If you do have a yeast infection, your healthcare provider may recommend testing for diabetes. High blood sugar levels in people with diabetes are used as food for yeast and help it grow.
What’s Causing Your Belly Button Discharge?
Dirt and other germs can get stuck in your belly button, which can cause infection. Signs may include white, yellow, brown, or bloody discharge with an unpleasant odor.
Here are a few causes of belly button discharge, along with advice on how to treat them.
Causes of belly button discharge include:
Bacterial infection
The average belly button is home to 67 different types of bacteria, according to a 2012 study. If you don’t clean the area well, these bacteria could cause an infection. Belly button piercings can also get infected.
Bacterial infections cause a foul-smelling discharge that can be yellow or green. You can also have swelling, pain, and a scab around your belly button.
Yeast infection
Candida, a type of yeast that typically grows in damp, dark areas of the body, causes a yeast infection called candidiasis. It can occur between skin folds, such as in your groin area and under your arms.
Yeast can also take up residence in your belly button, especially if you don’t keep it clean and dry.
Candidiasis in your belly button causes a red, itchy rash on your belly button and may also cause a thick, white discharge.
People with diabetes are at a higher risk for all types of infections. This includes candidiasis, according to a 2019 study.
Surgery
If you’ve recently had abdominal surgery, such as hernia repair, you might notice pus draining from your belly button.
If this happens, call your doctor. It could be a sign of an infection that needs to be treated.
Urachal cyst
When you were developing in your mother’s womb, your bladder was connected to the umbilical cord by a small tube called the urachus. This is how urine drained from your body.
Usually, the urachus closes up before birth, but sometimes it fails to close properly.
A fluid-filled growth called a cyst can form on the urachus, and the cyst can get infected. One symptom of this infection is cloudy or bloody fluid leaking from your belly button.
Other symptoms of urachal cysts include:
- abdominal pain
- fever
- a lump in your abdomen
- pain when you urinate
Epidermoid cyst
An epidermoid cyst is a bump that can form in your belly button as well as on other parts of your body. Epidermoid cysts are the most common type of cysts found on the skin.
The cyst walls are similar to the skin surface or the upper segment of a hair follicle. The cyst cavity is filled with keratin, a type of protein normally found in the nails, hair, and skin.
Epidermoid cysts are sometimes mistakenly referred to as sebaceous cysts. However, this usage is incorrect, since epidermoid cysts don’t involve the sebaceous glands.
There may be a blackhead in the center of the cyst. If the cyst is infected, a thick, yellow, and foul-smelling discharge will drain from it. The cyst might also be red and swollen.
Belly Button Yeast Infection
A belly button yeast infection is a fungal skin infection caused by a yeast called Candida. It causes a bright red, itchy rash in your navel area. Candida grow and thrive in warm, dark environments. Treatment includes creams, ointment or powders. You can prevent belly button yeast infections by keeping your navel area clean and dry.
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Overview
What is a belly button yeast infection?
Yeast infections don’t just happen in your nether regions. They can actually show up almost anywhere on your body, including your belly button. A belly button yeast infection is a yeast infection within the skin of your belly button (navel). A yeast infection of the skin is called candidiasis. Candidiasis is a fungal infection. It’s caused by a yeast called Candida. Yeast is a type of fungus.
Your skin has many types of fungi (plural for fungus) and yeast that live on it. This includes the yeast called Candida. In healthy people, this normally doesn’t cause any harm. But when Candida collects in damp, dark areas, it can dig under the surface of your skin. This can cause a skin infection. Candidiasis can happen almost anywhere on your body. But it’s most frequently found in the warm, moist crevices of your skin like your belly button.
Symptoms and Causes
What are the symptoms of a belly button yeast infection?
The most common symptom of a belly button yeast infection is a bright red rash in the skin folds of your navel. The rash is typically extremely itchy. It may burn. You may also see scaling, swelling or a white discharge.
Belly button yeast infections don’t usually cause a smell or odor. But you may notice a musty smell if your yeast infection is due to a skin condition called intertrigo. Intertrigo is very common. It occurs due to a combination of heat, moisture and your skin rubbing together.
What causes a belly button yeast infection?
A yeast called Candida causes belly button yeast infections, or candidiasis. Candida yeast grow and thrive in warm, damp environments. Conditions that allow Candida to grow and thrive include:
- Wearing tight clothing.
- Not changing clothing often.
- Humid and hot weather.
- Poor hygiene.
- Skin conditions such as intertrigo and psoriasis.
Belly button yeast infections are more common in some groups of people. This includes people who:
- Are pregnant.
- Have overweight/obesity.
- Are taking antibiotics. Antibiotics can kill the bacteria that normally live on your skin. This allows Candida to grow and thrive.
- Are receiving cancer treatment like chemotherapy.
Belly button yeast infections are also more common in people with weakened immune systems. People with conditions such as HIV/AIDs or diabetes have a great chance of developing a yeast infection.
Are belly button yeast infections contagious?
Belly button yeast infections aren’t usually contagious. People with weakened immune systems should be more cautious around people with yeast infections. They do have a greater risk of catching an infection.
Diagnosis and Tests
How is a belly button yeast infection diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider may perform a physical examination. They may be able to tell you have a yeast infection by looking at the skin of your navel area. A bright red rash is a common sign of a belly button yeast infection.
Your healthcare provider may want to test a sample of the infected area. They’ll use a tongue depressor or scalpel to lightly scrape some of the skin from your navel area. A lab technician will examine the sample under a microscope. Or they may place the sample in a culture. A culture is a substance that allows the sample to grow so the fungus can be identified.
If you do have a yeast infection, your healthcare provider may recommend testing for diabetes. High blood sugar levels in people with diabetes are used as food for yeast and help it grow.
Management and Treatment
How is a belly button yeast infection treated?
Treatment for your belly button yeast infection may include an antifungal medication. Your healthcare provider may recommend an antifungal cream, ointment or powder. You’ll apply the antifungal directly onto the skin of your belly button. You can find many antifungal creams over the counter. Your healthcare provider may offer a prescription antifungal medicine if necessary.
You’ll need to keep your navel area clean and dry as part of your treatment. Keeping the area clean and dry can also help prevent yeast infections from returning. Exposing your belly button to air may help as well.
In certain cases, your healthcare provider may suggest an antifungal medication taken by mouth. Medications such as fluconazole are taken orally.
Prevention
How can I prevent a belly button yeast infection?
You may be able to prevent belly button yeast infections by keeping your navel area clean and dry. Losing weight may help prevent the overgrowth of yeast in your navel region. If you have diabetes, be sure to maintain proper blood sugar control.
Outlook / Prognosis
What can I expect if I have a belly button yeast infection?
Belly button yeast infections often get better on their own when you keep your navel area clean and dry. Healthy people can usually treat belly button yeast infections with an antifungal medication.
How long does a belly button yeast infection last?
Your belly button yeast infection should start to clear up within two weeks of starting an antifungal treatment.
What complications can occur due to a belly button yeast infection?
Belly button yeast infections frequently return, especially if your navel area isn’t kept healthy and dry. Yeast infections are more likely to return in people with weakened immune systems.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
A belly button yeast infection can be itchy and unpleasant. But it’s easily treatable. You can prevent belly button yeast infections by keeping your navel area clean and dry. If you have symptoms of a belly button yeast infection, call your healthcare provider. They’ll be able to correctly diagnose your condition. They may recommend an antifungal treatment so you’ll be feeling better soon.
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