animals, as we documented in our Meaningful Beauty review article on another skincare product containing this ingredient.

Overall, we consider Monistat 1 highly likely to be effective for the treatment of vaginal yeast infections, however, we don't currently recommend this product due to the inclusion of BHA.

Does Monistat 1 Cause Side Effects?

Monistat 1 may cause side effects, which is unsurprising given that it’s a drug product applied to sensitive lining inside of the vagina, in an already-irritated area.

The product’s manual contains no reference to potential side effects, but a clinical trial on the use of tioconazole cream for the use of vaginal infections noted a side effect rate of 5%. A sensation of burning was the documented side effect.

This trial used a tioconazole concentration of only 2%, which is significantly less than the concentration in Monistat 1 of 6.5%. This suggests that the risk of side effects for users of Monistat 1 may be higher than 5%.

There are a number of reports online from patients who experienced significant burning and irritation after using Monistat 1. Most of the negative reviews of the product that we’ve encountered were due to the burning side effect.

Overall, we consider Monistat 1 somewhat likely to cause side effects, and we hope that the brand funds a clinical trial to determine the exact likelihood of side effects.

How to Use Monistat 1

A pharmacist named Adrianna Shardey has a video showing patients how to properly use the intra-vaginal device:

How Long Does Monistat 1 Stay Inside You?

Given that Monistat 1 comes with a pre-filled applicator, customers are often curious about how long the treatment actually stays in the body.

The applicator itself should be removed from the body immediately after use and is not meant to stay inside the vagina. The cream, or active treatment, stays inside the body and is absorbed.

There is no reference on the product manual to Monistat 1 cream exiting the vagina or being discharged.

It’s important that patients using Monistat do not use tampons or other vaginal products.

Monistat 1 vs. Popular Anti-Yeast Products

Here's how Monistat 1 compares to other popular anti-yeast products in terms of potential effectiveness and safety, in our opinion:

AZO Yeast Plus

Contains an active ingredient which is clinically shown to cause yeast infections.

This is the worst anti-yeast product we've reviewed.

Winner: Monistat 1

FemiClear

Like Monistat 1, FemiClear is a cream used topically to treat vaginal yeast infections.

Unlike Monistat 1, it's a homeopathic therapy. As we documented in our FemiClear reviews article, homeopathy has been definitively proven in clinical research to be ineffective.

Winner: Monistat 1

URO

Marketed more for general vaginal health and bacterial vaginosis (BV), URO is one of the better-formulated women's health supplements we've reviewed to date on Illuminate Health.

It's free from any inactive ingredients we consider unhealthy.

Winner: URO

Our Clean Anti-Yeast Picks

There are natural compounds that have been studied in clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of yeast infections.

MBG Vitamin D3 Potency+ is our top vitamin D3 supplement.

A 2023 medical review described vitamin D3 as having "a significant inhibitory effect on Candida growth and biofilm formation," and "demonstrated antifungal and antibiofilm properties."

AZO Boric Acid Suppository is our top vaginal suppository pick.

A medical review published in the Journal of Women’s Health concluded that “boric acid is a safe, alternative, economic option for women with recurrent and chronic symptoms of vaginitis when conventional treatment fails.”

Both of the products recommended in this section are free of ingredients we consider to be unhealthy.

Monistat 1 Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Research-backed active ingredient
• Should relieve yeast infection symptoms in one day
• Unlikely to cause side effects
• Affordable
• Positive customer reviews on Amazon
• Convenient

Cons:

• Contains BHA
• Some online customers complain of a burning sensation
• Active ingredient is clinically shown to cause burning sensation in some individuals

Conclusion

Monistat 1 contains an active ingredient that's clinically shown to be effective for the treatment of vaginal yeast infections.

The fact that this is a topical treatment, rather than a systemic treatment, suggests that it may carry less risks.

The active ingredient in Monistat 1 has been shown in some clinical trials to cause irritation and burning, but this appears to occur less than 10% of the time. In otherwise healthy individuals, we consider Monistat 1 unlikely to cause side effects.

We don't currently recommend this product because it contains an inactive ingredient that was shown to cause tumors in animal studies.

The cream stays in the vagina and gets absorbed into the body. There are no reports or warnings of leakage in the product manual at the time of updating this article.

In this article we featured a video from a pharmacist showing how to use Monistat 1 properly.

We consider Monistat 1 to be a better option than AZO Yeast Plus and FemiClear, but a less healthy formulation than URO.