How closed is the umbilicus (belly button)?

Question

I know the doctors cut the umbilical cord at birth and the rest dries as falls off and you are left with an "innie" or "outie" button.
My question is: Is it really (as in very) closed?
I'm looking at mine and wondering if there is a slight opening at all.
Pressing on it, I hear a slight gas sound (I have a small hernia from a heaving incident) and deep down in it (I have an "innie") there seems to be a scaring. Even if I scrub it in the shower, pretty much clearing this "scaring" it comes back very soon. I'm not sure if everyone has this scaring due to this perpetual "injury" so to say. (And yes I'm sure it's a scaring, not some kind of discharge)

I hope someone can shed some light, try to address my actual question please - closure and the scarring
THANKS!

Answer 1

The umbilicus is completely sealed off. The skin is tucked in and clamped right after the baby is delivered and the cord is cut. Then as it heals it scars over. The innie or outie depends on how well the doctors are able to tuck it in. Most of the time they can get it in completely and clamp it there...that's why most people are innies. So you do have scar tissue in there, definitely. If you're having some kind of skin flakiness or scaly tissue that you can scrub off...you may have dry skin, yeast might be growing, or some other kind of skin infection. When you're an innie, the navel is a cavity. Not much comes in or out unless you do it. One possibility is that it's not getting completely dry after you shower and scrub. Or you might not be getting all of the soap out after you scrub it. If those things are happening, that could cause some residue or skin irritation. Have a doctor take a look to be sure.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Answer 2

Very rarely there is a communication from the bladder to the umbilicus. This occurs when a structure called the urachus fails to obliterate in embryonic life. Such an affected person could have a moist navel, recurrent urinary tract infections, or pain above the pubis.

Likewise rare is a persistent omphalo-mesenteric duct resulting from failure of the yolk sac's connection with the midgut to obliterate. It normally disappears in the sixth week of fetal life. In such cases where the duct persists, small amounts of intestinal mucus, gas (swallowed air?) or even fecal contents are discharged into the navel.

I cannot otherwise explain the sound of air. The "scarring" you refer to may be a small granuloma, or it could be dried discharge at the orifices of one of the above persistent embryonic structures. Again, these are really uncommon conditions.

Answer 3

Yes, the umbilicus is closed completely. It used to contain blood vessels, but after the stump falls off everything is permanently sealed.

See a doctor if you have specific questions about this gas sound and your hernia.

Answer 4

just have a medical check up..