Gently swab the inside of your belly button. “Scrubbing too hard on your belly button can cause microtears and blisters, which can become infected,” she says. “It's important to be gentle when cleaning this area.”
Having what people often refer to as "gunk" in your belly button is entirely normal. In fact, given the belly button's shape and location, it would be surprising if it didn't collect skin cells, lint, and other gunk ingredients. The key is removing the material.
You can wash it gently as you do the rest of your body but do not go overboard especially if it's a deep belly button. You don't want to disrupt the natural balance of bacteria too much and you don't want to cause trauma to the skin in a sensitive area like that.
The tiny folds of the belly button collect dirt, sweat, bacteria, and dead skin cells. Not washing your belly button regularly—especially after sweating—allows these substances to build up. 4 As a result, built-up dirt, sweat, and dead skin cells form brown patches of skin inside the belly button.
"Like any part of the body, the belly button also needs to be cleaned as bacteria, sebum and dead skin cells can become trapped in and around it," says Dr Ajayi-Sotubo. "This can lead to rashes, inflammation and infections."
Navel stone removal is a simple and usually painless procedure that healthcare providers perform. Before extracting the navel stone, your healthcare provider will place a cotton ball soaked in sterile saline or glycerin on your belly button to soften the stone and make it easier to remove.
Luckily, all three doctors say the instructions for belly button cleaning and care are the same whether you're one month old or an adult: treat it like any other creased or folded area of skin. Don't rub too hard, be gentle, and use a Q-tip if you need to remove debris or water.
Navel stones are usually dark brown or black. They are also dry and hard to the touch. When doctors examine them under the microscope, they can whether the stone is made up of dead skin, hair, sebum, or other debris that has built up in the navel.
Can I use hydrogen peroxide to clean my belly button? Hydrogen peroxide can be too harsh for sensitive skin. Stick with mild soap and water for regular cleaning.
The truth is that because our midriffs aren't usually exposed, our navels don't get a lot of airflow. So in addition to bacteria, belly buttons can attract and harbour lint, dirt, dead skin cells, and sweat as well as soap residue.
As you can see in the picture below, the belly button normally isn't connected to anything in adults. It does play an important role for developing fetuses, however. This photo shows what the belly button looks like from inside the abdomen. As you can see, it is not attached to anything in the body.
Bacterial or fungal infections
Bacterial infections can cause a discharge that may have a disturbing smell. The discharge may be off-yellow or green in color and will often cause swelling and pain. A fungal infection or yeast infection may cause slightly different symptoms.
TAKE-HOME POINTS. “Jelly” (mucinous ascitic fluid) in the belly is pathognomonic of pseudomyxoma peritonei. The cause is almost always a benign or malignant mucinous epithelial tumor of the appendix.
The most common cause for a belly button smell is poor hygiene. All areas of the body need to be washed regularly to stay clean and healthy. Skin is home to trillions of bacteria, which develop naturally and are usually harmless. The belly button has folds of skin that provide a place for bacteria to grow.
STDs can affect many body parts, even your navel. For instance, a yeast infection might show up as an itchy rash in this spot. It's not just fungi; bacteria play their part too.
There's no hard and fast rule for how frequently you should be cleaning your navel, but a general rule of thumb seems to be once or twice a week, says Dr. Rodney. But more is fine: A "slight, unpleasant smell" means it's time for a cleaning, he notes.
Seek a doctor's advice before removing an omphalolith at home. If the stone is particularly large, hard, or has caused an infection, it may be best for a doctor to remove it. They do so in a sterile environment, which can be difficult to reproduce at home.
It turns out your mother was right when she told you to keep your finger out of your belly button. Apparently, pushing in there actually does do something - it makes you need to pee. Dr. Christopher Hollingsworth of NYC Surgical Associates explained to The Mirror what happens when you push in your belly button.
Ompholiths are hard lumps which are the result of a mixture of sebaceous secretions hairs and fluff ('belly button lint') from clothing collecting in the umbilicus. The diagnosis can be made on inspection if the grey-brown surface of the stone is visible. On palpation, the whole umbilicus feels swollen and hard.
Dip your finger or a soft washcloth in a solution of saltwater (about a teaspoon of table salt in a cup of warm water) and gently massage the inside of your navel. This should loosen stubborn germs that can cause odor. Then rinse with plain water and pat it dry.
Alternatively, you can gently use a washcloth or cotton swab with a small amount of alcohol inside the belly button area. Make sure you fully rinse the area afterward. If you have an “outie” belly button, then it's much easier to clean and you can simply do this in the shower or bath with a washcloth or sponge.