Are you sure you wash your belly button enough and know how to clean it properly? Dermatologists answer you and you may be surprised! Washing frequency, methodology, unknown risk of not doing it… We tell you everything!
It is a fact, the navel is one of the parts of the body that we don’t wash enough! If some people clean it regularly, others have never even thought of asking the question of doing so… Ultimately, there are as many ideas of hygiene on the navel as there are type of navels ! However, as revealed by theAmerican study Belly button biodiversity in 2011, scientists even found nearly 1,400 species of bacteria in the navels of the participants they analyzed! It is therefore more than necessary to clean it regularly.
In a video posted on TikTok, Dr. Shereene Idriss assures: “I know it may seem strange to clean your belly button, but you have to clean it every day because it is constantly exposed and it is a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast or even candidiasis” warns the dermatologist. Daily cleaning is therefore the right frequency to wash your navel according to experts.
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How to properly clean your navel?
Rest assured, cleaning your navel is much easier than you think. Just don’t forget it in the shower, taking the time to use soap and hot water when you wash to dislodge any impurities that lodge there, lint from clothes and other dirt. who hide there without us realizing it. Afterwards, it is essential to rinse your navel thoroughly so as not to leave any residue of shower gel there, but also to dry it well after getting out of the shower with your towel, because humidity encourages the development of bacteria and fungi. If your belly button is hollow, it is important to pay close attention to it, as it is a little more complicated to dry it properly. Moreover, if you do not have a navel that sticks out but a recessed navel, which is deeper, it is best to use a cotton swab for more effective cleaning.
From time to time, you can also use a cotton swab soaked in alcohol to gently rub the inside of your navel or its small, more difficult to reach areas, before rinsing with water and drying the area. area. This can prevent the development of bad odors and perfect daily cleaning with soap and water.
If you notice that you cannot properly clean your navel in the shower with soap and water, you can also apply a drop of neutral vegetable oil (such as sweet almond oil) to your navel. , to remove impurities and sebum that lodge there more easily before taking your shower or bath.
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Navel stone: this little-known risk if you don’t wash your navel enough
We don’t talk about it much, but by not cleaning your navel, there is also a risk of developing what we call a “navel stone”, also called an “omphalolite” in medical jargon (a name coming from the words Greek for “navel” (omphalos) and “stone” (litho)). This is what Dr. Heather Kornmehl, dermatologist, reveals on her Instagram account in a video. “When I tell my patients that you can develop a solid ball of sebum and keratin that forms in the navel,” she specifies, in fact, to describe this little-known phenomenon to which we are exposed when we do not clean our navel. If you notice any, go see your dermatologist!
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