Back to #ASKEVVY
#Askevvy Contributor

Dr. Krystal Thomas-White, PhD

Dr. Krystal Thomas-White, Ph.D is the Senior Scientist at Evvy.

Dr Thomas-White is a microbiologist specializing in the female urogenital microbiome and how it relates to health and disease. In under 10 years she has over 20 peer-reviewed articles that have been cited over 1000 times. Her research explores how alterations in both the bladder and vaginal microbiomes are associated with common disorders (like UTIs, bacterial vaginosis, and incontinence) and how the microbiome changes in response to hormones throughout life, particularly during prengnacy, and menopause.  As senior scientist at Evvy she is excited to help bridge the gender health gap, and provide women with insight into a part of their bodies that has been too often overlooked.  

#AskEvvy Articles by Dr. Krystal Thomas-White, PhD

What is Ureaplasma including Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

What Is Ureaplasma? Symptoms and Treatment

Evvy's Senior Scientist explains what we know about Ureaplasma, including symptoms, treatment options, and where the science stands.
Microscopic image of Trichomoniasis vs Bacterial Vaginosis
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

Trichomoniasis vs. Bacterial Vaginosis: What’s the Difference?

While bacterial vaginosis (BV) and trichomoniasis may seem similar, they’re two completely different infections. Since the causes and treatments are distinct, diagnosing them correctly is the best way to treat both infections and look after your reproductive health.
sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and STDs can be passed through oral sex
Sex & Relationships

What Are the Odds of Getting an STD From Oral Sex?

Many sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can be spread through oral sex. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the odds of getting or spreading an STD from oral sex depends on a few factors, including the type of STD infection, the type of oral sex (what body parts are used), and the number of times you had oral sex.
diagram of the female reproductive system and endometriosis
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

What is Endometriosis? Symptoms, Treatment, and Possible Causes

Endometriosis — or endo, as it's commonly known — is a condition that affects around one in 10 people assigned female at birth. Endo is an incredibly misunderstood condition, so we've put together a comprehensive explainer of the symptoms, possible causes, and treatments for endometriosis.
evvy vs juno vaginal microbiome test
Vaginal Microbiome 101

How to Choose a Vaginal Microbiome Test

The vaginal microbiome has been getting more attention lately, and there are now a few different tests that you can do at home. But here's the thing: not all vaginal microbiome tests are made equal. So, we've put together a guide on what to look out for when you're looking for a vaginal microbiome test.
Race and the vaginal microbiome, black women and vaginal health
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

Race and the Vaginal Microbiome

Black women are more likely to develop bacterial vaginosis (BV) and yeast infections, and studies have shown there can be significant variations in the vaginal microbiomes of women from different racial groups. But we still don’t know enough about why this is the case, and how it’s linked to real life, tangible outcomes — this just isn’t good enough. In this article, we explore the relationship between race and the vaginal microbiome, plus what we still need to figure out.
Serrapeptase benefits and side effects for vaginal health
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

What Is Serrapeptase? Benefits, Side Effects, and Other Need-To-Knows

If you’ve ever gone down the rabbit hole of vaginal health supplements, you may have come across serrapeptase or "biofilm busters". We look at the potential benefits of serrapeptase, its side effects, and whether it might support vaginal health. 
Sexually transmitted disease (STD) Discharge can range from white to yellow, green, or even gray
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

What Does STD Discharge Look Like?

Find out how different sexually transmitted infections can affect your vaginal discharge and how to spot a potential red flag.
image of frothy discharge
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

Frothy Discharge: Causes and What it Means

If you’ve noticed frothy vaginal discharge, it’s a good idea to call your healthcare provider. But why is it there in the first place? What does frothy discharge mean? We cover all that in this article.
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

Foul Smelling Discharge: Causes and How to Treat It

Foul-smelling discharge is most commonly linked to bacterial vaginosis (BV), but there are other reasons why your discharge might smell funky. Read this artivle to learn more about the causes of smelly discharge and what you can do about it.
two sexual partners wondering if they should both get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (stds)
Sex & Relationships

Should Both Partners Get Tested for STDs?

STDs carry a lot of unnecessary stigma, which can be a massive barrier to testing and prevention. And if you're in a relationship, broaching the topic with your partner can feel too awkward to handle. Learn when and how often you should get an STI test, and how to talk to your partner about STI testing.
Chlamydia and Infertility
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

Can Chlamydia Cause Infertility?

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including chlamydia, are very common for any sexually active person. In most cases, they're easily treated and don’t cause complications. However, if left untreated, they can cause long-term complications, including infertility in some cases.
std from a toilet seat
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

Fact Check: Can You Get an STD From a Toilet Seat?

We can all agree that public restrooms can be gross. But the myth that you can catch sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or diseases (STDs) from a toilet seat is just that: a myth.
A woman investigates what is causing her itchy vaginal area
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

15 Reasons Why You Have an Itchy Vaginal Area

There’s many reasons you might feel itchy down there, from a skin condition to a yeast infection to an STI. But there's a difference between what causes vaginal itching and what causes vulvar itching — we walk you through the most common causes of vaginal itching and how to stop it.
Yeast Infections vs STIs and STDs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, Mycoplasma genitalium, herpes, trich, and more
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

Yeast Infection vs. STD: What’s the Difference?

Itching, abnormal vaginal discharge, a burning sensation when you pee… we break down the symptoms of a yeast infection vs a sexually transmitted infection like chlamydia, gonorrhea, trich, and more.
tiles indicating different discharge colors: yellow discharge, red discharge, pink discharge, white discharge, gray discharge, and more.
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

Discharge Color Meaning: What’s Normal?

The color of your discharge can often tell you what’s going on down there – we explore yellow, pink, white, gray, and more discharge colors in our comprehensive guide to vaginal discharge colors.
Hand holding a sample from the Evvy at-home STD test and vaginal microbiome test
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

A Complete Guide to At-Home STD Tests

Everything you need to know about at-home STD tests, including where to get them, how to take the test, and what happens after you get results.
chlamydia vs gonorrhea
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

Chlamydia vs Gonorrhea: What’s the Difference?

Chlamydia and gonorrhea are two of the most common STIs. We break down the differences and similarities in causes, symptoms, and treatments.
Microscopic image of Chlamydia trachomatis, the bacteria behind the STI chlamydia.
Vaginal Microbiome 101

What Is Chlamydia Trachomatis?

Learn about causes, symptoms, and treatments for Chlamydia trachomatis, the bacteria behind the STI chlamydia.
Microscopic image of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacteria behind the STI gonorrhea
Vaginal Microbiome 101

What is Neisseria Gonorrhoeae?

Learn about causes, symptoms, and treatments for gonorrhea, the second most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the U.S. 
Microscopic image of Trichomonas vaginalis, the parasite behind the STD trichomoniasis or trich
Vaginal Microbiome 101

What Is Trichomoniasis? Symptoms and Treatment

Learn about causes, symptoms, and treatments for trichomoniasis.
microscopic image of a green cell-like structure
Vaginal Microbiome 101

Mycoplasma Genitalium: Symptoms & Treatment

Learn about symptoms, testing, and treatment for the STI Mycoplasma genitalium.
Vaginal Microbiome 101

What is Gardnerella?

What is Gardnerella vaginalis? Do you always need to get rid of it? We explain everything you need to know about this bacterial species.
Vaginal & Hormonal Health

What is Pelvic Floor Therapy?

Pelvic Floor Therapist Caitlyn Tivy discusses the basics of pelvic physical therapy and its role in your vaginal health care.