Belly button infections: Symptoms, treatments, and prevention
Bacterial belly button infections may be caused by a piercing, especially a new piercing. Another cause of a bacterial belly button infection can be a cyst (more about cysts below).
Belly Button Yeast Infection
A belly button yeast infection is a fungal skin infection caused by a yeast called Candida. It causes a bright red, itchy rash in your navel area. Candida grow and thrive in warm, dark environments. Treatment includes creams, ointment or powders. You can prevent belly button yeast infections by keeping your navel area clean and dry.
What is a belly button yeast infection?
Yeast infections don’t just happen in your nether regions. They can actually show up almost anywhere on your body, including your belly button. A belly button yeast infection is a yeast infection within the skin of your belly button (navel). A yeast infection of the skin is called candidiasis. Candidiasis is a fungal infection. It’s caused by a yeast called Candida. Yeast is a type of fungus.
Your skin has many types of fungi (plural for fungus) and yeast that live on it. This includes the yeast called Candida. In healthy people, this normally doesn’t cause any harm. But when Candida collects in damp, dark areas, it can dig under the surface of your skin. This can cause a skin infection. Candidiasis can happen almost anywhere on your body. But it’s most frequently found in the warm, moist crevices of your skin like your belly button.
Symptoms and Causes
What are the symptoms of a belly button yeast infection?
The most common symptom of a belly button yeast infection is a bright red rash in the skin folds of your navel. The rash is typically extremely itchy. It may burn. You may also see scaling, swelling or a white discharge.
Belly button yeast infections don’t usually cause a smell or odor. But you may notice a musty smell if your yeast infection is due to a skin condition called intertrigo. Intertrigo is very common. It occurs due to a combination of heat, moisture and your skin rubbing together.
What causes a belly button yeast infection?
A yeast called Candida causes belly button yeast infections, or candidiasis. Candida yeast grow and thrive in warm, damp environments. Conditions that allow Candida to grow and thrive include:
- Wearing tight clothing.
- Not changing clothing often.
- Humid and hot weather.
- Poor hygiene.
- Skin conditions such as intertrigo and psoriasis.
Belly button yeast infections are more common in some groups of people. This includes people who:
- Are pregnant.
- Have overweight/obesity.
- Are taking antibiotics. Antibiotics can kill the bacteria that normally live on your skin. This allows Candida to grow and thrive.
- Are receiving cancer treatment like chemotherapy.
Belly button yeast infections are also more common in people with weakened immune systems. People with conditions such as HIV/AIDs or diabetes have a great chance of developing a yeast infection.
Are belly button yeast infections contagious?
Belly button yeast infections aren’t usually contagious. People with weakened immune systems should be more cautious around people with yeast infections. They do have a greater risk of catching an infection.
Diagnosis and Tests
How is a belly button yeast infection diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider may perform a physical examination. They may be able to tell you have a yeast infection by looking at the skin of your navel area. A bright red rash is a common sign of a belly button yeast infection.
Your healthcare provider may want to test a sample of the infected area. They’ll use a tongue depressor or scalpel to lightly scrape some of the skin from your navel area. A lab technician will examine the sample under a microscope. Or they may place the sample in a culture. A culture is a substance that allows the sample to grow so the fungus can be identified.
If you do have a yeast infection, your healthcare provider may recommend testing for diabetes. High blood sugar levels in people with diabetes are used as food for yeast and help it grow.
Belly button infections: Symptoms, treatments, and prevention
Surely, you have heard of an ear infection or a sinus infection , but have you ever heard of a belly button infection? The belly button, or navel, is a tiny, often overlooked part of the body. The belly button is the spot where babies connect to their mothers by the umbilical cord during pregnancy . Fun fact: about 90% of people have “innies.” And about 10% of people have “outies,” which are due to extra scar tissue or umbilical hernias. So, what are belly button infections? And how do you prevent them? Continue reading to learn more about belly button infections.
Belly button infections and symptoms
The most common types of belly button infections are bacterial and fungal belly button infections.
Bacterial belly button infections
According to researchers, the average belly button contains 67 different types of bacteria .
Bacterial belly button infections may be caused by a piercing, especially a new piercing. Another cause of a bacterial belly button infection can be a cyst (more about cysts below).
Symptoms of a bacterial belly button infection may include:
- Red, itchy skin
- Yellow, green, or dark discharge
- Crusting
- Swelling
- Pain
- Blistering
Fungal belly button infections (yeast infections in the belly button)
When you think of a yeast infection, you may think of a vaginal yeast infection or other types of yeast infections, but did you know that you can get yeast infections in the belly button, too?
Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by Candida yeast. Candida albicans is the most common type of yeast that can cause infections in people. Having some Candida on the skin and in the body is normal, but having too much Candida can cause an infection. This type of infection may be triggered by a warm, moist environment, which is conducive to fungal growth.
A compromised immune system can also contribute to fungal infections. People with diabetes are more likely than people without diabetes to get Candida infections. This is due to several factors, such as having high blood sugar levels as well as the effects of diabetes on the immune system. Also, individuals who have medical conditions that suppress the immune system or who take certain medicines that affect the immune system are at higher risk for fungal infections.
The skin may appear red, moist, irritated, and peeling if you have a fungal infection. You can visit a healthcare provider for a diagnosis and professional medical advice. They can often diagnose a fungal infection by doing a physical exam and examining the skin. However, in some cases, the healthcare provider may need to take a culture to confirm a diagnosis.
Causes of belly button infections
Some common causes that lead to belly button infections include poor hygiene, piercings, a moist environment, and laparoscopic surgery.
Poor hygiene and belly button infections
Dead skin cells, skin oils, bacteria, fungi, dirt, and other germs build up if not removed regularly—and even cause an unpleasant smell. The good news is that keeping the belly button clean can help prevent bacterial or fungal infections.
For the best way to keep your belly button clean , follow these steps:
- Shower with soap and water.
- Dip a washcloth or (clean) finger into a saltwater solution and massage the belly button gently. To make the saltwater solution, add one teaspoon of salt to one cup of warm water.
- Rinse with water. Pat dry. Avoid using moisturizing lotions or creams—these can make the environment conducive for bacteria or fungi to grow.
Piercings and belly button infections
Approximately one out of three people who get a piercing in a body part other than the earlobe will experience a complication, such as a skin infection. When a piercing breaks the protective barrier of the skin, bacteria can infect the skin.
To keep the pierced area clean, use the saltwater solution described above. Dip a clean washcloth into the solution and apply it to the area as a compress for ten minutes, several times a day, to help gently remove discharge and debris. Pat the area dry when finished.
An infected cyst
Skin cysts are round lumps that are often filled with fluid or pus (a thick fluid caused by infection). The cyst may have a small, dark spot in the middle.
Different types of cysts include:
- Epidermoid cysts, which develop on the epidermis or the top skin layer
- Pilar cysts, which begin near a hair follicle, most often on the scalp
- Sebaceous cysts, which develop in sebaceous glands (oil glands)
A moist environment
Any warm and moist environment is the perfect environment for bacteria and fungi to grow. Keeping the belly button dry after cleaning will help prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi. Do not apply moisturizing creams to the belly button, as they can contribute to moisture. Also, sweating can contribute to a moist environment, so change out of wet clothes as soon as possible after you sweat. Shower, pat dry, and put on clean clothes.
Laparoscopic surgery
If you have a wound from laparoscopic surgery (a minimally invasive surgery that uses small incisions and is done through the stomach) in or around the belly button that is not kept clean and dry, an infection could develop.
Treatment options for belly button infections
In addition to practicing good hygiene as described above, there are treatment options for bacterial or fungal infections. Always see a healthcare provider for a diagnosis if you have signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, peeling, or belly button discharge.
Bacterial infection treatment
Bacterial infections of the belly button are treated with proper hygiene and topical antibiotic ointment or oral antibiotics.
If the belly button infection involves a cyst, the course of treatment depends on several factors. While a small cyst that is not bothersome often does not require intervention, a cyst that is infected—or is large and painful—does require treatment. Treatment usually consists of antibiotics and drainage and removal by a healthcare provider. Avoid squeezing a cyst because doing so could cause (or spread) an infection.
Fungal infection treatment
Treatment of a fungal belly button infection may include:
- Lifestyle changes, such as making sure you keep the skin dry and avoiding tight clothing (and/or certain fabrics).
- Treating underlying conditions such as diabetes and obesity .
- Applying topical antifungal medication such as clotrimazole antifungal cream.
- For severe or recurrent cases, an oral antifungal medicine may be required, such as Sporanox (itraconazole) or Diflucan (fluconazole) .
Prevention of belly button infections
Some things you can do to prevent belly button infections include:
- Practicing good hygiene.
- Keeping the area dry to avoid creating a moist environment for bacteria and fungi to grow. Avoid using moisturizing creams or lotions on the belly button after showering. The exception would be if your doctor tells you to use an antifungal or antibiotic cream as a treatment.
- If you have an infant or small child, change diapers regularly and keep the area clean and dry.
- Taking care of belly button piercings, especially if they are new, as well as any surgical sites or wounds.
