Eeeew - I have an infected tummy button

[BerylStreep]

TMI, I know, but I had to share.

My tummy button has got infected. I have never known this to happen before, but it is very sore. It's actually deep inside, not as a result of a piercing.

Has anyone else ever had this?

Yes, and surprisingly enough we've had threads on it on MN before.

What I did was to get some surgical spirit (although I guess vodka would do in an emergency...), lie on my back and fill the belly button up with surgical spirit and sort of squoosh it around a bit, then drain. Repeated two or three times a day until it was better.

I seem to remember that other posters had their own preferred techniques, though.

Thanks, I shall go and search for previous threads. Did you ever work out what caused it?

how does it smell?

i only ask as i had an impressivly infected belly button after a laparoscopy once. stunk to high heaven.

Me too, TheLogLady.
I used diluted tea tree oil to clean it.

It really whiffs.

Bleurgh.

Hope you feel less icky soon.

do youhave anti bugs? and a tea tree wash won't hurt and might help. with a few liberally sprinkled drops of lavendar to mask the stench.

The pharmacist recommended Savlon wound wash when I had it. The time before I used Sterzac powder but I think it is no longer available, we used to put it on manky baby bellybuttons.

I have this quite often but then my belly button is quite deep. Clean it out twice a day then smother it in Sudocrem with a cotton bud. Clears up in a few days. Good luck x

Use water with loads of salt in it to clean it out, as hot as you can stand it. I have had greeny horrible gunge come off on the cotton wool, which is smelly. Have had this twice and cleared up using this solution both times.

Thanks all.

I have ended up using a combination of Fucidin and Timodine on it, which the chemist agreed with, although it is still a bit infected.

Funny I have had flu like symptoms for both the last 2 weekends, and I think it is down to this.

Who knew this was as common? I had never even heard of infected tummy buttons.

Eurgh, guess what, almost 3 years later I have got another infected tummy button. What is going on?

It's sore and itchy, and smells.

At least I know what to do now - have just used salted water to clean it out.

I normally stick sudocrem in mine when it gets red and sore