Share on Pinterest Poor hygiene is the most common cause of belly button smell. 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.
Put a little bit of antibacterial soap on a washcloth when using it in the shower. Using your index finger underneath the washcloth, gently wash the inside of the belly button. After the shower, pat your belly button dry. Showering or bathing daily can also help prevent skin problems and unpleasant odors.
Why Does My Belly Button Smell? Discharge and smells can be a result of several different factors, though slight navel odors are typically normal. If you have a combination of foul smell and discharge, it could be a sign of: A fungal infection or yeast infection of the belly button.
Even if you don't develop a yeast infection, the accumulation of sweat, dirt, dead skin cells, and lint can cause your bellybutton to smell. Omphaloliths. As dead skin cells and sebum — the oil secreted by your skin — accumulate in your bellybutton, they can form an omphalolith over time.
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. The belly button is also a commonly forgotten body part when it comes to washing.
No one wants a smelly belly button that's full of germs, dirt and who knows what else. 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.
Wash daily with a mild antibacterial soap and water. Use your washcloth or sponge to get inside your belly button and clean out any dirt that's inside. You can also use a saltwater solution to clean your belly button. After you bathe, dry the inside of your belly button completely.
Depending on the sensitivity of your skin, you can use water, a saltwater solution, or hydrogen peroxide to clean your belly button. Dip one side of a cotton swab into a cleansing agent and gently wipe your belly button.
Umbilical Hernia
Digestive tubing (intestine) can poke through to the bellybutton before the hole can close. Most cases get better by age 5. Anything that raises abdominal pressure, like weightlifting, heavy coughing, or childbirth, could cause it in adults.
Speaking of hygiene, the tiny clods of fluff you find stored away in your belly button are particularly unhygienic. A chemical analysis of the stuff, performed by chemist Georg Steinhauser, revealed that it's more than just cotton from your clothing — it's also flecks of dead skin, fat, sweat and dust.
Dr Christopher Hollingsworth of NYC Surgical Associates explained to Lad Bible that often, despite inducing the feeling of needing to pee, touching the belly button actually stimulates the lining of the stomach, so that you think you need the loo, even though you may not.
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.
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.
Use ONLY the recommended cleaning agents. The following products will irritate the new tissue, delay healing and SHOULD BE AVOIDED: Antibacterial soap, Bactine, Tea Tree, Witch Hazel, Ear cleaning solution, Peroxide, Alcohol, Antibiotic ointments.
There's no trick to it—it's really just like cleaning any other part of your normal skin. Lather up your washcloth, sponge, or loofah and gently scrub your belly button. Dry off the area and follow up your belly button cleaning with a lotion or body oil to keep the skin soft, supple, and smelling good!
Some general symptoms of an infection in the belly button include: redness or skin discoloration in or around the belly button. itching or swelling of the affected skin. a tender mass that bleeds or releases a foul-smelling discharge.
If the belly button becomes infected, a person should see a doctor for advice and prescribe medication if needed. The symptoms of an infection are redness, itching, and swelling. Sometimes, there may be fluid or pus, which can harden to form a crust around the area.