Omphaloliths. As dead skin cells and sebum — the oil secreted by your skin — accumulate in your bellybutton, they can form an omphalolith over time. Also known as a navel stone, they're made of the same materials that form blackheads. The surface of a navel stone will turn black from oxidation.
Dirt, bacteria, fungus, and germs can get trapped inside your belly button and start to multiply, which can cause an infection. If you develop a belly button infection, you might notice white, yellow, brown, or bloody discharge seeping out of it. That discharge might also have an unpleasant smell.
But just like the rest of your body, they need to be cleaned. In fact, a 2012 study found that 67 different types of bacteria are in the average bellybutton. Most bellybuttons have crevices that can collect dirt and breed bacteria. Aim to clean yours about once a week.
If discharge and crust stick around after you wash your belly button, you should see your doctor. Your doctor may prescribe a prescription or over-the-counter antibacterial or anti-fungal cream or ointment. It depends on the type of infection. In some cases, you may need antibiotic pills.
Most belly buttons are indented so act as a trap for sweat, dead skin, and dirt. Few people wash the belly button with soap so germs can develop. 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.
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.
Internally the veins and arteries in the cord close up and form ligaments, which are tough connective tissues. These ligaments divide up the liver into sections and remain attached to the inside of the belly button.
Method 1 of 2: Creating a Regular Cleansing Routine. Wash your belly button whenever you shower. The best time to clean your belly button is during a regular bath or shower.
Because of its shape and tiny skin folds, belly buttons can collect dirt, sweat, and bacteria. In fact, the average belly button contains about 67 types of bacteria. 1 This buildup can lead to a smell and even infection. Your belly button may smell because of a hygiene need or an infection caused by bacteria or fungus.
Most innies are full of dozens of kinds of bacteria, fungi, and lint — especially if they're on a hairy belly. If a navel gets infected, it might also have a foul-smelling, cheese-like liquid inside. Speaking of cheese, a biologist teamed up with an artist in 2013 to create cheese using belly button bacteria.
Keep your hands off your belly button
Did you know that your belly button is the dirtiest part of the body, according to the Public Library of Science? “The belly button harbors a high population of bacteria,” Dr. Richardson says.
The only treatment for a navel stone is to remove it. Your doctor may be able to pull it loose with instruments like forceps. Sometimes, doctors will use a liquid to soften the navel stone and make it easier to pull out.
An omphalolith or umbolith or omphalith or navel stone or umbilical concretion is a periumbilical mass that may form due to the accumulation of sebum and keratin. The colour is black or brown, and may be related to the skin type of the patient. It may resemble a malignant melanoma.
The vagina is well equipped to protect itself. Therefore, it is rightly called the self-cleaning oven.
According to Reference, the eye is considered to be the cleanest part of the body due to its natural cleaning and protective functions. Each time you blink, you keep the eye moist, and tears help to protect the eye by washing away dirt and germs.
When you're born, the umbilical cord is cut and you have a small piece left called the umbilical stump. One to 2 weeks after birth, this stump falls off and what remains is your belly button. As a result, your belly button is essentially a scar. Whether it's an innie or outie depends on how your skin grows as it heals.
A new exhibit at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London features five cheeses have been made with bacteria harvested from the skin of some well-known personalities. The bacteria was taken from the armpits, toes, belly button and nostrils of these celebrities, according to a blog post by the museum.
Even though the belly button is just a scar, the area has many nerve endings, making it ticklish, sensitive, and — if you're like Madonna — a love button that shoots sex tingles up your spine.
Periumbilical pain is a type of abdominal pain that is localized in the region around or behind your belly button. This part of your abdomen is referred to as the umbilical region. It contains parts of your stomach, small and large intestine, and your pancreas.
Omphalocele (pronounced uhm-fa-lo-seal) is a birth defect of the abdominal (belly) wall. The infant's intestines, liver, or other organs stick outside of the belly through the belly button. The organs are covered in a thin, nearly transparent sac that hardly ever is open or broken.
Toe jam is a nonmedical, umbrella term that refers to the smelly gunk which can accumulate between toes. When feet are sweaty or not washed often, toe jam may be more likely to result.
Casu marzu, literally “rotten cheese,” uses the acid from the larval digestive systems to break down the fat in the sheep's milk, resulting in a soft and liquid product. By consumption time, casu marzu contains thousands of larvae.