Why is my belly button red and smelly?

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 is my belly button red and stinks?

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. A bacterial infection of the belly button. A wound or bruise around or within the belly button.

How do you treat an infected belly button?

If you think you have an infection in your belly button, you should call your doctor so that you can have the area cleaned carefully. You may also need prescription antibiotics to kill the bacteria before it spread to other parts of your body.

Can a smelly belly button be serious?

Sometimes a stinky belly button can be a symptom of a condition that needs medical attention, such as an infection or cyst. Look for other symptoms that come along with these conditions, including: white, yellow, or green discharge. swelling and redness or discoloration.

What does it mean when your belly button is smelly?

When your belly button smells, it is usually because of a hygiene need or infection. The belly button contains several tiny skin folds that can trap sweat, dirt, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Possible infections include candidiasis, bacterial infections, or an infected urachal cyst.

Why is my belly button wet and smelly?

What helps a red smelly belly button?

Management and Treatment

Your healthcare provider may recommend an antifungal cream, ointment or powder. You'll apply the antifungal directly onto the skin of your belly button. You can find many antifungal creams over the counter. Your healthcare provider may offer a prescription antifungal medicine if necessary.

Is belly button infection serious?

If the belly button becomes infected, a person should see a doctor for advice and prescribe medication if needed. The symptoms of an infection are redness, itching, and swelling. Sometimes, there may be fluid or pus, which can harden to form a crust around the area.

Are belly button infections contagious?

Lipoff says, the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus is often behind belly button infections because it tends to cause many skin infections in general. A staph infection can manifest in a number of ways, including as a highly contagious condition called impetigo, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

Should you wash your belly button?

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.

Why is my belly button leaking?

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.

What cream is good for infected belly button?

Treatment: Use an antifungal cream such as miconazole nitrate (Micatin, Monistat-Derm) or clotrimazole (Lotrimin, Mycelex), and keep your navel clean and dry.

How long does it take for belly button infection to heal?

While most belly button piercings heal without issues, bacteria can infect the area before healing is complete. Infections are usually minor. Symptoms can include pain, redness, and swelling, and improving hygiene can help. Complete healing can take 9–12 months.

Why does my belly button keep getting infected?

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.

What happens if I don't clean my belly button?

"All flesh holes can build up with sweat, dead skin cells, oils, clothing fabric, bacteria and forbidden cheese," he says in the clip, which has since been viewed over 300k times. "If not washed out on a regular basis, this material can accumulate and harden into an omphalolith – a belly button stone," he adds.

Can I put peroxide in belly button?

Cleaning your belly button. If you're noticing an odor from your belly button, you may need to clean the area more thoroughly. 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.

How do I keep my belly button clean?

Using warm water and mild soap, use a washcloth to gently clean around and just inside the belly button. Rinse with clean, warm water and dry with a towel to make sure that all water has been removed from the belly button. Showering or bathing regularly can help to prevent skin problems and odor.

Why is there poop in my belly button?

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.

What your belly button says about your health?

The shape and dent of your navel essentially determines how the umbilical cord heals. Belly buttons don't necessarily mean anything in particular about your health, however some people would argue that your belly button says a lot about you as a person.” Belly buttons are low-key gross.

What is inside belly button?

Internally the veins and arteries in the cord close up and form ligaments, which are tough connective tissues. These ligaments divide up the liver into sections and remain attached to the inside of the belly button.

What is the belly button connected to?

The belly button is where the umbilical cord attaches to the fetus, connecting the developing baby to the placenta. Within the cord, there are blood vessels (the arteries) that carry waste away from the baby and another vessel that supplies the baby with oxygen and other nutrients.