That black, hard stuff in your belly button is likely a navel stone, medically called an omphalolith, formed from hardened sebum (skin oil), dead skin cells, and lint that accumulate and oxidize (turn black) over time, especially in deep belly buttons with poor hygiene. While usually harmless and often removed with tweezers, it can cause irritation, odor, redness, or infection if left alone, so gentle cleaning with soapy water and drying is key to prevention and removal.
Seek a doctor's advice before removing an omphalolith at home. If the stone is particularly large, hard, or has caused an infection, it may be best for a doctor to remove it. They do so in a sterile environment, which can be difficult to reproduce at home.
Your belly button may also contain dirt, sebum (oil), and dead skin cells. All together, this can cause comedones, which are like blackheads, to develop in your belly button; this buildup can potentially lead to a naval stone, a brownish-black bump.
Your doctor may be able to pull it loose with instruments like forceps. Sometimes, doctors will use a liquid to soften the navel stone and make it easier to pull out. In some cases, the doctor might need to remove it surgically by making a small incision in the surrounding skin.
Navel stones are usually harmless but can irritate the skin if they grow large. You can wash your belly button daily with mild soap and warm water to prevent navel stones. Usually, naval stones develop in people with deep belly buttons, and removing the stone involves a relatively painless procedure.
Overview of Belly Button Problems
If you've noticed discharge, a strong smell, pain, or another change in your belly button, you may need to see a doctor. If your belly button leaks discharge or blood, you may have a bacterial, fungal, or yeast infection.
Avoid rigorously scrubbing the inside of your belly button. If you cause small tears in that sensitive skin, the bacteria can easily get inside and cause an infection. Instead, you should: Lather soapy water on a cotton swab or the corner of a washcloth.
Accumulation of Dirt and Debris
Your belly button is home to many types of bacteria, fungi, and other germs. Combine that with dead skin cells and the natural oils from your skin, and you've got the recipe for an unpleasant odor.
Those with deeper navels may need to get a little more aggressive about cleanliness. Dip your finger or a soft washcloth in a solution of saltwater (about a teaspoon of table salt in a cup of warm water) and gently massage the inside of your navel. This should loosen stubborn germs that can cause odor.
An omphalolith is a stone-like umbilical mass made of keratin and sebum. Patients usually present with a hard black nodule that may mimic a melanoma in appearance. Omphaloliths often go unnoticed for many years until abscesses, infection, inflammation or ulceration occur. Histology usually confirms the diagnosis.
The belly button can easily become infected by Candida, or other fungi – it is just the sort of warm, moist crevice that fungi like. If you have a fungal infection the belly button will look red, and the redness may extend to the surrounding skin for a few millimetres. It may be itchy.
To minimize bacteria and extract anything else that may become trapped in there, experts recommend a weekly hygiene routine. Simply dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol or plain soap and water and gently clean the area once a week, and dry pat as you normally would after a shower.
Rashmi Sharma warns that skipping belly button cleaning for a month can cause odor, itching, redness, and waxy discharge. In severe cases, debris can form painful navel stones and promote bacterial or yeast infections, requiring medical attention.
What causes a belly button to smell? Most belly buttons are indented and act as a trap for sweat, dead skin, and dirt. Few people wash their belly button with soap, so germs can develop. The presence of dirt and bacteria in the belly button is the most common cause of a belly button smell.
What does the navel do? After your umbilical cord stump heals closed and falls off, your navel doesn't do much of anything for the rest of your life. While it doesn't do anything itself, it's still important for aesthetic (beauty and appearance) reasons.
Stick with mild soap and water for regular cleaning. For infections, diluted hydrogen peroxide (with water) may help, but consulting a skincare expert is best for ongoing issues. What if my belly button is red or painful? Redness, pain, or swelling could signal irritation or infection.
Without getting in there and cleaning your belly button on the regular, the lingering gunk — e.g. dirt, sweat, dead skin cells, clothing fabric, and bacteria — can collect and "cause odor or even an infection," says Dr. Goldberg.
Symptoms of a Belly Button Infection
Belly button staph infection: Belly button staph infections are caused by a type of bacteria called Staphylococcus bacteria. It can manifest as abscesses (pockets of pus under the skin) or non-bullous impetigo and bullous impetigo, two conditions that lead to crust and sores.
Right lumbar region of the middle abdomen: It is called region 4 and is located in the middle-right abdomen, lateral to the umbilicus (aka belly button). The organs in this region include the right kidney, part of the small bowel (duodenum), and part of the large bowel (ascending colon).
7. Swirled or Spiral Belly Button. This belly button shape is relatively rare and is characterized by folds of skin that create a swirled or spiral appearance. Appearance: It looks like the navel has twisted or spiraled inward, often with folds of skin forming around the central opening.