The human body is capable of producing some pretty gross stuff given half a chance.
But despite how ostensibly disgusting it is, for some reason there is a kind of grim fascination with things which are just a little bit gross.
Though it would seem there is a fine line, with popping zits being just the right level of gross but showing off a dissected cadaver is too far.
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Dr Karan Raj consistently finds that sweet spot of grossness in his videos about some of the cool and weird things that our bodies are capable of. Anything from why using Q-tips in your ear feels so good (though don't do it), to draining excess fluid from the abdomen feature in his TikTok videos.
The latest one shows off what can happen if you don't properly clean out an orifice which every person has. If you don't clean this particular orifice out then things can build up inside it, with predictably gross results.
I am, of course, talking about the belly button, what else?
Dr Raj explains that if you don't clean out your belly button then all manner of gunk, including oils, dead skin cells, fluff, and anything else in the vicinity can accumulate inside it.
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He explained: "All flesh holes can build up with sweat, dead skin cells, oils, clothing fabric, bacteria and forbidden cheese."
Most of the time this is fine if you clean it regularly. But if you don't things can accumulate to an extreme degree.
Dr Raj said: "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."
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You must have to leave it for a really, really long time for things to get that bad!
Hygiene around your belly button is even more important if you have a piercing there. Not having proper hygiene in the umbilical cord's former plug-in point can lead to infections which can get pretty nasty if you're not careful.
Regularly washing out a piercing with a saline solution, which is labelled for cleaning wounds, can be a good way to prevent infections.
For those with un-pierced buttons, regular soap and water is probably find to keep things nice and clean. However, if things do get bad down there, you should always consult your doctor.
Kit Roberts