What does it mean when you have a discharge from your belly button?

Answer 1

Two possibilities. I'm sure there are many more. As a physician I encountered several people who ooze fom the belly button as a result of a fungal infection (candida). This fungus, also found in thrush and vaginal (yeast)infections, likes moist dark smooth areas, and often grows under the breasts or between folds of skin in overweight people. It is found all over in nature and does not necessarily indicate poor hygiene. It is more common in uncontrolled Diabetes; it is not in any way limited to that conditon. As for the other, we probably don't see it as much in this country. One day a man came to see me complaining of an itchy navel leaking fluid for 3-4 days. He was fairly heavy-set and had a rather pronounced "innie". I looked at his navel and grabbed a flashlight for a better look. He was red in the area, and in the bottom of this well were about a dozen maggots, happily swirling in a dab of fluid. Fly larvae. His occupation---garbageman. The guy who slings the cans in the back of the truck. Any infection of any sort or a foreign body can cause oozing.