What causes a Smelly belly button?
The belly button, the final frontier, to explore strange new microbial life, to seek out new biodiversity, to boldly go where no one has gone before. And, what exactly is belly button lint?
You are going to think I have a thing for ghost towns. Well, when you are in the Southwest ghost towns are the thing. We boondocked overnight at Shakespeare ghost town in Lordsburg, New Mexico. If it had not been for HarvestHosts I would not have seen this at all. It was such a great experience to camp under the stars, with no lights and just the sounds of coyotes and the wind kicking up tumbleweeds.
The ghost town is so well preserved, it looks like the past just got up and left with all of their belongings and collectibles sitting right where they left them. Perhpas some of these items belonged to Billy the Kid, John Ringo, Curley Bill, the Clantons, Jim Hughes and Sandy King who all have stopped here either on horse or by train.
There are no tales of fearless lawmen stalking the streets in search of wrongdoers. There was no law at all-just the agreed-upon rule that "if you killed someone you had to dig the grave." This kept down indiscriminate shootings. The most famous are the women for the preservation of Shakespeare.
Shakespeare's ghost town is privately owned. It is quite a unique experience to have a family member tell the story of this famous mining town. There is one special edition to the tour that I am not at liberty to say, but you would have no idea it was there and it is quite worth the small price of admission.
Shakespeare Ghost Town
Follow the signs 2 1/2 miles on NM Hwy. 494 (Ghost Town Road) to reach the Town of Shakespeare.
I had no idea what a belly button was until the arrival of my little brother. As I watched my mum change his diaper, I saw this little brown stump and realised this was how belly buttons were made. It was at this moment, at the tender age of 10 I realized this was the last remnant of his connection and lifeline to our mum.
Do you clean your belly button?
Kind of an odd question but, do you take the time to clean your belly button? I mean, consciously, scoop out the lint before the shower, then take the time to clean out the remainder of your creator? It’s been 20 years since I have had a belly button. I can’t remember if I paid attention to mine or not. I also did not know there were different kinds of belly buttons, innies and outies, and most certainly didn’t know belly buttons could smell or get in infected.
With the explosion of studies on microbes and how they affect us over the last 15 years the belly button went unexplored. That is, until January 2011, The Department of Applied Ecology launched the Wild Life Project; Belly Button Biodiversity project. It reminds me of the original Star Trek show;
“space, the final frontier, to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.”
There’s symmetry;
“The belly button, the final frontier, to explore strange new microbial life, to seek out new biodiversity, to boldly go where no one has gone before.”
Maybe? No? Really? It’s just my quirky brain and weird sense of humor? Again? Maybe not. Artist Joana Ricou has made it her career to exploring her subject’s 'other' selves through their belly button microbiome.
The Project has obtained numerous cultured bacteria A 2012 study, A Jungle in There: Bacteria in Belly Buttons are Highly Diverse, but Predictable, explored 60 “innie” belly buttons finding well, a jungle, of microbial diversity detecting over 2300 species, 8 species known as oligarchs and one navel harboring quite rare species. Out of the mouth of Spock, “Fascinating!”
Interestingly to note, most of the bacteria found in the belly button are also found in our gut. Like our gut, on our skin, these bacteria can be beneficial when in balance. When not in balance, they can lead to pathogenesis which may include funky rashes, flaky, itchy skin, patches and scales. Sometimes we mistake these for fungal infections which is why taking antifungals deem useless.
Staphylococcus works as our first line of defense against pathogen invasion on our skin. In our belly button, if oxygen is missing, the bacteria Staphylococcus epidermis will switch to fermenting sugars. According to Rob Dunn Labs, this is just enough to make a teeny-tiny amount of wine.
Wow! My entrepreneurial brain thinks, cool, let’s create a start-up selling belly-button wine. But, society’s grasp on my esteem has me thinking eww, gross while I secretly long to persuade a gross and fascinating idea.
