I was a weird kid – I used to be very jealous of people who were left-handed, and desperately wanted an outie belly button (I don’t know what was going on with me either). A paper published in ...

The belly button, it turns out, is one of the least-studied parts of the human body. But one of its great mysteries may now have been solved – why most people have an innie, or concave belly button.

Outie belly buttons are usually normal variations in how the umbilical cord heals. Umbilical hernias and umbilical granulomas can also cause protruding belly buttons. You can have cosmetic surgery to ...

When it comes to body parts, the belly button doesn’t usually get much attention. Yet this often-overlooked little spot is a treasure trove of interesting details. Whether you've got an innie or an ...

During pregnancy, the belly button may change shape—often from an “innie” to an “outie”—as the growing uterus pushes against the abdominal wall. Some may also feel pain or discomfort due to factors ...

Holly has a degree in Medical Biochemistry from the University of Leicester. Her scientific interests include genomics, personalized medicine, and bioethics.View full profile Holly has a degree in ...

Yes, dogs do have belly buttons! However, a dog’s belly button looks a little different from a human’s. The best time to spot a dog’s belly button is during puppyhood. However, they’re visible in ...

1. Why do I even have a belly button? Your belly button, or navel – clinically, your umbilicus – is the permanent scar left from where your umbilical cord connected your circulatory system, when you ...

We know this isn't the most appealing of topics, but it's possible you don't know how to clean your belly button. And no, we don't mean with belly button piercings (which are back, FYI). We mean: how ...

Bodies are exhaustingly high-maintenance. The list of things you’re supposed to be doing just to stay alive and in reasonably good health gets more detailed the longer you live—especially when it ...

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Sarah Leupen, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (THE CONVERSATION) Everyone has ...