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Do you clean your belly button daily? Many of us would have been of the opinion that the belly button or navel doesn`t have any other purpose after birth after the umbilical cord is cut. Truth is that the belly button could be prone to several infections. It is known that the umbilical cord attached to the fetus in the pregnant mother womb provides nutrients and oxygen etc to the baby from the mother.  Once a baby is born, this cord would be cut and the wound heals later on. It is essential that we must give importance to our belly button or navel and prevent bad odour etc to avoid infections and many health issues. Why is the belly button prone to infections? It was explained by a doctor from a Delhi based hospital that the navel is a small enclosed area of the body that would stay moist and warm. As a result of these conditions, bacteria and fungi could thrive well here. Without being noticed, sweat, oil, soap reside etc would accumulate in the belly button as it is a recessed part of the skin. This would become food for the microorganisms also. He concluded that when the belly button is not cleaned well then the balance between normal skin bacteria and harmful germs would get disturbed. This could result in infections. Types of belly button infections: Both fungal as well as bacterial infections can occur in the belly button. It must be noted that the bacterial infections would be caused by staphylococcus species that could enter through small cute, irritation etc. This can lead to redness, pain, swelling etc. In the moist conditions, fungal infections would develop and it can lead to itching, redness etc. It would be possible to identify early signs of belly button infection by certain important signs like tenderness, mild swelling, unusual smell, yellowish discharge etc. Various factors that can lead to belly button infections: They are poor hygiene plus others like diabetes, overweight, psoriasis/eczema, piercings near belly button etc. Cleaning of belly button safely: Firstly, we must simply wash our navel with warm water and mild soap while taking a bath. Secondly, we must rinse thoroughly to remove soap residue etc. Drying the belly button would be essential to avoid fungal growth. Those who have a deep belly button must use a clean cotton swab dipped in warm water to clean the belly button. It is necessary to avoid harsh scrubbing.