How often do you think about your belly button health? Probably not enough, at least according to Dr Karan Raj.
Dr Raj is one of the most popular health experts on TikTok, regularly keeping his 5.2 million followers updated with videos discussing all manner of things in the medical world.
One of his clips has exposed just how dirty our belly buttons can get – and highlighted just how dirty they can become if not properly cleaned.
The video is informative – but you might want to look away if gross stuff makes you queasy.
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As he explained that if not properly maintained, the body can produce a “belly button stone” made up of all sorts of gunk.
@dr.karanr#duet with @crinc_3 natural ornaments! #schoolwithdrkaran
The video begins with a short section from fellow TikToker @crinc_3 which features the caption: "My partner told me they'd never cleaned their belly button because it hurt. So I cleaned it."
"All flesh holes can build up with sweat, dead skin cells, oils, clothing fabric, bacteria and forbidden cheese,” Dr Raj said, commenting on the footage.
"If not washed out on a regular basis, this material can accumulate and harden into an omphalolith – a belly button stone.”
He added: "Belly button stones come in a wide array of colours, it's usually black but can be a light brown."
The clip sparked a big reaction from TikTok users, with one writing: “I didn't have a fear of belly buttons until I saw the one behind your head.”
Another said: “who else is checking their belly button right now LOL.”
One more added: "Not me cleaning my belly button straight after watching this.”
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