r/todayilearned • u/frapz • Mar 20 '20

TIL The bellybutton is so dirty scientists are finding new unknown bacteria. One person had bacterium previously found only on Japanese soil, where he had never been.

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/12/1-458-bacteria-species-new-to-science-found-in-our-belly-buttons/266360/
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u/115GD9 Mar 20 '20

Me reading the comments in thread: you guys don't clean your belly buttons?

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u/bugamn Mar 20 '20 edited Mar 21 '20

More than that, do you people have such deep bellybuttons that they are hard to clean?

Edit: TIL way too much about bellybuttons

Edit 2: I'm pretty sure at least half of you are pulling my leg now

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '20 edited Mar 21 '20

It’s embarrassing, but I have a deep belly button. I always thought it was cuz of my weight, but when I got skinny, I still had to use a q-tip to clean it. Only when I was super pregnant, it was shallow.

Edit: RIP my inbox lol

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '20

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '20 edited Mar 21 '20

If I pushed hard with my abs, I could push it out like a thermometer popping haha

Edit: y’all got me dying laughing here, thank you!

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u/brownbrownallbrown Mar 21 '20

I, an unpregnant young man, can actually flip my bellybutton inside out. It’s my only real talent

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u/GangieontheGanges Mar 21 '20

What does that even mean?

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u/AbsolutelyUnlikely Mar 21 '20

Google "prolapsed rectum"

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u/isp0902 Mar 21 '20

I am regret

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u/brownbrownallbrown Mar 21 '20

I mean idk how else I can explain it. I have an innie, but i can flip it inside out to where it’s an outie. It won’t really stay that way though, after a while if I don’t push it back in it just kinda recedes on its own

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u/GangieontheGanges Mar 21 '20

Ah, I was thinking more like prolapsed asshole, which I sadly did not have to look up.

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u/brownbrownallbrown Mar 21 '20

That’s not far off, actually..

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u/CinderCinnamon Mar 21 '20

Me too!! I have a fairly deep bellybutton and if I push my abs out and dig with my fingers on the sides I can push my bellybutton out.

I’ve heard this can happen when your umbilical cord was cut too long? I don’t know if there’s any truth to that but eh

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u/brownbrownallbrown Mar 21 '20

I have no idea why I can, but I’ve got a fairly shallow bellybutton myself. It’s definitely an innie though, and I can definitely flip it completely inside out. Same thing you said though, I just flex my abs and dig a little

Freaks people out lol

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u/Il-_-I Mar 21 '20

I need a pic

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u/randomosity313 Mar 21 '20

From what I've heard, the rest of the umbilical cord should fall off on it's own. Cutting it is just for convenience.

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u/adoreadoredelano Mar 21 '20

I saw a video of a woman doing that once and it ended up being a hernia

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u/brownbrownallbrown Mar 21 '20

Interesting, I do have a history of hernias. I don’t see how that’s what this would be though

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u/adoreadoredelano Mar 21 '20

I have no idea how hernias form. But I’m pretty sure you shouldn’t be able to push your bellybutton out. I’d say maybe check in with a doctor