Shutterstock
Belly buttons are one thing that we all have in common, though each individual belly button is quite unique. Most people just break belly buttons down into two categories, innies and outies, but in reality, they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
Perhaps more importantly, they are also each home to a unique blend of bacteria. For many people, this bacteria is the cause of an odor that is unique to their belly button.
In the vast majority of cases, the bacteria in the belly button is no big deal and not a cause for concern. Regular cleaning (and drying) will keep the bacteria count down to a safe level, and the skin in the belly button will ensure that it doesn’t make it inside your body where it could cause problems.
Almost everyone has noticed that their belly button has a certain smell to it, and millions of people each year turn to the internet to find out why. The simple answer is that the bacteria in the belly button consume the organic material that is present, and they release various types of gas and other volatile organic compounds.
If this same thing happened in a part of the body that got more ventilation, it wouldn’t be so bad because the area would be kept dryer and better cleaned. The fact that the belly button is often left moist and any air present gets trapped leads to the odor.
Shutterstock
Interestingly, researchers performed a study where they gathered samples from attendees at two different science festivals that took place in the US. The results found that of the 60 samples that they analyzed closely, there were more than 2300 different types of bacteria. Even more impressive is that 1458 of them were believed to be never before documented by scientists.
In one individual, there was a bacteria that was previously believed to only be found in certain soil in Japan. The belly button where this bacteria came from had never been to Japan.
Some types of bacteria were found in most individuals, but others were unique to a given person or a small group of people, often unrelated people. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason for who had what type of bacteria, though additional study may help to pinpoint where the bacteria came from in a given individual.
Shutterstock
At the end of the day, each person’s belly button bacteria biome (say that three times fast) is as unique as they are. No matter what type of bacteria you have, it is important to keep it in check, which is easily done with simple soap and water at every shower. Almost as important as cleaning the belly button is keeping it dry. After a shower or bath, make sure to dab it dry to minimize the moisture.
With these simple steps, your unique belly button will stay clean and fresh, even with your unique blend of bacteria.
If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about the mysterious “pyramids” discovered in Antarctica. What are they?