Why is there green stuff in my belly button?

Bacterial infection

The average belly button is home to 67 different types of bacteria, according to a 2012 study. If you don't clean the area well, these bacteria could cause an infection. Belly button piercings can also get infected. Bacterial infections cause a foul-smelling discharge that can be yellow or green.

Is belly button discharge serious?

Your belly button discharge could also be a ruptured epidermoid cyst—basically, a bump that's caused by skin cells that don't slough off. These are generally harmless, except they can rupture and get infected in your belly button sometimes. You'll know it—it will be red, tender, and may have discharge.

How do you know if your belly button is infected?

What is this gunk in my belly button?

Omphaloliths. As dead skin cells and sebum — the oil secreted by your skin — accumulate in your bellybutton, they can form an omphalolith over time. Also known as a navel stone, they're made of the same materials that form blackheads.

What does an infected belly button look like?

The most common symptom of a belly button yeast infection is a bright red rash in the skin folds of your navel. The rash is typically extremely itchy. It may burn. You may also see scaling, swelling or a white discharge.

What's Inside Your Belly Button?

Why is my belly button wet and smelly?

Share on Pinterest Poor hygiene is the most common cause of belly button smell. 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.

How do you get rid of a belly button infection?

Call your doctor if you suspect a yeast infection in your belly button. They may suggest treating it with an over-the-counter, anti-fungal cream. They may also advise you to keep the area clean and dry. If that doesn't work, they may prescribe a stronger anti-fungal treatment.

Should you clean your belly button out?

To prevent sweat, dead skin cells, oils and other kinds of gunk building up inside your belly button, it's important to keep the area clean using warm water and mild soap. Use a damp cloth to gently clean in and around the belly button, then rinse with clean water and dry off with a towel.

How do you clean belly button?

There's no trick to it—it's really just like cleaning any other part of your normal skin. Lather up your washcloth, sponge, or loofah and gently scrub your belly button. Dry off the area and follow up your belly button cleaning with a lotion or body oil to keep the skin soft, supple, and smelling good!

What happens if belly button is dirty?

If you don't clean your bellybutton, a number of problems could occur. These can include: Yeast infection. Most bellybuttons are a breeding ground for bacteria since they're a dark, moist area where skin often rests against skin.

Can an adults belly button 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.

Does infected belly button hurt?

Infections can cause bellybutton pain and pain throughout the abdomen. Doctors can treat bacterial stomach infections with antibiotics. Once antibiotics start working, bellybutton pain, abdominal pain, and other symptoms will typically resolve.

How can I fix my belly button discharge?

Share on Pinterest Antibiotic and antifungal ointments or creams may be used to treat belly button discharge. Bacterial infections are usually treated with antibiotic ointments or creams. Fungal or yeast infections are also typically treated with antifungal powders or creams.

How do I stop my belly button from discharge?

Belly Button Care Tips

Wash your belly button when you shower with water and soap. Dry your belly button thoroughly after you shower, bathe, or swim. Avoid using creams or lotions inside your belly button.

What is belly button cheese?

As skin grows, dead skin cells can't be shed like it can elsewhere on the body. It can leak a cheese-like substance and have a foul-smelling odor, but it is typically not dangerous and does not require treatment.

Does your belly button have germs?

From 60 belly buttons, the team found 2,368 bacterial species, 1,458 of which may be new to science. Some belly buttons harbored as few as 29 species and some as many as 107, although most had around 67.

What does your belly button say about your health?

Belly buttons are essentially an anatomical wildcard. They're a scarred area in the abdominal wall where your umbilical cord once was. Having an innie or outie doesn't mean anything for your health.

Why does my belly button look wet inside?

If your belly button is “leaking” clear or colored discharge or blood, you may have a bacterial, fungal, or yeast infection. Crusty skin, strong odor, itching, and redness are also signs of infection. If discharge and crust stick around after you wash your belly button, you should see your doctor.

Should you clean your belly button with aq tip?

Before you hop in the shower, coat the cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and delicately scrub all the folds of your belly button. If the Q-tip gets dirty quickly, it's a good idea to switch to a fresh one.

What is inside a dirty belly button?

What's inside your belly button? Probably dirt and sweat; possibly some lint, and perhaps even a piercing. But according to new research, which asked 66 men and women to swab their navels with a sterile Q-tip, the skin in study participants' belly buttons also contained an average of 67 different species of bacteria.

Is belly button supposed to smell?

Washing your belly button should stop the unpleasant smell if it's from a buildup of dirt and germs. However, if the odor persists even after cleaning, you may want to see a health care provider. If you develop redness, swelling, aching, or discharge, your belly button may be infected.

Why does my belly button hurt when I clean it?

What causes belly button pain when the belly button is touched? A hernia can also cause a belly button to be sensitive to touch, but Crohn's disease can cause this symptom as well. Crohn's disease usually comes on slowly, and symptoms include: diarrhea.

What organ is directly behind the belly button?

Located directly behind the stomach, the pancreas lies deep in the center of the abdomen. Its position corresponds to an area 3-6 inches above the “belly button”, straight back on the back wall of the abdominal cavity.

Why does it feel weird when I clean my belly button?

"At the navel, you have the ability to stimulate not only the skin overlying the navel, but also the fibres of the inner lining of your abdomen. So, as you stick your finger into your belly button, it sends a signal from the deeper fibres that line your inner abdominal cavity to your spinal cord.

What organs are by your 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.