Doctor reveals disgusting reason you should always wash your belly button

Belly buttons - we all have them - whether you have an innie or an outie but as a smaller part of our body, some may overlook the personal hygiene routine of regular washing that is needed to take care of the area.

(If you have omphalophobia - a fear of navels, you may want to read another story instead).

Now TikTok star and NHS doctor, Dr. Karan Rajan (@dr.karanr) has given an explanation as to what happened if a belly button does not receive a frequent clean.

In his video, he shared a clip of a woman who helped to clean her husband's belly button when he began to complain that it "hurt" and was left shocked when after "digging and digging" she pulled a mass of something out.

Found a huge blackhead in my partners bellybutton!😳 #oddlysatisfying #blackheadsremoval #ingrownhairremoval #satisfyingextractions #blackhead #gross

Found a huge blackhead in my partners bellybutton!😳 #oddlysatisfying #blackheadsremoval #ingrownhairremoval #satisfyingextractions #blackhead #gross

"All flesh holes can build up with sweat, dead skin cells, oils, clothing fabric, bacteria and forbidden cheese," he explained which can cause discharge and an infection.

A 2012 study also provides an insight as to how belly buttons can become infected if they aren't washed, as it showed that most participants in the research had around 67 bacterial species in their navels, National Geographic reported at the time.

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As a result, Dr. Rajan noted how avoiding these areas when washing can lead the person to develop "jewels" (but not the kind of jewels everyone wants).

"If not washed out on a regular basis, this material can accumulate and harden into an omphalolith - a belly button stone.

"Belly button stones come in a wide array of colours, it's usually black but can be a light brown," he added which explains what the woman grimly dug out of her husband's belly button.

A lack of washing in this area can also cause yeast infections according to Healthline because they typically occur in damp, dark areas of the body which has contact with other skin like a belly button does.

#duet with @crinc_3 natural ornaments! #schoolwithdrkaran

#duet with @crinc_3 natural ornaments! #schoolwithdrkaran

Since sharing the helpful medical advice, Dr. Rajan's video has been viewed 293,000 times, as people in the comments have shared their thoughts and followed his advice straight away.

One person wrote: "who else is checking their belly button right now LOL."

"Not me cleaning my belly button straight after watching this," another person said.

Someone else replied: "Well, I could’ve went the rest of my life and never had known about this."

"I think I have seen everything in TikTok now."

So, perhaps give your belly button a second thought next time you're having a scrub in the shower.