A navel stone is sometimes called an omphalolith or umbolith. It is a condition where substances like sebum, or skin oil, hair, dead skin cells, and dirt can accumulate and form a hardball. The stone is usually a dark color and firm to the touch. They may resemble a large blackhead in the opening of the navel.
“If you stick a fingernail in there and really scrape to get the fluff out, that can break the skin and could lead to an infection,” he explains. Some people also clean their belly buttons with cotton swabs soaked in alcohol, which he says can cause dryness and irritation.
And that gunk can be things other than belly button lint. Your belly button is home to many types of bacteria. You may also have fungi (like the yeast called Candida) and other germs in there. Combine that with dead skin cells and the natural oils from your skin and you've got the recipe for an unpleasant odor.
"Umboliths (also known as omphalolith, omphalith, or omphalokeratolith) are not really common," says dermatologist Dr. Sejal Shah. "They occur due to an accumulation of sebum and keratin in the belly button, and over time, this hardens into a hard, stone-like mass in the belly button (umbilicus).
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.
Scientifically, this method is known as 'Pechoti method'. According to traditional science, absorbing essential oils and scents through the belly button, which is said to be connected to a special 'Pechoti' gland in the body can correct, heal and balance nervous connections present in the body.
The most common symptom of a belly button yeast infection is a bright red rash in the skin folds of your navel. The rash is typically extremely itchy. It may burn. You may also see scaling, swelling or a white discharge.
“This structure is exquisitely sensitive and its sensory nerve fibers relay input back to the spinal cord at the same level as the nerves that relay sensation from your bladder and urethra.” You'll only get this weird tingly feeling if you really dig deep into your belly button, though.
Navel stones are rare, and a person may not realize that they have one unless it causes an infection or something else draws attention to the area. Doctors can often soften and loosen the stone to remove it. While it is sometimes possible to do so at home, it is preferable to do so in a sterile environment.
Pain within the bellybutton can sometimes result from a skin infection. This could be fungal or bacterial. Injuring the skin in the area, a buildup of bacteria from sweat, or friction can cause the skin to become inflamed or infected.
Keep your hands off your belly button
Did you know that your belly button is the dirtiest part of the body, according to the Public Library of Science? “The belly button harbors a high population of bacteria,” Dr. Richardson says.
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.
You might have a yeast infection.
It's usually harmless, but under the right conditions—say, the warm and moist habitat a belly button provides—it can grow into a full-blown yeast infection, says Dr. Minars. This is why proper and consistent cleaning of the area is so important, especially within folds of skin.
Belly buttons are barely a few millimetres deep at a young age. At a young age, belly buttons have an elongated shape. The diameter of the navel varies from fifteen to twenty millimetres. The body weight, pregnancies and abdominal wall hernia can influence the appearance.
As you can see in the picture below, the belly button normally isn't connected to anything in adults. It does play an important role for developing fetuses, however. This photo shows what the belly button looks like from inside the abdomen. As you can see, it is not attached to anything in the body.
Massaging warmed castor oil on the belly button or the abdomen regularly can be beneficial.
On the importance of belly button, Dr Geethi Varma, Consultant Doctor at LYEF Wellness says "The belly button is connected to multiple veins in the body as well as to the round ligament of the liver.
You might not notice it, but if it's completely open, your navel may be wet as urine flows up and even leaks out. Your doctor will do surgery to repair the problem.
According to Hollingsworth, touching the belly button stimulates the lining of your stomach, which makes you think you have to go to the bathroom, even though you probably don't really need to go.