Bacillus subtilis produce antibiotic compounds that can kill other bacteria and even foot fungi. Right now it may be doing this on your skin and belly button; battling other bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It’s like an all-out galactic war happening right there in the belly button.
Did you know belly button microbes are unique to you and no one will have the exact microbial makeup? Kind of like a fingerprint. Fascinating!
What is belly button lint?
So, what makes up the belly button lint stuff you pull out of your belly button? Like your skin, your belly button also sheds daily. So, we have a mixture of bacteria, dead skin cells, oils, and whatever we put on our skin like lotions and creams and there can also be some leftover soap, shampoo and conditioner and sweat. If the conditions are right, you may also find fungus running amok in there.
What can cause a belly button to smell?
If you have ever had the opportunity to smell a button or are left wondering why your own belly button smells there are a couple of possibilities. First, it depends on what kind of belly button you have. If you have a hollow navel, also referred to as a hollow cavity or deep hollow, it is more than likely to have a bad smell because it’s like a cave, deep, dark, damp, and warm. It’s the perfect environment for dirt, debris, and sweat to build up feeding your belly button microbes. It is the off-gassing of these bacteria that creates the smell. Kind of like a microbial belly button fart.
Convex, horizontal, vertical, light bulb and round belly buttons are not as deep thus less chance of debris building up. An outie navel will not have any build-up of debris but still harbors skin-protecting bacteria.
A Belly button infection can also be from yeast. If the conditions are right, you could end up with a fungal overgrowth and as it ferments it will off gas causing a smell or if deep enough, an ugly fungal infection. Poor hygiene according to a 2011 Northern Carolina University study, with a diverse set of colonizing bacteria if the belly button is not cleaned it can feed germs which then leaves a foul-smelling belly button. What you need to focus on is keeping your belly button clean.
Causes of Belly Button Infections
If bacteria or yeast overgrows, it can lead to a bacterial or fungal infection, which leads to bad-smelling belly button woes. If left to fester, can also lead to a painful infection, with actual oozing yellow or green infection. This will definitely result in a belly button smell. Get it checked out.
Some people are prone to excessive sweating, as well as menopausal women, athletes, and diabetics. Sweating can lead to the right environment for fungal or bacterial overgrowth. In the case of diabetics, there is a high probability of fungal overgrowth due to the inability to regulate sugars.
There are different kinds of belly button Cysts. A Cyst is an outgrowth of the skin or a pilar cyst that grows near the hair follicle. Either can happen in a belly button. Over time the cyst may rupture either oozing out its contents or there may be bleeding as well. Oh, and maybe an accompanying belly button stink. Get it checked out.
A sebaceous cyst originates from the sebaceous gland, and the belly button is not off-limits to this. However, less common, it can become infected with sebum and bacteria, thus rupturing, or causing immense pain. Get it checked out.
Belly button hair can also lead to infection and discharge to rid the area of infection. There are some crazy medical reports on belly button hair.
Belly button piercing. With more people piercing these days, we can not overlook the potential of a belly button piercing infection. Makes sense especially if the belly button was not cleaned properly before piercing.
Belly button scratch. As simple as it sounds, a scratch from something or a fingernail may set off the perfect domino effect to a belly button infection.
Omphalith (belly button stones). Belly button stones are a collection of dead skin cells and sebum, a sticky, oily substance produced by the sebaceous glands. Sometimes these substances stick together and form tiny stone-like substances. Sometimes these belly button stones can grow hair, I know, gross. Hairy belly button stones called omphaliths or trichompaliths can lead to belly button infections.
Food, overconsumption of highly refined foods, refined carbohydrates and sugar do a wonderful job at feeding bacteria that can grow into a pathogenic state that may just feed your belly button microbes as well.
Rare belly button infections
A urachal cyst is a small sac of tissue that develops between the bladder and belly button in a developing fetus and closes after delivery. For some, although not aware, the channel remains into adulthood.
Umbilica hernia and umbilical endometriosis and Umbilica lesion, a rare condition, in which there is the presence of endometrial tissue present in the umbilicus or belly button.
