Belly Button is a deep cavity. A lot of “common” microorganisms live in this cavity, but if they get too big, they can cause infections.
These microbes need warm and humid conditions in order to grow, and your naval cavity has just that. As a bonus, they eat soap and sweat to grow quickly and spread to the belly button.
Belly button infections are very common in people of all ages, even among babies. Infections of the belly button can be bacterial or fungal, and they can be both local and systemic. If the microorganisms get into the bloodstream it leads to sepsis.
There are many ways you can treat a belly button infection, both in a specialist’s office and at home. This article explains what causes a belly button infection and how you can treat it.
What are the causes of Belly Button Infection ?
Many things can cause your belly button to become full of microbes that aren’t supposed to be there such as
- Poor Hygiene– The shape of your naval cavity makes it very difficult to clean because it is so small. The sweat, sebum, moisture, soap residue, dead skin flakes, and dirt that are on your skin get into your belly button and stay there, making your belly button smell bad.
It’s a problem that most people don’t clean their belly button when they take a bath, which leads to the buildup of these things.
- Excessive sweating– People with high blood sugar levels or a lot of weight are more likely to sweat, which makes them more likely to get infections. Diabetics are more likely to get candida (yeast) inside their belly button.
- Other Sources Of Contamination- Other sources of contamination could also be the cause of sickness. If you have a belly button infection, there are many ways that new varieties of harmful pathogens can get into your naval cavity.
- Omphalith Or Naval Stones- Dead skin cells and sebum can sometimes mix together and form small, stone-like bodies inside your umbilicus. These bodies may even have hair, but this is not always the case. These bodies can cause belly button infections over and over again.
Belly Button Infection Treatment
The following are some good ways to get rid of your belly button infections.
Use Antibiotic/ Antifungal Medicine
For example, your doctor might give you an antibiotic or an antifungal agent, depending on what kind of infection you have. These medicines can be applied to the skin or taken orally.
They usually come in the form of a cream, ointment or powder that is used on the skin for antibiotics or antifungals. Infections that would need oral medicine might also need surgery to cut open and drain the cyst that is feeding the infection.
Rubbing Alcohol
There are many different types of spirits that can be used to clean your skin because they have strong and quick antibacterial properties.
When you apply them to your skin, they kill the bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live on your skin, but they aren’t so good at killing spores. You can use these simple things to clean and sanitize your belly button. This will help stop the spread of the virus and speed up the healing process.
Tea Tree Essential Oil
When it comes to acne, tea tree essential oil is often used as a treatment because of its powerful antimicrobial properties. It can also help treat other skin infections. In addition to the bacteria and fungi that cause belly button infections, this antibacterial solution can get rid of many other types of germs from your skin, like the ones that cause them.
Most of the studies that show that tea tree oil is antifungal have looked at the candida species, which is the most common cause of belly button infections. This oil is also thought to stop the growth of hard-to-treat bacteria that can’t be killed by antibiotics
How Can You Use It ?
- Take a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil and put it in a clean bowl.
- Then add 4–5 drops of tea tree oil.
- Use a clean cotton ball to apply the oil mix to the area that needs it.
- A good rule of thumb is to leave it on for about 10 minutes so the solution can get into your skin.
Turmeric
When it comes to treating infections,turmeric is a huge hit . In the same way that tea tree oil fights off a wide range of bacteria and fungi, turmeric can also fight off many of them
You have to follow simple steps like
- Mix a small amount of turmeric powder with a few drops of water to make a thick paste.
- You can add a small amount of honey to the mixture to make it even better for your skin.
- Apply this paste to the area that needs help with clean fingers.
- Let it dry for a while before wiping it off with a paper towel.
- Keep the area dry after that.
Chamomile or Marigold Oil
Marigold and chamomile are both plants that can help kill the bacteria that cause belly button infections, ease the symptoms, and heal the skin on the area. Even though marigold can’t fight off some types of bacteria and fungi that cause infections, it’s still a great way to heal wounds.
Chamomile, on the other hand, is said to have very strong antibacterial effects against the gram-positive bacteria that cause belly button infections like omphalitis. These bacteria are usually found in the belly button.
Easy Steps To use
- Crush 2–3 calendula or chamomile flowers or leaves to get the juice out. Then, apply the juice to the infected skin.
- You can buy topical oils, lotions, or ointments that have calendula or chamomile extracts in them. Apply them to
Neem
It has been used in Ayurveda and other forms of folk medicine for a long time because of its pharmacological properties.
Polyphenol flavonoids quercetin and beta-sitosterol are found in the leaves of this plant. These flavonoids have strong antifungal and antibacterial effects that can help fight the root cause of the infection.
Things You Should Consider
Our belly button is home to more bacteria and fungi than you can imagine, but they usually live peacefully with your body and don’t hurt you.
However, some things can make them grow too quickly, which isn’t good for you. Other times, harmful bacteria can get into your umbilicus through broken skin or wounds that are still open.
All of these things lead to a belly button infection, which is very bad. Belly button infections are very common, but they can be easily treated with doctor-recommended medicine, some natural remedies, and the right self-care.