You Have Been Cleaning Your Belly Button Wrong All Your Life

 

#1 You Wouldn't Want This To Happen

“Health providers have removed ‘growths’ from belly buttons that turned out to be a mix of bacteria, dirt, sweat, soap, lotions, and lint,” says Alexandria V. Booth, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist with HealthCare Partners medical group. Imagine going for what you think is skin cancer and it ends up being years of dirt. That's great news, but very embarassing.

 

#2 Innie

Dr. Booth says that showering will remove some germs, lint, and 'others', but if you have an “innie,” you should also dig in once a week with a cotton swab that has soap and water or rubbing alcohol on it.

 

#3 Bacteria

The average navel is swarming with 67 different species of bacteria, according to research from North Carolina State University. So even if it looks clean, IT IS NOT.

 

#4 Outtie

If you have an “outtie” (whether you were born with it or developed it from a stretched pregnancy belly), a soapy washcloth should do the job, says Booth.

 

#5 So...

Cleaning your navel aka belly button... Would you like to learn how to do it right?

 

#6 Infection

But, if your belly button is already out of control (meaning you can't get rid of the smell or infection by cleaning it yourself), you may need to go ahead and visit your primary care doctor or dermatologist so she/he can dig in there with the proper equipment. And don't worry, they've always seen worse.

 

#7 Men

This may come as a surprise, but these creatures also have belly buttons. So the aforementioned applies to them too.