Belly buttons are strange things, whether you have a deep indentation or an outward protrusion. It remains imperative to maintain proper cleanliness.
An NHS doctor has uncovered a rather repulsive truth associated with neglecting to clean one's belly button.
Dr. Karan Rajan, known for his engaging health videos that have garnered a substantial TikTok following, shared a video on TikTok where he reveals a grim truth about not washing your belly button.
He also issued a warning to his fans about the potential risks of irregularly addressing the cleaning of new piercings.
He was responding to a user who shared that she had recently admitted to never having cleaned her belly button. Although she had decided to clean it, she mentioned experiencing pain and discomfort.
The woman recounted her experience of deciding to clean her belly button on her own due to the discomfort.
She detailed the process of persistent excavation, eventually uncovering a substantial accumulation of debris, which she removed.
Dr. Karan Rajan explained that this combination, including dirt, dead skin cells, and sebum, can solidify into a stone, often taking on a black hue.
This accumulation will only happen if you don't wash and maintain proper hygiene for your belly button.
Dr. Rajan added that this condition is referred to as a "belly button stone.
He explained: "All flesh holes can build up with sweat, dead skin cells, oils, clothing fabric, bacteria and forbidden cheese.
"If not washed out on a regular basis, this material can accumulate and harden into an omphalolith - a belly button stone.
"Belly button stones come in a wide array of colours, it's usually black but can be a light brown."
Many people are unaware of the existence of belly button stones until they become conscious of them due to a scratch or infection in the area.
Those at a higher risk of developing these formations are individuals who practice inadequate hygiene, have an exceptionally deep navel, and carry excess weight.
This risk extends even to people who are overweight or have a substantial amount of hair in the surrounding area.
In earlier research, experts discovered that thousands of bacteria reside within the confines of your belly button.
An investigation involving the analysis of 60 belly buttons revealed a collective presence of 2,368 distinct bacterial species.
Remarkably, certain bacterial strains were speculated to be entirely novel to the realm of scientific knowledge.
Cleaner navels had around 29 species, while others hosted an extensive count of up to 107.
