Does the way your belly button look makes you feel insecure? Have you always wanted to know how to get rid of your outie belly button naturally? Well then, you have come to the right place.
If you have been worrying about not being able to get rid of an outie belly button naturally and without any surgical intervention then this article is surely for you. Here, we will let you know about all the ways you can get rid of an outie belly button naturally and clear all your queries.
Belly buttons are the scars that are left behind after the umbilical cord is clamped and cut after the birth of a baby. The umbilical cord connects the fetus to the mother’s placenta. They get the blood supply, nutrition supply, venous drainage, and removal of excretory products through this umbilical cord from their mother.
Belly buttons can be of various shapes and sizes. According to its outlook, one can classify the belly button into two types that are, outie belly button and innie belly button. To know how to get an outie belly button naturally, the following discussion will clear all your queries.
Table of Content
What Is an Outie Belly Button?
Medically, the belly button can be defined as the scar on the lower abdomen of a human being which is caused due to the removal of the umbilical cord after the birth of an individual. The umbilical cord is a tube-like structure that connects the fetus to the placenta of the mother.
The blood supply, food and nutrients supply, venous drainage, and removal of excretory product of the fetus are maintained through this umbilical cord. The umbilical cord takes the products required for the fetus’s nourishment from the mother and transports them to the fetus. Most simply, it can be said that the umbilical cord helps in the survival, growth, and development of the fetus.
The umbilical This umbilical cord is clamped and cut immediately after birth leaving a stump called an umbilical stump. This stum dries, shrinks, and shrivels within a period of one to three weeks. Eventually, the stump falls off leaving a scar called the belly button.
According to the outlook of a belly button, it can be classified into two types. These are namely outie belly button an innie belly button. Most people have innie belly buttons. But that does not mean anyone having an outie belly button is abnormal. The appearance of the belly button of a person can change based on various medical factors.
Usually, the physiological cause of a person having an outie belly button is that when the umbilical cord is cut after birth, sometimes a baby is left with more scar tissues than the others. How much of the stump remains evident or is concealed is also dependent on the amount of space between the skin and the abdominal wall of the individual.
Many people believe that it also depends on how the cord was cut and tend to question the competence of the doctor. But, that is a misconception. The appearance of the belly button has nothing to do with the process in which the cord was cut.
Causes of Outie Belly Button
There are various physiological and pathological causes why an individual may have an outie belly button. As mentioned earlier, an outie belly button is not the outcome of how it was cut or the incompetence of a doctor. Having an outie belly button is completely normal and is not a medical concern. Most of the time it is seen that if a person wants to get rid of an outie belly button then that is because of cosmetic purposes.
In the case of infants, an outie belly button may be seen due to some pathological causes. These are mentioned and described below:
Umbilical Hernia
An umbilical hernia is caused due to bulging of the intestine in the abdominal muscles through the umbilical opening. This results in a small bulge or swelling near the belly button. With tome, the bulging may become more noticeable when the baby cries, moves or tenses. There are a few risk factors of umbilical hernias. The babies who are at risk of having umbilical hernia are:
- Low birth weight babies
- Premature babies
- Infants
- Prolonged coughing
In infants, the umbilical hernia is cured on its own without any treatment. The umbilical hernia closes with time. An umbilical hernia is mostly harmless and painless. An umbilical hernia doesn’t show any signs or symptoms in infants. If the hernia does not heal by the age of four then a surgical operation will be required to treat it. If it is not treated surgically then it may cause complications in the future.
So, to prevent that it is better to get the proper and required treatment. . complications include the prevention of proper blood supply to that region due to the trapping of abdominal tissue as a result of hernia. This results in pain and a higher risk of tissue infection and damage.
If any parent believes that their infant may have an umbilical hernia then they should consult a physician immediately. One should get emergency medical treatment in the following cases:
- The existing bulge discolors and swells up
- The baby is experiencing pain
- The baby starts to vomit
- The bulge causes pain when touched
Umbilical Granuloma
After the umbilical cord is clamped, cut and the stump falls off, within a few weeks a minor growth in the tissue may occur in that area. This small tissue growth is known as an umbilical granuloma. It appears to be small in size and pink or red.
This growth may contain yellow color or clear discharge. It usually does not irritate the baby or cause pain but if it is left untreated for a long time then it may cause infection resulting in fever and inflammation. Usually, within one or two weeks umbilical granuloma heals on its own. If it does not go away on its own then treatment is required to prevent further infection.
If a person can diagnose umbilical granuloma then they should consult a pediatrician to seek advice. It is possible to treat umbilical granuloma at home with the help of table salt. The process by which you can treat an umbilical granuloma at home is given below:
- The center of the umbilicus is to be exposed by lightly pressing the region around it.
- A small pinch of table salt is to be applied over the umbilical granuloma. If an excess amount is applied then it will damage the skin.
- The area on which the table salt is applied is to be covered for thirty minutes with a sterilized piece of gauze.
- Then the area is to be cleaned with warm water by soaking gauze in it and applying it to that area.
- This procedure is to be repeated twice a day for at least three days.
How to Take Care of an Infant’s Outie Belly Button?
We know that the umbilical cord of a baby is cut off immediately after birth. It takes time for it to dry and fall off. During that time it is necessary to keep the umbilical stump clean so that it does not cause any unwanted irritation or infection. The stump should be taken care of in the following way:
- Sponge baths should be preferred over submersed tub baths.
- The belly button should not be covered with diapers.
- Mild soap and water are to be used to bathe the baby.
