The reason why the belly button smells bad
Causes of navel smell as follows:
1.1. Poor hygiene Poor hygiene is a common cause of bad breath. Like other parts of the body, the navel needs to be cleaned properly and regularly to stay clean and healthy.
Most of the navel has an indented structure, so this part is shaped like a bag containing a lot of dirt, sweat, dead skin. The deeper the navel, the greater the risk of containing more germs and dirt. big. Research from scientists also shows that the navel can be home to nearly 70 different types of bacteria and fungi. Therefore, if not cleaned properly and properly, the navel will become a breeding ground for pathogenic microorganisms. These microorganisms combine with dirt, dead skin, sweat . trapped in the navel, which causes the navel to have a foul, unpleasant odor.
Why Your Belly Button Smells And What To Do About It
When was the last time you washed your belly button?
Written on Mar 02, 2022
progressman / shutterstock
Advertisement
- Share on Facebook
- Share on Twitter
- Share on Pinterest
- Share on Email
- Subscribe to our Newsletter
We know that the armpits, genital areas, and other areas that tend to get a little funky during the day need some extra TLC when it comes to showering. Most people also take extra care to wash their face and scrub their scalp.
But when was the last time you took a moment to clean your belly button?
The belly button is a strange body part. Once the umbilical cord is cut when you’re born, the belly button pretty much serves no use. But we’re stuck with it and have to take care of it regardless, and neglecting it can actually lead to a host of issues including a smelly belly button.
Advertisement
Why does my belly button smell?
There are several issues that could be the cause of a stinky smelling belly button.
1. Poor hygiene
Fun fact: the belly button is home to 2,368 types of bacteria. And just like the bacteria that accumulates around your armpits, that bacteria can start producing a smell if not cleaned thoroughly.
Advertisement
People with innie belly buttons are especially prone to acquiring an offensive belly button odor when things such as lint, dirt, and dead skin cells get caught in the belly button, causing that bacteria to multiply.
2. Sweat
As you’ve probably experienced with your armpits, sweat can make you smell pretty foul. The smell from sweaty armpits happens when certain bacteria that live in your armpits come into contact with sweat.
As there are bacteria also living in your belly button, the same thing can happen there.
3. An infected belly button piercing
Any fold or hole in your skin is prime real estate for bacteria to collect. Not only is your belly button a sort of hole in and of itself, but adding a hole for a belly button piercing doubles your chance of an infection.
Advertisement
4. Candida infection
Candida is a type of yeast that lives on the skin and inside the body. In normal numbers, candida isn’t harmful or even noticeable. But an overgrowth of candida can cause an infection.
Most women know all too well how terrible candida infections in the vagina, called yeast infections, can be. But candida can also cause infections elsewhere in the body, such as the belly button.
Candida infections in the belly button are called candidal intertrigo. It’s common after surgery, particularly after surgery to fix an umbilical hernia.
5. Cysts
There are a few different types of cysts that can affect the belly button area.
Epidermoid cysts are small lumps that develop under the skin due to an excess of trapped keratin. They’re filled with cheesy-like, white keratin debris, and are usually painless.
Advertisement
Pilar cysts are small bumps that develop on the surface of the skin. They’re also benign.
While these two types of cysts don’t pose any serious health risks, they may become infected, which could cause your belly button to smell.
Sebaceous cysts form in the sebaceous gland which produces the oil found on your hair and skin. When this gland or its duct gets blocked, it can cause a sebaceous cyst filled with keratin to form. If the cyst oozes, it may produce a smell.
Sebaceous cysts can be cancerous in some situations, so it’s best to see your doctor if you’re unsure.
How to Fix A Smelly Belly Button
If your belly button smells, the first thing to do is figure out the cause of the smell. That will help you take the right course of action when it comes to fixing the problem and preventing it in the future.
Advertisement
Clean your belly button properly.
“There is a technique to cleaning the belly button. It involves soap and water and gentle probing,” Dr. Claire Cronin, Executive Chair of Specialties at Atrius Health, explains in “Worcester Medicine.”
Wash your belly button area with soap and warm water, and consider gently using a Q-tip to really get in there.
“Care must be taken not to scratch the inside of the skin, which can cause infections,” Cronin says. “Apparently alcohol should not be used in order not to disturb the delicate pH balance of the area.”
More for You:
Dry your belly button thoroughly after showers or baths.
Bacteria thrive in moist (sorry) environments, so be sure to always pat your belly button dry — yes, all the way in there — after showering to discourage bacteria overgrowth.
Advertisement
Avoid tight clothing.
Tight clothing can irritate infections, cysts, cuts, and other trauma to the skin that’s already formed. While you’re dealing with the smell from your belly button, stick to loose clothing to give your skin room to breathe.
Take proper care of piercings.
Always be sure to care for your piercing exactly as directed to avoid infection.
When to See a Doctor
If you’re not sure of the cause behind your smelly belly button, it’s best to make an appointment with your doctor who can help you figure out what’s going on.
While many reasons for a smelly belly button are harmless and can be cleared up with a good washing, there are some signs, such as pus coming out of your belly button, that the smell coming from your belly button is an indication of something more serious.
Advertisement
Micki Spollen is an editor, writer, and traveler. Follow her on Instagram and keep up with her travels on her website.
The reason why the belly button smells bad
Due to the special structure, the navel is home to many types of bacteria, fungi and dirt. Therefore, if this part is not cleaned regularly, it will inadvertently create conditions for bacteria and fungi to grow and cause disease. Let’s find out the reason why the belly button smells bad through the article below.