Umbilical pilonidal sinus (UPS) is a rare disease of young, hirsute, dark men with deep navels and poor personal hygiene.
Infected Cystic Teratoma Ovary (CTO) is the most common ovarian neoplasm in patients younger than 20 years. However, not common is a sinus tract from the belly button, traveling deep into the pelvis attached to the right ovarian and may result in a mass.
Lint ball omphalitis is rare and is usually induced by foreign material, most commonly hair. Rarely, it may be due to embryonal anomalies. A 55-year-old female had belly button discharge for four months with no other symptoms, Turns out an 0.8 cm gray-tan mass was removed from her belly button. Under microscopic examination revealed a lint ball.
Symptoms of a belly button infection
Now that we know what causes a belly button infection here is a list of symptoms
Redness around the belly button area
Swelling of the belly button
Itchiness in or around the belly button
Rash in or around the belly button
Scabbing in or around the belly button
Oozing of white, clear, grey, green, tan, yellow discharge or blood from the belly button
Pain in the belly button that radiates to the inside of the body
Feel stones in the belly button
Deepening on the severity of the infection, there may be a fever
Belly button piercing
How to keep your belly button clean
When you shower be sure to get a little soap or shampoo into the crevice of your belly button using your finger. Be sure to thoroughly rinse your belly button before turning the tap off.
Stave clear of antibacterial soaps because we do not want to wipe out our healing and protective bacteria completely. If we do that, then the opportunistic bacteria that lead to infection are going to take over.
When you get out of the shower, use either a big cotton swab Q-tip and gently clean out your belly button or use a soft cloth. Be sure to keep a light hand, so that you do not cause any abrasion to the area.
If you are using a blow dryer on a cooler temperature setting, blow dry your belly button
Do not use a moisturizer around your belly button to keep it clean.
If you sweat, be sure to super-clean your belly button to keep it clean and smelling fresh.
Do not wear the same clothes twice (or more), especially athletic wear. Bacteria and sweat are trapped in the unnatural fibers of the clothing. Guess what they do? They multiply. Guess where they could be introduced? Your deep dark belly button. Guess what can happen?
If you try all of these remedies and they still can not get rid of the belly button smell look to your colon. If your colon is backed up, toxins have to get out somewhere and they will exit through your skin. So, look at relieving constipation and healing a leaky gut. Of course, this is something I can help you with.
Belly Button infection treatments at home
If your belly button bugs are severe enough to cause infection, check in with your qualified healthcare practitioner or doctor. Discuss options and if possible the avoidance of oral antibiotics. This is just going to lead to more gut problems and the potential of a returning belly button infection down the road. If you have an open-minded practitioner, have them send a swab for a culture so that if you do need antibiotics, you can take one that is more specific to the infection. It will also help rule out unnecessary antifungals.
If you have had a recent belly button piercing, be sure to keep the area extra clean until the skin has completely healed. Always clean your belly button rings and posts with Witch hazel, colloidal silver, or tea tree oil before inserting.
Follow the recommendations above (How to keep your belly button clean). You can also use Witch Hazel. Witch Hazel is gentler than rubbing alcohol with the same effect. It can gently keep an infection clean while also drying the area and will not damage skin like rubbing alcohol can.
You can also try tea tree oil, Neem oil, or colloidal silver (or a combination) which are wonderful natural antimicrobials. You can also take colloidal silver internally so that you can fight a belly button infection from the inside and out. Those belly button bugs don’t stand a chance!
Belly buttons will always harbor bacteria and for some, rare microbes. We can keep our belly buttons healthy by paying a little extra attention. Like universal exploration, go badly where you have probably never gone before and get to know your belly button and keep it healthy.
Since we talked all things wonderful, interesting and gross about belly buttons, could I really follow with a recipe? Um, no! See you next week.
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What’s belly button fluff? A human waist product!
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Belly buttons!🤣