What should I do about my infected belly button?

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My belly button is all red and sore inside, it’s weeping and just generally gross. It’s spreading to the outside too. I will add a pic but fair warning, it’s grim! It hurts when I bend over or sit down. I go away on Monday, can’t decide if I need to see a doctor at a walk in centre tomorrow before I go or if it’ll clear itself up. What should I do? Thanks

Here it is in all it’s gross glory.

Walk in tomorrow!! Definitely!!

Clean it gently with a wet cotton bud and put a small amount of sudocream in and around and do the same again tomorrow.

That looks so sore!!! I definitely think this will need antibiotics (and normally I would say slap some savlon on and you’ll be fine!). Definitely go to walk in centre!

I take that back... didn't see the picture! Walk in centre tomorrow. Looks so sore!

Lordy! Mine can get a bit weepy and I was coming to suggests a salt water clean and some sudocrem… get thee to a doctor for some antibiotics that looks grim!

Call 111

See a doctor as it sounds like an infection. You wouldn't want to spoil your holiday!

...and looks like an infection!

Go see a doctor before your holiday, looks like it is necessary!

I’ve used savlon/sudocrem all week, kept it clean etc and it just won’t budge!! I’ll go to the walk in centre in the morning. Thank you all! Don’t think I’ll be doing any swimming on holiday.

Good lord - that looks nasty. Definitely get that looked at

I agree you need to see a doctor if you've tried to heal it yourself and nothing has worked. Have you had a piercing. That looks very very sore.

I had a fungal infection recently in my belly button which looked a bit similar - wasn't quite as bad as that, but the pharmacist gave me Canestan for it and it sorted it out really quickly

Looks like a fungal infection to me. Do you have any Canesten cream you could put on it?

You need to get that checked. I had an infection in my belly button from a scope portal (laparoscopic surgery) and it needed IV antibiotics. Yours looks quite similar.

No piercings thankfully. No canesten in the house either. I found an old steroid cream for eczema and have stuck it in there, see how it looks by morning and ring up the walk in for an appointment (which sounds bizarre when I read it back but that’s the procedure 😆)

Steroid cream might make it worse in my strictly limited non-medically-trained experience!

Normally I’d suggest what works for me very deep belly button, don’t ask tea tree oil or althletes foot spray/cream but that looks like it needs a professional opinion. Maybe draw a ring around the red area tonight so you can see if it spreads?

Regardless, get thee to a walk in in the morning or ASAP!

And I say that as someone who won’t go to the doctor unless a vital limb has fallen off and I’ve run out of cotton to sew it back on

Ouch! Definitely get that seen tomorrow OP.

I used to have recurring low level infections in my belly button which i could manage using savlon spray most of the time and sometimes needing Fucidin cream from the GP, but yours looks quite concerning and I wouldn't be at all surprised if you end up needing to take oral antibiotics for that.

Please don't put any more steroid cream on an infection! That is a really bad idea.
Hot salt water bathing and drying and see a doctor or nurse asap.

Omg definitely get that seen early as possible tomorrow - that needs some heavy duty antibiotics. Hope it’s better very soon.

I’ve got an appointment at 5.
The steroid cream has antibiotic in too which is why I tried it.
I feel ill today, hope it isn’t connected

I’d push to be seen earlier if possible - ring back and tell them you’re now feeling unwell. Have you got a temperature?

That looks so painful.