1. Causes of bad belly button
Causes of navel smell as follows:
1.1. Poor hygiene Poor hygiene is a common cause of bad breath. Like other parts of the body, the navel needs to be cleaned properly and regularly to stay clean and healthy.
Most of the navel has an indented structure, so this part is shaped like a bag containing a lot of dirt, sweat, dead skin. The deeper the navel, the greater the risk of containing more germs and dirt. big. Research from scientists also shows that the navel can be home to nearly 70 different types of bacteria and fungi. Therefore, if not cleaned properly and properly, the navel will become a breeding ground for pathogenic microorganisms. These microorganisms combine with dirt, dead skin, sweat . trapped in the navel, which causes the navel to have a foul, unpleasant odor.
Có nhiều nguyên nhân khiến rốn có mùi hôi
1.2. According to scientific studies, Candida fungus is one of the causes of belly button odor. Candida is a yeast that thrives in wet, dark and warm conditions such as armpits, groin, organs. In which, the navel is also the place where Candida fungi reside and grow, especially when organs This is not cleaned regularly. In addition, Candida also grows a lot in the mouth and throat causing thrush, attacking the vagina causing a yeast infection. You can also get interstitial rash if you have an unfortunate Candida infection, this condition adversely affects the skin folds such as navel, groin, armpits, between hands and feet. The skin in the damaged area will appear scaly. , red and can form blisters that cause itching, burning pain.
Especially for people with diabetes, the risk of candida infection is higher than usual because high blood sugar levels weaken the immune system, reduced resistance to pathogens.
1.3. Umbilical infection Risks leading to infection such as surgery to treat umbilical hernia, piercing around the navel. make the navel appear bad, uncomfortable. Signs that lead to an infection are a pus-filled navel with an unpleasant odor leaking out, pain, swelling, and a warm, tender feeling to the touch. In case there are signs of umbilical cord infection, the patient needs to go to medical facilities for an accurate examination and diagnosis.
1.4. Hair follicles, epidermal cysts A hair follicle is a disease characterized by the growth of an abnormally large cystic mass in the skin at the base of the hair follicle. Epidermoid cysts are diseases characterized by large tumors located in the top layer of the skin. Both hair follicles and epidermoid cysts contain fluid inside, when they grow larger, they burst, causing a yellow, thick, and foul-smelling discharge. The skin around the navel can have these types of tumors, leading to a foul, infected navel. Therefore, patients need to go to medical facilities for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
1.5. Sebaceous cysts cause the navel to have a bad smell Sebaceous cysts, also known as keratinomas – are characterized by small, hard lumps that develop under the skin. The disease is less common than hair follicles and epidermoid cysts, but they are also one of the causes of painful, smelly navel.
2. How to deal when the navel has a bad smell In case the navel has a bad smell related to the issue of hygiene that is not clean and guaranteed, what you need to do is change the habit of cleaning the belly button regularly.
Vệ sinh rốn đúng cách để tránh nhiễm khuẩn
In case the navel has a foul odor along with fluid, even blood. combined with warning signs of a serious infection such as fever, abdominal pain, pain when urinating, redness and swelling around the navel. .. the patient needs to go to a medical facility for the most accurate examination and diagnosis.
Patients need to pay attention to some issues when having an umbilical cord infection as follows:
Always keep the navel dry and clean; Dirt and sweat can accumulate and stick to the skin. Therefore, patients should limit wearing tight, wet or dirty clothes; Limit the amount of sugar in your daily diet, because high blood sugar levels increase the risk of infection; In case of navel infection due to piercing, the jewelry should be removed immediately. Use cotton balls and alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or warm water mixed in antibacterial soap to wash the navel. Try to keep the navel area dry and clean and avoid wearing tight clothing as it can irritate the infected skin. 3. How to properly clean the umbilicus Proper and regular cleaning of the umbilicus will help prevent the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. Some notes when cleaning the navel are as follows:
– Clean the navel every day: Use a little antibacterial soap in a towel, gently wipe the navel area with a towel, then rinse with water and dry. navel to make sure water does not collect in the navel. You also need to be careful not to apply too much lotion, sunscreen on the navel or the area around the navel, because this will increase the risk of multiplying and developing pathogenic microorganisms.
– Clean navel in navel piercing: In case of navel piercing, you need to keep this area dry; Clean carefully, clean by wet the navel with a mixture of water and antibacterial soap, gently wash the area around the piercing. You should also remove and clean the navel piercing by soaking in an antiseptic solution, rinsing it to prevent infection.
Cleaning the navel in people with umbilical cord infections: In case the navel is infected, drained, swollen, red, painful. the patient should follow the doctor’s treatment instructions. In addition, the patient can clean the navel in the following ways:
Wash and disinfect hands before cleaning the umbilicus; Use a cotton swab or cotton ball dipped in an antiseptic solution such as hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or potassium permanganate. to gently wipe and clean the navel. The navel is a place where many dead cells and dirt accumulate, so it is easy to have a bad smell. Therefore, daily umbilical cleaning is essential to solve this problem. Hopefully with the above sharing, you already know how to properly clean and handle if the navel has a bad smell.
Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.
- Sebaceous cyst
- Live Strong
- Clean the navel
- Candida fungal infection
- Umbilical hernia
- The navel has a foul smell
- Navel infection
