How do you treat navel stones? Medical professionals can remove navel stones. Typically, they soften the stone first by using a cotton swab soaked in sterile saline held to the stone. Using gentle manipulation, they remove the stone from the belly button.
Luckily, all that unwanted stuff inside the navel can be safely removed through regular cleanings. To minimize bacteria and extract anything else that may become trapped in there, experts recommend a weekly hygiene routine.
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.
Navel stones are primarily made of sebum and keratin. 1 Sebum is oil produced by the skin, and keratin is a protein that helps form hair, skin, and nails. 4 These substances accumulate in the belly button, gradually harden over time, and create a stone-like object.
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 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.
Keratin is a protein in skin, hair, and nails. Sebum is oil that the skin produces. Over time, sometimes years without proper cleaning, the collection forms into a stone. Navel stones are typically dark in color, smooth, and firm to the touch.
Leave any crust alone.
Try not to pick at it, since that will cause the area to bleed. This crust will come off on its own as your piercing heals.
A little dirt or lint or even a slight odor is nothing to worry about. If you've noticed discharge, a strong smell, pain, or another change in your belly button, you may need to see a doctor. If your belly button leaks discharge or blood, you may have a bacterial, fungal, or yeast infection.
A navel stone is sometimes called an omphalolith or umbolith. It is a condition where substances like sebum, or skin oil, hair, dead skin cells, and dirt can accumulate and form a hardball. The stone is usually a dark color and firm to the touch. They may resemble a large blackhead in the opening of the navel.
Surgery may be recommended if the cyst causes excessive draining, irritation, discomfort, and/or repeated infection. Similarly, a draining urachal sinus can be removed and closed off (excised) through a small incision of the belly button or with laparoscopic surgery.
Navel lint is mostly stray fibers from one's clothing, mixed with some dead skin cells, and body hair. The lint comes from a person's shirt or top. The fibers move there from friction of body hair. Women have less navel lint because of their finer and shorter body hair.
"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."
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.
If you are exhibiting symptoms of a bacterial belly button infection such as redness, blisters, crusting, or brown or green belly button discharge, your doctor may suggest trying an over-the-counter topical antibiotic cream such as Polysporin (bacitracin/polymyxin B), Neosporin (bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B), or ...
Doctors can usually do so with noninvasive methods, such as softening the stone and drawing it out. They may also use cotton swabs soaked in sterile saline to loosen the stone from the navel. Another approach involves soaking the stone, or omphalolith, in sterile olive oil , then removing it with gentle manipulation.
If your belly button is particularly dirty, dip your finger into some table salt and gently massage your belly button before rinsing it thoroughly. When you get out of the shower, be sure to pat your belly button dry. It's also a good idea to avoid using lotions or other skincare products around your belly button.
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.
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.
Deep Hollow
A deep hollow belly button is traditionally noted when the belly button forms a shadow underneath its upper fold. This form of belly button often looks like a mouth and can even form a funnel-like shape for those with excess abdominal fat deposits.