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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.

Especially after taking a shower bath we all would feel refreshed and hydrated. How would you react if your skin becomes dry, flaky etc after taking a shower bath? Shocked isn`t it!! It is noteworthy that dry skin after showering is not always a serious problem and it might also be due to our routine. There are few mistakes we could make every day while taking shower bath and these are Taking long showers: After a tiring day, it would be superb to have a long hot shower. It is true that our skin would not feel the same. Natural oils that would keep our skin soft and hydrated would be stripped off by hot water baths. Point is that when the protective barrier weakens moisture would escape and it would lead to dryness. To avoid unnecessary dehydration, it is necessary to take a bath in lukewarm water for just 8 to 10 minutes. Using harsh foamy soaps: It must be noted that tough skin cleansers filled with sulphates and alcohol have the ability to disrupt the pH levels of the skin and strip skin of its natural barrier. Truth is that it is essential to use mild, pH balanced cleanser or moisturising shower gels having glycerine. Skipping moisturiser after shower: After taking a shower, it is essential to use moisturiser within 2 to 3 minutes when our skin is in a humid state. Many of us don`t follow this and take a long time to use or don`t use moisturiser at all. Over exfoliating the skin: Dead cells would be removed by exfoliating the skin and by overdoing it would lead to different results. So, please be careful. The natural oils would be stripped off from the skin by exfoliating too much. Exfoliating skin once or twice per week would be fine. Instead of harsh scrubs, it is important to use mild exfoliants. Using extremely hard water: Water rich in minerals like calcium and magnesium is called hard water. This would dry out our skin. It is worthy to note that these minerals would form residue that would clog pores and would lead to itchy flaky skin. Staying in wet clothes for long: It is important to note that after a shower we must not stay in wet clothes for too long as it would make the skin lose moisture etc. Skin must be dried by gentle patting and not rubbing etc. Wearing gentle clothes after taking showowers is necessary. Ignoring shower products: Using sulphate free hair care products would be important. Dryness of the skin can also be due to shampoo and conditioners we use. Truth is that harsh surfactants could cause irritation in our body especially to those with eczema conditions etc. So, please be careful.