Belly button why does it smell

When it comes to cysts, see your dermatologist, as they will be able to treat a cyst with medication or by removing it. The easiest way to prevent a smelly belly button is by cleaning it every day via a shower and some soap and water.

Make sure to gently scrub the inside of the belly button with a washcloth to get all the dirt out and when you're done, pat it dry. However, if you don't want to get in the tub, you can wash your belly button without getting wet. Use your fingertip to gently massage the salt water into your navel or dab it with a soft washcloth," explains the site. They then say to rinse the area and dry it with a clean towel.

But remember, avoid using lotion or cream on or around your belly button. According to UPMC, "the extra moisture can contribute to bacterial or fungal growth. News U. Politics Joe Biden Congress Extremism. Special Projects Highline. HuffPost Personal Video Horoscopes. Follow Us. Terms Privacy Policy. Part of HuffPost World News. All rights reserved. They might also prescribe oral antibiotics instead.

Shop for antifungal cream and antibiotic cream online. A dermatologist can get rid of the cyst by:. The easiest way to prevent bacteria and dirt from collecting in your belly button is to clean it every day. They can encourage an environment where fungi and bacteria can grow more easily.

If you have a belly button piercing, keep it clean and dry. Wet a washcloth with a mixture of antimicrobial soap and water, and gently wash around the piercing. Shop for antibacterial soap and antimicrobial soap online. You can quickly resolve hygiene conditions by washing your belly button every day. With proper treatment, an infection should clear up within a few days.

Here are more tips for managing body odor. Learn about dirty belly buttons. Is yours in need of a cleaning? Discover possible causes of belly button discharge, such as infection or surgery.

Also learn when you should seek treatment, prevention tips, and more. Belly button lint is a combination of body hair, skin cells, and clothing fibers.

Learn about belly button lint, why yours might smell, and what to do…. It can take as long as 2 years for a belly button piercing to heal completely. During that time, you're at risk for infection. Your bellybutton may bleed because of infection or other conditions.

Learn more about the symptoms, treatment, and outlook. A hernia occurs when an organ pushes through the muscle or tissue that holds it in place. Learn about hiatal hernia, treatment, diagnosis, pregnancy…. Learn more. You can exercise with a hiatal hernia, including cardiovascular routines and yoga. Here's what you need to know.

Learn about asthma complications, what to do about them, and how to decrease your risk of developing them. It forms when a doctor snips your umbilical cord, and, depending on how it heals, you could have an outie or, more likely, an innie. And innies are ripe for colonization, not only by lint, hair, and dead skin cells, but also by bacteria. In one study, 60 volunteers swabbed their belly buttons.

Researchers then analyzed the samples and found more than 2, kinds of bacteria. That's an average of 67 different kinds per belly button. Now, many of those microbes aren't unique to belly buttons, like staphylococcus, which can lead to staph infections.

It shows up in noses, throats, hair, and, yes, even belly buttons. But the researchers also discovered other bacteria never before seen on human skin, like marimonas, which scientists had previously only seen in the ocean.

And they even found bacteria that chefs use to make cheese, and, yes, somebody did exactly that. She grew the belly-button bacteria in a petri dish and then added it to milk. Sure enough, after a few hours, the milk curdled into cheese. Belly-button Brie, anyone? Now, for the most part, the microbes in your navel are harmless. In fact, recent studies suggest that bacteria on your body may strengthen your skin's defense system, but if you never clean your belly button, they'll grow unencumbered, and that can be a problem.

The best-case scenario is that your belly button will start to smell.