I’m sure all of you has gone through this belly button cleaning dilemma. How do we clean our belly button? What’s the right way to do it?
Belly button should be cleaned just like all the other parts of your body. Otherwise, infections can develop or it may smell.
Infections are often paired with itchy, red and scabby skin most especially if you have a navel piercing. Also rare stone-like masses that are called umboliths, omphaloliths, omphalokeratoliths or omphalith can grow and fill up your entire belly button and can become ulcerated, infected or inflamed if they are not cleaned.
According to research, your navel is swarming with 67 different species of bacteria. So it’s dirtier more than you can realize.
Health care providers have removed growths from navels that turned out to be just a mix of dirt, sweat, bacteria and soap. You might think it is skin cancer but after your doctor’s appointment, you found out it’s just accumulated dirt.
So what’s the right way of cleaning your belly button?
Though every navel or belly button is unique, as a result of how the area heals after parting ways with the umbilical cord, they are categorized into two types; the “innie” and the “outie.”
Doctors say that simply showering will help to remove some of the dirt, germs and lints. If you are an “innie”, you can also use a cotton swab with soap or just water, to clean it up. But if you are an “outie”, using a washcloth with soap can suffice.
If you’re belly button has a smell or infection, consult your doctor or dermatologist about it.
