The reason why the belly button smells bad

Due to the special structure, the navel is home to many types of bacteria, fungi and dirt. Therefore, if this part is not cleaned regularly, it will inadvertently create conditions for bacteria and fungi to grow and cause disease. Let's find out the reason why the belly button smells bad through the article below.

Causes of navel smell as follows:
1.1. Poor hygiene Poor hygiene is a common cause of bad breath. Like other parts of the body, the navel needs to be cleaned properly and regularly to stay clean and healthy.
Most of the navel has an indented structure, so this part is shaped like a bag containing a lot of dirt, sweat, dead skin... The deeper the navel, the greater the risk of containing more germs and dirt. big. Research from scientists also shows that the navel can be home to nearly 70 different types of bacteria and fungi. Therefore, if not cleaned properly and properly, the navel will become a breeding ground for pathogenic microorganisms. These microorganisms combine with dirt, dead skin, sweat ... trapped in the navel, which causes the navel to have a foul, unpleasant odor.

1.2. According to scientific studies, Candida fungus is one of the causes of belly button odor. Candida is a yeast that thrives in wet, dark and warm conditions such as armpits, groin, organs,... In which, the navel is also the place where Candida fungi reside and grow, especially when organs This is not cleaned regularly. In addition, Candida also grows a lot in the mouth and throat causing thrush, attacking the vagina causing a yeast infection. You can also get interstitial rash if you have an unfortunate Candida infection, this condition adversely affects the skin folds such as navel, groin, armpits, between hands and feet... The skin in the damaged area will appear scaly. , red and can form blisters that cause itching, burning pain...
Especially for people with diabetes, the risk of candida infection is higher than usual because high blood sugar levels weaken the immune system, reduced resistance to pathogens.
1.3. Umbilical infection Risks leading to infection such as surgery to treat umbilical hernia, piercing around the navel.... make the navel appear bad, uncomfortable. Signs that lead to an infection are a pus-filled navel with an unpleasant odor leaking out, pain, swelling, and a warm, tender feeling to the touch. In case there are signs of umbilical cord infection, the patient needs to go to medical facilities for an accurate examination and diagnosis.
1.4. Hair follicles, epidermal cysts A hair follicle is a disease characterized by the growth of an abnormally large cystic mass in the skin at the base of the hair follicle. Epidermoid cysts are diseases characterized by large tumors located in the top layer of the skin. Both hair follicles and epidermoid cysts contain fluid inside, when they grow larger, they burst, causing a yellow, thick, and foul-smelling discharge. The skin around the navel can have these types of tumors, leading to a foul, infected navel. Therefore, patients need to go to medical facilities for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
1.5. Sebaceous cysts cause the navel to have a bad smell Sebaceous cysts, also known as keratinomas – are characterized by small, hard lumps that develop under the skin. The disease is less common than hair follicles and epidermoid cysts, but they are also one of the causes of painful, smelly navel.
2. How to deal when the navel has a bad smell In case the navel has a bad smell related to the issue of hygiene that is not clean and guaranteed, what you need to do is change the habit of cleaning the belly button regularly.

In case the navel has a foul odor along with fluid, even blood... combined with warning signs of a serious infection such as fever, abdominal pain, pain when urinating, redness and swelling around the navel. .. the patient needs to go to a medical facility for the most accurate examination and diagnosis.
Patients need to pay attention to some issues when having an umbilical cord infection as follows:
Always keep the navel dry and clean; Dirt and sweat can accumulate and stick to the skin. Therefore, patients should limit wearing tight, wet or dirty clothes; Limit the amount of sugar in your daily diet, because high blood sugar levels increase the risk of infection; In case of navel infection due to piercing, the jewelry should be removed immediately. Use cotton balls and alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or warm water mixed in antibacterial soap to wash the navel. Try to keep the navel area dry and clean and avoid wearing tight clothing as it can irritate the infected skin. 3. How to properly clean the umbilicus Proper and regular cleaning of the umbilicus will help prevent the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. Some notes when cleaning the navel are as follows:
- Clean the navel every day: Use a little antibacterial soap in a towel, gently wipe the navel area with a towel, then rinse with water and dry. navel to make sure water does not collect in the navel. You also need to be careful not to apply too much lotion, sunscreen on the navel or the area around the navel, because this will increase the risk of multiplying and developing pathogenic microorganisms.
- Clean navel in navel piercing: In case of navel piercing, you need to keep this area dry; Clean carefully, clean by wet the navel with a mixture of water and antibacterial soap, gently wash the area around the piercing. You should also remove and clean the navel piercing by soaking in an antiseptic solution, rinsing it to prevent infection.
Cleaning the navel in people with umbilical cord infections: In case the navel is infected, drained, swollen, red, painful... the patient should follow the doctor's treatment instructions. In addition, the patient can clean the navel in the following ways:
Wash and disinfect hands before cleaning the umbilicus; Use a cotton swab or cotton ball dipped in an antiseptic solution such as hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or potassium permanganate... to gently wipe and clean the navel. The navel is a place where many dead cells and dirt accumulate, so it is easy to have a bad smell. Therefore, daily umbilical cleaning is essential to solve this problem. Hopefully with the above sharing, you already know how to properly clean and handle if the navel has a bad smell.