Diabetes. Conditions such as diabetes may put a person at risk of having a discharge from their belly button at certain times.
People with diabetes mellitus may have a higher risk of developing an infection in their belly button area, as do patients who recently had surgery in that area, such as to correct an umbilical hernia. Having a belly button piercing also increases your risk of infection. Cysts.
Discharge and smells can be a result of several different factors, though slight navel odors are typically normal. 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.
Urachal Cyst
This cyst can then become infected and the infection travel up to the belly button. Mucus and urine can leak through this opening, leading to discharge and infection too. This is can be very serious and is one of the reasons that if you do have any belly button discharge you should be examined by a doctor.
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. All areas of the body need to be washed regularly to stay clean and healthy.
Belly button yeast infections often get better on their own when you keep your navel area clean and dry. Healthy people can usually treat belly button yeast infections with an antifungal medication.
If you have belly button discharge
Usually, the belly button discharge will be a pale white, off-yellow, or light green color, and will kind of look like snot does when you have a cold. It may also give off an unpleasant, sour smell, which is another sign of infection.
The most common symptoms of a belly button yeast infection include itching, redness, swelling, and pain around the belly button area. Other symptoms can include a foul-smelling discharge, inflammation, dryness, and scaling. In severe cases, blisters and sores may also form.
The belly button will ooze secretions for several days. Normal secretions are clear or blood tinged mucus. A cloudy discharge is usually a mild infection. This can be from normal skin bacteria.
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.
But that doesn't mean abdominal weight gain should be ignored. It can be an early sign of so-called "diabetic belly," a build-up of visceral fat in your abdomen which may be a symptom of type 2 diabetes and can increase your chances of developing other serious medical conditions.
Nausea, heartburn, or bloating can have many causes, but for people with diabetes, these common digestion issues shouldn't be ignored. That's because high blood sugar can lead to gastroparesis, a condition that affects how you digest your food. Diabetes is the most common known cause of gastroparesis.
A navel stone develops when sebum and keratin, as well as hair and bacteria, accumulate in the naval. Sebum is secreted by glands within the skin, and it reaches the skin's surface by traveling up the shafts of the hair. Keratin is present in hair.
Watch for signs of infection.
These include redness, swelling, yellow or green discharge, or pain when you touch the site. You could also have a fever. If you have any of these symptoms, call your doctor right away.
Omphalitis is an infection of the umbilicus and/or surrounding tissues, occurring primarily in the neonatal period. It is limited to around the umbilicus in the majority of newborns. However, it can rapidly progress to systemic infection and death, with an estimated mortality rate between 7% to 15%.
Adults can get an infection of the navel (umbilicus) but it's uncommon. There are many reasons your belly button may become red, swollen or have discharge, and it may not be a skin issue.
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.
Because of its shape and tiny skin folds, belly buttons can collect dirt, sweat, and bacteria. In fact, the average belly button contains about 67 types of bacteria. 1 This buildup can lead to a smell and even infection. Your belly button may smell because of a hygiene need or an infection caused by bacteria or fungus.
This can be caused by factors such as poor hygiene, wearing tight clothing or belly button piercings that traps moisture, a weakened immune system, or taking antibiotics that disrupt the natural balance of bacteria and fungi in your body.