Red irritated belly button

[vadamarie]

What is this and how do I treat this? I just noticed it and to b honest if I didn't physically SEE it it wouldn't have really bothered me. It don't have any discharge or weird smell but I have a bad anxiety disorder and now I'm having panic attacks assuming it's REALLY BAD!

Witch hazel is also good if it starts to get bad, but mostly just belly button hygiene

Not a doctor OP but I'm fairly sure there is nothing serious this could possibly be, the belly button doesn't go anywhere; it's no different to if this were a bit of shabby skin on a finger etc.

It probably looks way worse than it is because you are hyper aware of it and have been poking and prodding. Just leave it be. Don't start whacking medicated creams on it if you are medicating the wrong issue , if it might end up sore . I'd keep it clean as normal (very gently in the bath etc) moisturise with something very plain and fragrance free if its dry (aveeno etc) if you want.

You could always go to the pharmacy and ask to see the pharmacist if you are really feeling stressed, or even consider seeing the GP to discuss your anxiety if you haven't.

As a PP said, likely to be a fungal infection. Clotrimazole 1% (like Lotrimin) or Miconazole (like Monistat), basically any cream for athletes foot or vaginal yeast infections should clear it up. (I've given US brand names, as I assume that is where you are.)

I get this every so often as I have a deep inny belly button. I used to put talc in it but that just forms a paste that you need to pick out. Sudocrem clears it up much better in a few days

Ok thank you so much I've been sleeping to avoid the anxiety because it has made me feel much worse 😭. I just woke up and looked at it there still isn't anything coming out of it and to b honest it don't hurt or even itch it kinda Stings and it smells like well belly button lol but no weird strong odor or wen I cleaned it with qtip there was no color on it my anxiety is so bad still I hate it my friend is a nurse and just explaining it to her she said it's no doubt yeast and will look at it in the morning..but thank u for replying

I've had some irritation in my belly button over the years and found that a bit of extra attention when washing has usually cleared it up.

But three or four years ago, it happened again and nothing I did would help. I was googling like mad. And of course I managed to find something lethal (it took great dedication I can tell you🙂) and convinced myself that my children would soon be motherless. After a week or three of panicking, I finally had the sense to go to the doctor and when he examined me, he found that one of my so-called dissolvable stitches hadn't dissolved (I had had keyhole surgery for an ectopic pregnancy five years before). Anyway, after a bit of discussion with his colleague and a bit more prodding, he decided to leave it there and gave me an anti fungal cream. I'm supposed to go back if it flares up again, but luckily it hasn't.

I still remember the bemused look on the doctor's face when I admitted that I was relieved it wasn't serious. But, being the type of person I am, I soon moved on to some other health related Doomsday scenario. Health anxiety is very difficult to live with.

I hope you get sorted soon.