Your belly button, also called the navel or umbilicus, has no function after birth and is simply a scar or remnant of the umbilical cord that connected you to your mother. The umbilical cord provides oxygen and nutrition to a baby during pregnancy, and it is cut and removed after birth, leaving a scar.
Facts about the belly button:
- Can be innie or outie
- Visually divides the abdomen into quadrants and is frequently regarded as the body's center of balance, acting as an essential anatomical marker
- Often used during laparoscopic surgeries as a port to insert instruments and reduce scars
- Has several nerve endings, so it can be ticklish to touch
What can cause belly button odor?
If not cleaned regularly, the belly button can produce an unpleasant odor due to the following conditions:
- Infections: Researchers have found out that nearly 67 varieties of bacteria may be present in the belly button. Because the belly button can trap moisture, the skin inside provides an environment in which bacteria can breed, which can lead to an infection. Along with odor, there may be a brownish or yellowish discharge from the belly button.
- Belly button lint: Dead skin cells, hair, bacteria, and cloth fibers can accumulate in the belly button and produce a bad smell.
- Omphaloliths: Over time, dead skin cells and sebum can collect in the belly button and create omphaloliths, or navel stones. These are similar to blackheads, and can be removed with tweezers rather than being pressed out.
- Epidermoid and pilar cysts: Small cysts can form near the hair follicles (pilar cysts) or on the top layer of the skin (epidermoid cysts). These produce a thick keratin mucus. As the cysts grow larger, they can burst and release thick, yellow, foul-smelling discharge.
- Sebaceous cysts: Sebaceous cysts are less common, forming in the sebaceous glands and often becoming infected.
How to clean your belly button
- Gently wipe the inside of the belly button with a cotton swab dipped in salt water or soap water.
- Following a shower, use another clean, dry swab or the corner of a towel or washcloth to gently dry the insides of the belly button to remove all the moisture.
Why do some people not have a belly button?
- Gastroschisis: Gastroschisis is a congenital abdominal wall defect that causes a hole next to the belly button, most commonly seen on the right side. The intestine passes through the hole and develops outside the baby’s body within the amniotic fluid during fetal development. In severe cases of gastroschisis, the liver and pancreas may pass through the hole on the abdominal wall. According to the CDC, 1 out of 2000 babies is affected. Surgery is recommended immediately after birth to increase survival and lower the risk of later complications.
- Omphalocele: Omphalocele is a type of congenital abdominal wall defect where a hole is formed in the belly button. The intestines and other exposed organs are protected by a translucent, membranous sac, which shields the organs from the amniotic fluid that surrounds the infant during pregnancy. The intestines and other internal organs may extend from the abdomen into the umbilical cord during the early stages of pregnancy, but usually retreat inside the abdomen by week 11. Omphalocele occurs when the organs do not return to the abdomen. According to the CDC, 1 out of every 4,200 babies in the United States is born with omphalocele. After birth, surgery is done to push back the contents inside.
- Bladder exstrophy: This is a very rare condition in which the fetal bladder is exposed outside the abdomen.
- Cloacal exstrophy: This is a relatively rare condition that occurs when a baby's bladder and a section of the intestines do not form normally and are found outside the body.
SLIDESHOW
See SlideshowWhat surgeries can affect the belly button?
Some surgical procedures may result in the loss of the belly button. In some cases, an indentation will remain where the belly button was formerly.
- Breast reconstruction with abdominal tissues: Breast reconstruction surgery performed after a mastectomy may require the use of muscles and tissue from the stomach to rebuild the breast.
- Umbilical hernia repair: An umbilical hernia occurs when there is a weakness in or around the belly button, which allows the intestines to push toward the abdominal wall and form a lump. This may lead to blood flow issues if left unchecked. Surgery is performed to open the area and push the contents back into place.
- Abdominoplasty: Also called a tummy tuck, abdominoplasty removes extra fat from the abdomen and helps to tighten weakening stomach muscles, which smoothes the look of the stomach.
- Laparotomy: A laparotomy is a surgical procedure in which an incision is made in the abdominal wall, usually performed when a surgeon knows something is amiss with the stomach but is unsure of the underlying cause.
Can a belly button be created surgically?
- Neoumbilicoplasty: Neoumbilicoplasty is done to create a belly button in people who don’t have one. Most techniques require creating thin flaps of skin that are held together by a suture or surgical tie sewn to deeper layers of skin called fascia. This can give the appearance of a belly button.
- Umbilicoplasty: Umbilicoplasty is a surgical technique that improves or reconstructs the appearance of a belly button, which some people elect to have following a pregnancy, abdominal surgery, or liposuction.
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Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Flo Health. Why Does Your Belly Button Smell? https://flo.health/menstrual-cycle/health/symptoms-and-diseases/why-does-your-belly-button-smell
Bradford EL. Strange but true: Babies born with no belly button. Babycenter. https://www.babycenter.com/health/conditions/strange-but-true-babies-born-with-no-belly-button_10364943
North Raleigh Plastic Surgery. Belly Button Surgery. https://www.northraleighplasticsurgery.com/belly-button-surgery-faqs/
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Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include:
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- cap: Capsule.
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How Do You Treat and Repair an Umbilical Hernia?
Hernias develop when an internal part of the body pushes through a weak point of muscle or tissue. Learn what medical treatments can help your umbilical hernia and ease your symptoms.How Long Does It Take for the Umbilical Cord to Fall Off?
The cord will normally fall off 1-3 weeks after birth. The average cord falls off between 10 and 14 days with 21 days being the higher side of normal.What Is the Recovery Time for An Umbilical Hernia Surgery?
An umbilical hernia repair is a relatively routine surgery and takes about 20 to 30 minutes. It can be performed as an open surgery or a minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery. An open surgery might require two to three days of hospitalization, but with a laparoscopic surgery a patient may be able to go home the same day or after 24 hours.What Causes an Umbilical Hernia?
What is an umbilical hernia and how are they caused? Learn more about umbilical hernias, how umbilical hernias happen, and what to expect if you or your baby has an umbilical hernia.What Is an Umbilical Hernia Repair Surgery?
A hernia is a protrusion of an internal body part, such as the intestine, through a weak spot in the muscle or the surrounding tissue wall. An umbilical hernia repair is a corrective surgery for a hernia in the navel (umbilicus) region.Why Is an Umbilical Arterial Catheter Used?
An umbilical artery catheter (UAC) is a long, soft tube that medical professionals put in a newborn's umbilical artery. The UAC lets doctors perform an exchange transfusion or angiography, check the baby's blood pressure, or collect blood samples.