This mysterious "scar" is something everyone has, and it holds some secrets

When you were a kid, you must have heard these "warnings" from adults:

"Don't pick your belly button randomly, or you'll get a stomachache!";

"Make sure you cover your belly button when you sleep, otherwise you will have diarrhea!";

"Don't pick the dirt in your belly button casually, it will rot your intestines!"...

Source: Wikipedia

Belly button is a "scar" that everyone has. What secrets does this mysterious "scar" hide?

1

The origin of belly button

During the fetal period, the fetus cannot obtain oxygen and nutrients on its own, so how to solve this problem? The umbilical cord solves this difficult problem. The mother delivers oxygen and nutrients to the fetus through the umbilical cord , but after the child is born, it loses its own function, so it is cut off and leaves an indelible "scar" on the abdomen - the belly button.

Cross section of the umbilical cord

Source: Wikipedia

In fact, the belly button is a "dead end". This is because it is not connected to any internal organs of the body. Therefore, the saying that "the belly button is connected to the intestines" that the elders always say is incorrect.

2

The mud inside the belly button

You must have seen black mud in your belly button. So how did the mud get into your belly button, which is usually covered by clothes?

As we all know, people metabolize every day. Although the belly button seems to be out of contact with the outside world, in fact, the secretions, shed skin and sweat produced by body metabolism are easily accumulated here, and the dust from the outside will inevitably pass through the clothes to our belly button. These impurities are mixed together and left in the folds of the belly button. Over time, a layer of dirt will form. And this dirt has become a "good feed" for bacteria. Scientists have found that there are as many as 2,368 kinds of bacteria in the human belly button, of which 1,458 may be unknown bacteria.

Belly button of a pregnant woman

Source: pixabay

It does sound scary, but we should realize that the environment itself is full of bacteria and we live in it all the time.

3

Can I pick my belly button?

We mentioned above that the belly button is a place where dirt and filth are hidden. If that is the case, can we clean the dirt in the belly button? The answer is no.

Although it may seem unpleasant to have mud in your belly button, in fact, this layer of mud is indispensable. Because the epidermis of the belly button is very thin and its barrier function is not as strong as that of the skin in other parts of the body, the belly button secretes this "mud" to protect the belly button and prevent bacteria from invading.

The belly button is a very fragile area. The skin is thin, has poor elasticity, and little subcutaneous fat. If you scratch it carelessly, the skin may be damaged and redness, swelling, pain, and oozing of odorous fluid may occur . You should go to the hospital immediately to avoid more serious problems caused by delayed treatment. Although the belly button may not seem to have much effect, it can cause big problems if it gets infected!

Schematic diagram of the human body cavity cross-section. It can be seen that the body wall is relatively thin at the navel.

Source: Wikipedia

The bacteria will go all the way to the liver along the round ligament of the liver, thus causing an internal organ infection. Why do the bacteria go directly to the liver? Are our lymphocytes failing in their duties? In fact, it is because there is no lymphatic tissue around the belly button. Once it becomes inflamed, the army of viruses will completely march straight into the liver, and by then it may really be too late! Therefore, it makes sense that the older generation does not allow people to pick their belly buttons casually.

4

How to clean your belly button?

Since our belly button is so "delicate", how should we clean it to avoid getting hurt?

First of all, there won't be any big problem if you gently pick it twice, but the premise is that your hands must be kept clean and the force should not be too strong. Remember not to use your fingernails to forcibly pick it out . If the belly button is shallow, then washing it with clean water can achieve good results; if it is deep, then we need to use a cotton swab dipped in a suitable cleaning solution to clean it. If necessary, you can use professional sterile tweezers to clean the dirt hidden in the folds. Remember to wipe it with a soft paper towel or the other end of the cotton swab after cleaning to keep the belly button dry , otherwise it will become a "hotbed" for bacteria and bury hidden dangers for the body.

Newborn baby, the umbilical cord has not been processed yet

Source: Wikipedia/Ernest F

Regarding the maintenance of the belly button, in addition to paying attention to timely cleaning, we should also drink more water, eat more vegetables, and develop good bowel habits in daily life, so as to prevent our belly button from emitting unpleasant odor.