Should I be worried if my belly button smells?

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. A bacterial infection of the belly button.

Can a smelly belly button be serious?

Sometimes a stinky belly button can be a symptom of a condition that needs medical attention, such as an infection or cyst. Look for other symptoms that come along with these conditions, including: white, yellow, or green discharge. swelling and redness or discoloration.

Is it normal for your belly button to smell?

When your belly button smells, it is usually because of a hygiene need or infection. The belly button contains several tiny skin folds that can trap sweat, dirt, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Possible infections include candidiasis, bacterial infections, or an infected urachal cyst.

What causes a foul smelling belly button?

“The number one cause of unpleasant belly button odor comes from poor belly button hygiene,” says Dr. Minars. Forgetting to clean the area during showers or baths can cause a buildup of dirt, sweat, bacteria, and dead skin cells that gifts the area with a funky aroma.

How do you get rid of a deep smelly 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.

Why Does My Belly Button Smell? How To Clean Navel? Clean Umbilicus-Dr. Rasya Dixit| Doctors' Circle

How do you get rid of a nasty smell in your belly button?

Using warm water and mild soap, use a washcloth to gently clean around and just inside the belly button. Rinse with clean, warm water and dry with a towel to make sure that all water has been removed from the belly button. Showering or bathing regularly can help to prevent skin problems and odor.

How do you know if your belly button is infected?

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.

Will a belly button infection go away on its own?

If you think you have an infection in your belly button, you should call your doctor so that you can have the area cleaned carefully. You may also need prescription antibiotics to kill the bacteria before it spread to other parts of your body.

What does a belly button infection look like?

What Does A Navel Fungal Infection Look Like? Navel fungal infections cause a rash like symptom that's red, itchy and may resemble eczema. The navel may also become red in general and feel quite sore. Skin fungal infections are also like dandruff and skin psoriasis diseases as scaly skin flakes may accompany them.

Can you clean your belly button with peroxide?

Cleaning your belly button

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.

How do you clean the inside of your belly button?

Dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and gently rub the surfaces inside your bellybutton. If the swab gets dirty, throw it away and start a new one. Once the cotton swab comes out clean, use a fresh one dipped in water to rinse the alcohol out of your bellybutton so it doesn't dry your skin.

Can an infected belly button make you ill?

If the cyst becomes infected, it may cause a cloudy or bloody fluid to leak from the belly button. Other symptoms can accompany a discharge, such as abdominal pain, fever, and pain when a person urinates. Sebaceous cysts are also a cause of belly button discharge in some cases.

Can belly button bacteria Make You Sick?

Bacterial infection

The average belly button is home to 67 different types of bacteria, according to a 2012 study. If you don't clean the area well, these bacteria could cause an infection.

How can I treat an infected belly button at home?

Other bacterial infections are often treatable by rinsing the area with warm saline water. Make sure you dry the area thoroughly after rinsing it. Your doctor may also prescribe antibiotic creams that you apply directly to the infected area. They may prescribes oral antibiotics if your infection is severe.

Why does my belly button get infected so easily?

Like other areas of your body, your navel naturally contains bacteria and fungi. If you don't clean your belly button regularly and the circumstances are just right, microorganisms can proliferate and cause an infection, Edidiong Kaminska, M.D., a dermatologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, tells SELF.

Why is my belly button smelly and wet?

It's usually a staph infection if it's bacterial, or a fungal one caused by Candida. “This type of yeast loves warm, moist environments, and the belly button is a great place for Candida to grow,” explains Dr. Zubritsky.

Can you put Neosporin in belly button?

If the cord smells bad or seems infected, you can smear a little antibiotic ointment (such as Neosporin®) around and on the base of the cord. You can clean the cord as often as needed, perhaps 3 or 4 times a day.

Is a belly button infection urgent?

Definition. Bacterial infection of the umbilical stump with spread to the skin around it. It's a medical emergency.

What happens if you don't clean your belly button?

Without getting in there and cleaning your belly button on the regular, the lingering gunk — e.g. dirt, sweat, dead skin cells, clothing fabric, and bacteria — can collect and "cause odor or even an infection," says Dr. Goldberg.

Can I clean my belly button with aq tip?

How to Clean Your Innie Belly Button. Innie belly buttons need the extra help of a Q-tip to get into all the nook and crannies of the skin. Before going in, swab the Q-tip with soap and water or rubbing alcohol. Gently swab the inside of your belly button.

Can you clean your belly button with your hands?

Experts generally agree that all you need to do is soap up a washcloth and gently scrub your navel. Soap and a washcloth can work for innies, too, but you may need slightly more specialized tools—namely, as Healthline explains, a cotton swab and some rubbing alcohol.

Is it OK to clean belly button with alcohol?

Dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and gently rub it in your belly button. Replace the swab with a new one and fresh alcohol if necessary. Then, when the swab isn't picking up any more dirt and it comes out clean, use another cotton swab dipped in water to get out the remaining alcohol because it can dry your skin.

Why is my belly button hole so deep?

A deep hollow belly button typically occurs when the hood of skin casts a shadow on the inside of the button, giving the visual impression of it being quite deep. This shape is also common in people who have some excess belly fat around the abdomen.

How deep does your belly button go?

Belly buttons are barely a few millimetres deep at a young age. At a young age, belly buttons have an elongated shape. The diameter of the navel varies from fifteen to twenty millimetres. The body weight, pregnancies and abdominal wall hernia can influence the appearance.