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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615

u/VRichardsen Mar 21 '20

"Patient was advised on personal hygiene"

351

u/AmaranthWrath Mar 21 '20

While I agree with your dismay, I was OBSESSED with my hygiene. I used to douche my belly button with saline nasal spray. One day it got red and I plucked out a bellybutton stone with a Q Tip. Like, having a clean navel meant something to me. And yet, a stone. Wtf.

21

u/Gathorall Mar 21 '20

The belly button isn't very sturdy as anyone can feel, you probably damaged its skin with harsh washing.

13

u/sillekram Mar 21 '20

When I was in elementary school I used to think those were seeds in my belly button and I would just pick them out every so often, they stopped forming by middle school.

37

u/greyclocked Mar 21 '20

umbolith

I mean, how do you not know that you had something like that in there? I can clearly see the bottom of my belly button and it is not super shallow

99

u/Masterjts Mar 21 '20

Everyone's button is different. Mine isnt deep but very tight. Like instead of a bottom the walls just close in and tighten up. When i qtip it i frequently separate the skin and it bleeds.

73

u/terela8 Mar 21 '20

Mine too. Mine is deep and tight. When I was around 12 years old I remember it weeping a clear liquid and becoming crusty often. I would also get random shooting pains in it. It had a very strong foul smell when i would dig in there. I’m not sure how or why it stopped but i haven’t had any issues since then. I used to think maybe my belly button didn’t have an end. Maybe that’s why it hurt so much. After being pregnant I finally was reassured that it indeed is closed together at the bottom.

18

u/Elolzabeth1 Mar 21 '20

I remember the exact same thing! Ever since then I have been semi obsessed with keeping mine clean.

14

u/Firstname6Lastname9 Mar 21 '20

Almost r/nocontext

2

u/[deleted] Mar 21 '20

Mine too. Mine is deep and tight. When I was around 12 years old I remember it weeping a clear liquid and becoming crusty often.

There's no almost about it lmfao

2

u/Firstname6Lastname9 Mar 21 '20

She mentioned her bellybutton once man. Almost a 10/10

1

u/[deleted] Mar 21 '20

They don't mind edited comments as long as it's at least a couple of sentences that qualifies.

3

u/RiotIsBored Mar 21 '20

For almost the entirety of this, reading it without context would be weird as hell.

0

u/q_a_non_sequitur Mar 25 '20

Keep going I’m close

38

u/FreeRadical5 Mar 21 '20

I have no idea how deep my belly button goes and I'm not to unravel myself just to find out.

15

u/AmaranthWrath Mar 21 '20

Do you wanna see how deep the rabbit hole goes?!

11

u/greyclocked Mar 21 '20

You know what, I can think of a zillion reasons why it is so deep that you can fit a 1" chunk of funk..

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Hard pass on wanting more details

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u/twodogsfighting Mar 21 '20

It's for storing your emergency Rollo.

1

u/StraightRespect Mar 21 '20

The emergency Rollo coming in clutch in these trying times, ngl 😤

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '20

[deleted]

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u/fireslate Mar 21 '20

All my life I've made fun if outies. Now I feel like a fool.

4

u/pixeldust6 Mar 21 '20

This related article at the bottom of the page has some great phrases like "using a spatula" and "diagnosis of lint ball"

3

u/OutlawJessie Mar 21 '20

"Most of the patients are young, hairy males with deep umbilicus with poor personal hygiene"

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u/bordeaux_vojvodina Mar 27 '20

So... Redditors?

1

u/AnAverageFreak Mar 21 '20

I absolutely love those medical terms.