The umbilical stump usually falls off in two or three weeks. If it does not then one should consult a doctor. They should seek immediate treatment if they notice the following:
- Discharge which is foul in smell
- Red discoloration
- When the area is touched then it shows signs of tenderness
- Bleeding
- If there is belly button pain
How to Fix an Outie Belly Button?
An outie belly button is very normal to have. But if anyone wants to get rid of that then that is also very possible. One can fix an outie belly button in two ways that are by surgical method and non-surgical method.
Fixing an Outie Belly Button Without Surgery
The separation of a person’s outermost abdominal muscles is known as diastasis recti. The main function of the abdominal muscle called rectus abdominis is to provide support to our organs and back. To provide a string build or stature these muscles must remain close together.
When these muscles separate due to some unprecedented reason then the connective tissue linea alba which joins these muscles becomes loose and stretches sideways. As the muscles stretch sideways the build becomes thinner and weaker and can no longer support the organs and the belly button. This results in an outie belly button.
A diastasis can be treated and closed by anyone at any time. The main way to treat and close a diastasis is to let the connective tissue healing. This healing rate of the connective tissue varies from person to person. It depends completely on the condition of that person’s connective tissue. If a person has weak connective tissue then it will take a longer time to heal and vice-versa.
When the connective tissue heals then it becomes thicker and stronger again. As a result,lt it can provide support to the belly button again. People are recommended to do this process before going for surgery.
If this process does not work then they can go for surgery. Mostly it is seen that if this program is done then that person does not need to go through surgery. This will further develop an individual transverse strength and ability of their abdominal muscles.
To prevent any kind of infection in your belly button one should remember to dry their belly button after showering with a towel or with the help of a blow dryer before they put clothes back on. After the belly button is closed up it should be moisturized.
Fixing an Outie Belly Button With Surgery
The process by with one can fix an outie belly button is known as umbilicoplasty. This is a plastic surgery usually done to an individual when they want a new appearance of their navel or need umbilical hernia repair. Navel surgery is performed under local anesthesia.
This procedure involves small incisions and the removal of excess skin that results in the bulging of the belly button. This surgical process can also help to get rid of any loose skin after pregnancy or extreme weight loss.
Plastic surgery of the navel is done due to the following reasons:
- To treat an umbilical hernia
- To change the appearance of the belly button
- To decrease the size of the navel by removing excess skin
- To transform outer belly buttons into innie belly buttons
- To correct any complications that arose from previous surgical interventions
- It is done as a part of a tummy tuck
- To repair any damage caused due to stretched belly button piercings
Conclusion
Having an innie belly button is more common than having an outie belly button. So, it is normal for one to wonder how to get rid of an outie belly button. These days due to social media influence people are more concerned about the appearance of their belly buttons. But it is important to keep in mind that having an outie belly button is completely normal and it is not a medical concern.
Parents should be aware of how to keep the navel of a newborn baby clean and maintain it properly to prevent any kind of infection or other health problems. As long as a person can maintain their and their baby’s hygiene an outie belly button should not be a concern. Following the guidelines for a healthy lifestyle will keep you safe and sound.
FAQs
Is there any risk of having an outie belly button?
Having an outie belly button is very natural. It does not pose any health risk. One does not have to consult a doctor if they have an outie belly button. If one is concerned about hernia or granuloma then they should consult a doctor. Both hernia and granuloma are easily detectable conditions and the doctor will treat the condition accordingly by observing the changes over time. The only time an outie belly button poses a risk is when trapping of the intestine occurs.
Can having an outie belly button be prevented?
There are a lot of myths on this topic of how one can prevent having an outie belly button. For example, many people believe that one can prevent an outie belly button by taping a coin over the baby’s belly button or by strapping something across their belly. This is pure myth and there is no medical explanation behind this to prove it.
This can cause harm to the baby’s health. Sticking a coin against a baby’s skin will irritate skin and this will lead to infection. It may also cause a choking hazard if the coin becomes loose.
Is it necessary to correct an outie belly button?
An outie belly button is completely normal. One should not correct an outie belly button. Most of the people who do correct their outie do it for cosmetic issues. They undergo plastic surgery to get the preferred outlook of their belly button.
An outie belly button is to be treated only if it is caused due to hernia or granuloma. Granuloma and hernia need close inspection and treatment or else it may cause infection in the future. So to prevent any further health problems an outie belly button should be treated.
Why shouldn’t you pick your belly button?
One should not pick their belly button as it may cause skin irritation and infection. As the belly button is a moist, dark area and in this part of our body the skin rests against another fold of skin, it is a breeding place for bacteria. So scraping of the belly button may cause yeast infection.
Are Outies genetic?
No, outies are not genetic. An outie belly button does not depend on how the belly button was cut. It is not acquired through heredity. This simply depends on the space between the skin and the abdominal wall during birth.
Can an outie belly button become an innie?
An outie belly button can be transformed into an innie belly button both naturally or by surgery. Naturally, it can be done by simply letting the loosened abdominal muscles heal. As a result, they will become thicker and provide support to the belly button. Surgically an outie belly button can be converted into an innie belly button by plastic surgery.
Can you get rid of an outie belly button without surgery?
Yes, you can get rid of an outie belly button without surgery. One can easily get rid of the outie belly button naturally without any surgical intervention and get the preferred appearance of their belly button. Outie belly button occurs due to loosening of the abdominal muscle. This can be gotten rid of naturally by simply letting the stretched muscles heal. And thus one can attain an innie belly button at home easily.
How to prevent an outie belly button in a newborn?
To prevent an outie belly button in a newborn one should simply keep the umbilical stump clean after the cutting of the umbilical cord. The baby should be given sponge baths instead of submerged baths. The navel area should be dried properly before putting on clothes. The diaper should not cover the umbilical stump.
