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.
Will a belly button infection go away on its own?
Belly button yeast infections often get better on their own when you keep your navel area clean and dry. Healthy people can usually treat belly button yeast infections with an antifungal medication.
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 a bleeding belly button serious?
A person should contact a doctor if they experience any bleeding in or around the belly button in addition to any of the following symptoms: red, swollen skin that is painful or tender to the touch. severe or persistent pain around the belly button. fever.
How do I stop my belly button from smelling and discharge?
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.
Is belly button infection serious?
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.
Why would an adults belly button bleed?
Bleeding from your bellybutton can have several different causes. Three of the most likely causes are infection, a complication from portal hypertension, or primary umbilical endometriosis. Keep reading to learn more about bleeding from the bellybutton and what should do to treat it.
How do you get rid of a yeast infection in your belly button?
Yeast infection
Along with a white discharge, candidiasis can cover your navel with an itchy, red rash. Treatment: Use an antifungal cream such as miconazole nitrate (Micatin, Monistat-Derm) or clotrimazole (Lotrimin, Mycelex), and keep your navel clean and dry.
Can diabetes cause belly button discharge?
Diabetes. Conditions such as diabetes may put a person at risk of having a discharge from their belly button at certain times. According to research in the Journal of Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology, there appears to be a link between high blood sugar and candida yeast infections.
How do I clean my belly button?
How to clean your bellybutton
- Dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and gently rub the surfaces inside your bellybutton.
- 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.
What doctor treats belly button infection?
If you recently got a navel piercing and think you may have an infection (or if you think you have a belly button infection, period), you should see your dermatologist or go to an urgent care center depending on the severity of your symptoms.
What organs are behind the 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.
Why does my belly button stink even though I wash it?
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.
Why does my belly button smell everyday?
Rest assured, a smelly belly button doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem. Just like any other parts of your skin, dead skin cells in and around your belly button slough off and flake off the surface, says Shuai Xu, MD, an assistant professor of dermatology at the Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine.
What does your belly button tell you?
Your belly button marks the spot where your umbilical (say: um-BIL-ih-kul) cord was once attached. This cord is a soft, bendable tube that carried nutrients — vitamins and minerals — from your mother to you, back when you were in her belly (womb).
Is your belly button connected to anything?
This photo shows what the belly button looks like from inside the abdomen. As you can see, it is not attached to anything in the body. The belly button is where the umbilical cord attaches to the fetus, connecting the developing baby to the placenta.
Is a belly button infection urgent?
If you develop redness, swelling, pain, or discharge, your belly button could be infected. This is especially likely if you have a navel piercing. In this case, you may require antibiotics or other treatment and should visit UPMC Urgent Care right away.
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.
What causes a belly button to get infected?
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.
How do you get rid of a belly button piercing infection?
- Keep the piercing hole open. If you suspect an infection, don’t remove the jewelry on your own, unless your doctor tells you to do so.
- Clean the piercing. Cleaning your piercing is important, both to prevent and treat an infection.
- Use a warm compress.
- Apply an antibacterial cream.