The short answer is no, the longer answer is that there are many reasons why a
yeast infection occurs. Depending on how many of these circumstances occur
together influences the severity of the infection and how likely it is to
reoccur. One of those circumstances could be the type of clothes you wear but in
isolation it is unlikely that the clothes you wear will actually cause a yeast
infection.
So the clothing you wear may not directly cause the infection but it can
certainly make the problem worse and hinder your chances of stopping it.
To understand this, you have to understand more about a yeast infection. A yeast
infection on the body develops when there is an outgrowth of the Candida
Albicans fungi on a part of the body. Candida Albicans lives in and on the body
and normally present no problems when kept under control. There are many
processes that go on in the body that ensure the fungi does stay in check. If
these processes become compromised or affected in some way, the Candida Albicans
spores can grow rapidly. This rapid proliferation of spores can irritate the
skin or part of the body leading to the typical symptoms of yeast infection such
as a rash that is painful to touch or intensely itchy.
Two conditions that encourage the growth of Candida Albicans is an acidic body
chemistry and an enclosed, warm, moist environment.
An acidic body chemistry can be caused by the foods we eat, the general state of
the body like if it is under chronic stress or whether the individual is taking
medication or drugs that can interfere with the immune system.
Enclosed, warm moist environments are where clothes come into the picture. So if
the conditions are right for Candida Albicans to develop, there is more chance
of them growing even quicker on a part of the skin that has the wrong type of
clothes on.
Yeast infections commonly develop around the vaginal region. This is because it
can be warm and moist. Tight clinging clothing can make this situation worse as
it does not allow that part of the body to breath. Another consideration is to
wear underwear with a cotton crotch as this is a fabric that allows the skin to
breath and it may absorb moisture that could develop in this region.