The navel (clinically known as the umbilicus, commonly known as the belly button) is
a protruding, flat, or hollowed area on the abdomen at the attachment site of the umbilical cord
. All placental mammals have a navel.
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). A belly button is also called a navel.
The belly button is the remnant of where
the umbilical cord connected a baby to its mother during pregnancy
. The button is where the cord joined the body. The umbilical cord has several key blood vessels that provide nutrients and oxygen to a growing fetus.
But just like the rest of your body, they need to be cleaned. In fact, a 2012 study found that 67 different types of bacteria are in the average bellybutton. Most bellybuttons have crevices that can collect dirt and breed bacteria. Aim to
clean yours about once a week
.
Fecal or menstrual leakage
An umbilical fistula, an abnormally developed passageway between the intestines and the umbilicus,
can cause fecal matter to leak from the navel
. It goes without saying, if poop is coming out of your belly button, you should seek medical attention.
Most belly buttons are indented so act as a trap for sweat, dead skin, and dirt. Few people wash the belly button with soap so germs can develop. The most common cause for a belly button smell is
poor hygiene
. All areas of the body need to be washed regularly to stay clean and healthy.
Some people don’t have a belly button, and the reason for this may be related
to surgical history
or just an anomaly in how the belly button formed (or didn’t, for that matter). Most of the time, if you don’t have a belly button, it’s related to a surgery or a medical condition you had when you were younger.
Pour oil over your belly button and that’s all there is to it. Massage your belly button in a circular motion for 5-10 minutes after applying it to your navel. For the best outcome, do so
every day before going to bed or after bath
. Also, oiling at night can make you feel more relaxed when you wake up in the morning.
“The internal lining of the abdominal cavity at your umbilicus (belly button) is called your parietal peritoneum. This structure is
exquisitely sensitive
and its sensory nerve fibers relay input back to the spinal cord at the same level as the nerves that relay sensation from your bladder and urethra.”
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.
Why Does My Belly Button Smell? 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.
Here are the steps: 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.
Belly buttons are most people’s first scars, which form when doctors cut their umbilical cord after birth. Most innies are full of dozens of kinds of bacteria, fungi, and lint — especially if they’re on a hairy belly.
If a navel gets infected
, it might also have a foul-smelling, cheese-like liquid inside.
Why does it smell when I open my legs?
Sweating
.
Sweating in
the groin area can attract fungus and bacteria that can lead to a bad smell. Showering after exercise or athletic activity can help reduce the bad-smelling effects of smells related to sweating. Putting on clean, dry clothes after a sweat session can also help.
Playing with the navel is
even less of an issue than self-stimulating the genitals
. It is impossible to stop a baby from self stimulating the parts of the body, and it is wrong to do so. Since it is part of normal development, parents have to accept this.
What causes an innie or outie?
Your belly button! Whether you end up with an innie or an outie is usually a matter of chance. Most people end up with innies, but some people have outies. Outies usually occur
when more of the umbilical cord is left when it’s cut
, leading to more skin left over once it dries out.
