How To Get Rid of Belly Button Odor

What Is Belly Button Odor?

Belly button is one of the most ignored places of your body and sometimes it can smell like shit. While some odor from the belly button is normal as it is a closed dark place with little or almost no air but sometimes it can also become a breeding ground for bad bacteria. Even though your belly button is a home to more than thousand good bacteria that is essential for you, it can also become a breeding ground for some bad bacteria. One such bacterium that is known to cause unpleasant smell in the private parts of the body including belly button is known as Candida.

Most people would face the problem of bad odor from belly button but this generally goes away after a shower. However, if the smell is persistent and strong then it may be due to many reasons. It may be due to an injury in the belly button, which is usually caused after piercing of the belly button. The injury forms a cyst and the pus discharge can then mix with other bacteria, which can smell quite awful. Sometimes the odor may be caused due to excess of sweat and people who sweat a lot are more prone to face this problem. Diabetes can also add to the problem of smelly belly button.

Usually belly button smells goes on its own once you shower but if it does not go even after taking the shower then there are some other ways to get rid of the odor.

Get Rid of Belly Button Odor

Ways To Get Rid of Belly Button Odor

Clean It With Cotton Swabs

Use the cotton swabs that you use as ear buds to clean your button. However, do not apply too much pressure as it may cause injury in the belly button. Just one or two swabs should be enough to clean the debris from the belly button. However, do not clean your belly button too often as you may end up removing the healthy bacteria from your navel.

Alcohol

Alcohol acts amazing well to remove the belly button odor. Put some alcohol on the cotton swab and gently rub it inside the navel in circular motion. Dispose the dirty swab and use another one until a clean swab comes out of your navel. Once you have cleaned your belly button, use a dry swab to dry your belly button.

Keep It Dry

One of the best ways to get rid of the belly button is to keep it dry. However, it is also important to leave your belly button alone and not play with it too much. Belly button likes to be left alone but you can take some regular precautions and one such precaution is to keep it dry. After you have taken your shower, dry your belly button gently using cotton swab or towel. Since there is hardly any air that goes into belly button, moisture acts as a breeding ground for bacteria, which can smell very bad.

It May Be Because of The Piercing

If you have got your belly button pierced and you have realized that your belly button smells bad, then it may be due to piercing. The reasons could be many but mostly it is either due to not taking care of the pierced navel or faulty piercing, which has injured your belly button. When you pierce your belly button, you have added a foreign body part to your body and this may lead to formation of bacteria. It is a good idea to remove the piercing every few days and clean your belly button. To clean, take some hot water in a glass and add some salt into it. Now turn this glass on your stomach around the belly button area in such a way that a vacuum is created and water stays inside the glass. Keep it like that for few minutes until the water becomes cold. Now dry the belly button using a cotton swab and a disinfectant.

Regular Care To Avoid The Odor

Belly button usually does not require much care but if you have a odor, then you can take some precautions like keeping the belly button dry and washing it with disinfectant, alcohol or mild soap when you go for your shower. You can also spray some navel deodorant that you can find in a local store.

Consult a Doctor

If you still cannot remove the odor then it may be due to injury or some internal problem. In such case, it may be a prudent idea to consult a doctor who can examine the area and treat for any problem. Diabetes also sometimes causes belly button odor and thus your doctor can suggest you the best treatment for you.