Belly Button Discharge and What to Do About It

If you notice belly button discharge, you may have a bacterial, fungal, or yeast infection. But other things, such as cysts and poor hygiene, can also cause your belly button to leak fluid. Obesity can lead to extra skin folds that trap bacteria, or diabetes might increase the risk of infection.

In some cases, you may notice yellowish fluid with a foul odor leaking from the belly button (navel), the site that marks where your umbilical cord was tied off at birth. Or you may find clear belly button discharge and cracked, itchy skin. Symptoms can offer clues to a diagnosis.

Symptoms

If your belly button is leaking fluid, you may experience the following:

• Discharge that is yellow, tan, or clear
• Bleeding
• Itching
• Blistering
• Pain
• Rash or red skin
• Swelling
• A foul odor

If an odor persists after you wash and dry your belly button, you may want a healthcare provider to assess the symptoms. It could indicate an infection.

Causes

Human skin houses a lot of bacteria, with studies showing more diverse bacteria at the navel than other body sites. In one 2020 study, researchers found 302 bacterial genera (genus types) in the swabs of 22 belly buttons, with Corynebacterium and Staphylococcus types occurring most often.

Skin bacteria is normal. But when the skin is damaged or moist, it can lead to problems. There are some common causes of belly button discharge.

Bacterial Infection

Any bacterial skin infection can impact the belly button. Skin infections can occur when bacteria that typically live on the skin enter the body through a cut or wound.

Risk factors for developing a skin infection include:

• Skin injury or conditions that could cause cracks in the skin (like eczema or fungal infections)
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Age
• Environmental conditions in hospitals and nursing homes
• Immune system suppression, such as underlying human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or ongoing treatment with chemotherapy
  

Scratches, navel piercings, and surgical incisions are common belly button injuries that can lead to an infection.

Fungal Infection

Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by yeast. The yeast commonly affects the mucosa and skin, including belly button infections.

Fungal infections occur when yeast overgrows in moist conditions. Belly buttons are an optimal place for yeast overgrowth due to their dark, concave location, which can harbor excess moisture.

If you have a fungal infection in your belly button, you may experience the following symptoms:

• Rash
• Skin cracking
• Clear drainage
• Itching
• Burning

Cysts

A cyst is a fluid-filled growth that can occur anywhere in the body, including the belly button. Several types of cysts can occur in the belly button, including:

• Urachal cysts: internally, between the bladder and belly button
• Epidermoid cysts: under the skin, anywhere on the body
• Sebaceous cysts: under the skin from plugged hair follicles or skin damage

If a cyst causes your belly button drainage, you may also notice a lump just under the skin.

Treatment

Treating a leaking belly button depends on the cause. For example, a healthcare provider treats an infection based on whether it's bacterial or fungal. A condition that increases your risk, like diabetes, also may need to be managed.

Treatments for belly button discharge may include:

• Antibiotics for a bacterial infection
• Drainage for cysts and abscesses
  
• Antifungal medication for a fungal infection

If a healthcare provider prescribes medication, be sure to take all of the medicine according to their advice, even if you start to feel better. Keep your infection or wound clean following treatment to limit the likelihood of reinfection.

Belly Button Care Tips

Good hygiene practices can help reduce your chance of infection. Avoid using creams or lotions inside your belly button, which can make matters worse. To keep your belly button clean, follow these tips:

• Wash your belly button when you shower with water and soap. Dry thoroughly.
• Try a salt solution and massage it into your belly button to loosen grime. This may be especially helpful if you have a deeper navel and formed a navel stone (hard mass) in it.
• Keep the area clean if you pierced your belly button and follow your piercer's aftercare directions. You can try a warm compress made from a wet washcloth.

See your healthcare provider if you experience belly button pain, discharge that doesn't resolve, or a foul smell. Let them know if you also experience new bleeding or swelling at the site.

When to Call a Healthcare Provider

A healthcare provider may need to assess belly button discharge that doesn't resolve on its own, or that gets worse despite home remedies and over-the-counter treatment. For example, you may need a prescription to treat an infection.

Contact your provider right away about skin infection symptoms that don't resolve, such as fever. These symptoms can include:

• Bleeding that worsens or doesn't stop
• Pus, especially if a green or yellow color suggests infection
• Red skin, especially if warm to the touch
• Swelling in and around your belly button
• Pain in or around your belly button  
  

Summary

Bacterial infections, fungal infections, and cysts may cause belly button discharge. Belly buttons can become infected if the skin is cracked, overly moist, or pierced. In addition, laparoscopic surgery through the navel may pose a risk for infection. Treatment includes medication and drainage.

Keeping your belly button clean and dry can significantly reduce the likelihood of a smelly, itchy, leaky, or infected belly button. Put a wet washcloth over a finger and work soapy water into your belly button, or try salt water. Rinse with plain water and thoroughly dry your belly button.