What Is a Belly Button Infection?
3. What Are the Symptoms of a Belly Button Infection?
The belly button does not contain any organs or specialized structures. However, just like other areas on the surface of your body, it does contain nerve endings, sweat and sebaceous glands, hair follicles, and folds of skin; like other areas of the body, it too is vulnerable to attack by pathogens.
Sometimes the first sign of an infection is a strange smell coming from the belly button. The area may be red or swollen. It may feel hot or be painful to the touch. You may see yellow or greenish puss, or a white, cheesy substance. The skin may be flaky or have pimple-like areas. Signs of a more severe infection are fever, bleeding, red lines radiating out from the navel, abdominal swelling, and change in mood or activity level.
Advertisement