It’s just a scar. Honestly, that’s the simplest way to describe a belly button. We spend our lives poking at them, cleaning them, or maybe even piercing them, but most of us rarely stop to think about the fact that this little dip in our midsection is our very first biological landmark. It is the literal site of our detachment from another human being. Technically known as the umbilicus, your belly button is the remnant of the umbilical cord that once connected you to your mother's placenta.
It’s not connected to anything inside you anymore. Not really. When you’re in the womb, that cord is your lifeline, pumping oxygen-rich blood and nutrients directly into your system while hauling away waste. But once you take that first breath and the cord is clamped, the tissue dies off, falls away, and leaves behind a unique, puckered knot of skin. It’s the one scar we all share.
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Why Your Belly Button Looks the Way It Does
You’ve probably heard the old myth that a doctor’s skill with a pair of scissors determines whether you end up with an "innie" or an "outie." That’s actually total nonsense. While the way a doctor clamps the cord matters a little bit, the final shape is mostly dictated by how your body heals and how much space is between the skin and the abdominal wall.
Most people—about 90%, according to various anatomical surveys—have innies. These are basically just internal scars where the skin is tethered down to the underlying muscle. Outies occur when there’s a bit of extra scar tissue or a slight umbilical hernia, which is super common in babies and usually harmless. Sometimes, an innie can even turn into an outie during pregnancy because of the sheer internal pressure of an expanding uterus pushing the navel outward. It’s wild how much that skin can stretch.
The Microbiome Under the Rim
If you haven't thought about the bacteria living in your navel lately, you probably should. Back in 2012, researchers at North Carolina State University launched the "Belly Button Biodiversity" project. It was kind of gross but also fascinating. They swabbed the navels of 60 volunteers and found a staggering 2,368 different species of bacteria.
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Interestingly, the average person carried about 67 species, but the overlap between individuals was tiny. One guy in the study actually had bacteria in his belly button that had previously only been found in soil samples from Japan—and he’d never even been to Japan. This little divot in your stomach is basically a tropical rainforest for microbes. It’s dark, it’s damp, and it’s rarely disturbed, making it the perfect ecosystem for "extremophiles" that don't live anywhere else on your body.
Common Issues: From Lint to Stones
We have to talk about the "fluff." Belly button lint is mostly just a collection of clothing fibers, dead skin cells, and dried sweat. Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki, a well-known Australian scientist, actually won an Ig Nobel Prize for his research into this. He found that abdominal hair acts like a one-way conveyor belt, trapping fibers from your shirt and funneling them straight into the navel. If you shave your stomach, the lint usually disappears.
But sometimes, things get a bit more serious than just some blue sweater fuzz.
- Omphaloliths: These are basically "belly button stones." If someone doesn't clean their navel for a long time, sebum (skin oil) and keratin can build up and harden into a dark, stone-like mass. They can look like a giant blackhead.
- Infections: Because the area is deep and moist, it's a breeding ground for yeast and bacteria. If you notice redness, a foul smell, or weird discharge, it’s usually an overgrowth of Candida.
- Granulomas: Occasionally, after the umbilical cord falls off a newborn, a small red nub of tissue remains. It’s not a big deal, but doctors usually treat it with silver nitrate to help it dry up.
The Navel as a Surgical Portal
Surgeons actually love the belly button. Because it’s already a scar, it’s the perfect place to hide incisions for laparoscopic surgery. This is often called "keyhole surgery." Instead of making a giant vertical cut down your abdomen, doctors can slide a camera and tools through the navel.
Once the surgery is done and the area heals, the scar is tucked away inside the natural folds of the belly button, making it virtually invisible. It’s used for everything from gallbladder removals to tubal ligations. It’s pretty brilliant when you think about it—using an old scar to prevent a new one.
How to Properly Care for Your Navel
You don't need a 10-step routine. Just don't ignore it.
Most people get enough cleaning just from soapy water running down in the shower, but if you have a particularly deep innie, you might need to be more deliberate. Use a bit of mild soap on a washcloth or a cotton swab once a week. The biggest mistake people make is leaving the area wet after a shower. Moisture is the enemy here. After you wash, make sure you pat it dry. If you struggle with persistent odors, a tiny bit of rubbing alcohol on a swab can help kill the odor-causing bacteria, but don't do it too often or you'll dry out the skin and cause irritation.
If you have a piercing, the rules change. Navel piercings take a notoriously long time to heal—sometimes up to a full year—because the area is constantly moving and rubbing against clothing. Saline soaks are the gold standard there.
Actionable Steps for Navel Health
Check your navel tonight. It sounds weird, but it's good practice. Look for any changes in color or skin texture. If you see a "stone" forming, don't try to dig it out with something sharp; soak it in warm water or oil to soften it first.
If you notice a bulge near your belly button that gets bigger when you cough or strain, see a doctor. This could be an umbilical hernia. While they are usually harmless in kids, adults often need a quick repair to prevent the intestines from getting trapped.
Lastly, if you're a heavy "lint producer," consider the fabric of your undershirts. Synthetic fibers tend to shed less into the navel than cheap cotton. Keeping the area dry and clear of debris is the easiest way to avoid the "belly button funk" that most people are too embarrassed to talk about but almost everyone experiences at some point.