Dermatologists Finally Explained What Belly Button Lint Is Made Of, & It's Actually NBD
Have you ever wondered wtf is in your belly button? Maybe your belly button is sparkly andĀ shiny clean,Ā but for some of us, we look down and wonder how in the world that stuff got there. Well, itās called belly button lint, or as ecology professor and environmental researcherĀ Georg SteinhauserĀ of Leibniz University calls it, ānavel fluff.ā After we finished laughing over ānavel fluff,ā we were still wondering what and how? Thanks to some info fromĀ Allure and a couple dermatologists, we have the answer.
Firstly, what is the stuff? According to Sejal Shah, dermatologist and founder of SmarterSkin Dermatology, says āBelly button lint is a combination of fibers from clothing, dead skin cells, residue [from] sweat and oil, and other debris.ā
Secondly, how in the world does it get in our belly button? Soren White, NYC based derm, told Allure: āNavel fluff is typically only a problem for people who have innie belly buttonsā because itās easy for the diverse particles to get stuck in there. In addition, if you have a lot of hair that can impact how easily thing get wrapped up in there too. Because the purpose of body hair is to protect our bodies and catch things, they catch the particles that make up belly button lint. So if youāre hairy, you have a way better chance of getting a lilā ball of lint in your lilā belly button.
Want to get rid of it? Donāt worry, itās easy. Make sure youāre preventing it first! Clean your belly button regularly. Every time youāre in the shower or changing your clothes give it a little clean. Furthermore, Soren White says that cotton shirts, especially new ones, are more likely to lose particles so before you start wearing a new shirt, wash it a couple times. Also try wearing shirts made of different materials like nylon and polyester. Finally, if itās really bad or bothering you, consider waxing or shaving the area ā and if thatās just too much upkeep, try laser hair removal!
At the end of the day, a little bit of navel fluff isnāt going to kill you (or even harm you in any way), so relax and keep that belly button clean!