Months after lap - damp belly button - help!

[luthien]

Hey, so it's been about 5 months post lap, and my belly button although healed and all okay kinda stays wet and smells a bit damp, there's no infection or inflamed or itchy and doesn't smell infected. Sorry if tmi.

It's changed shape after second lap. First lap they did an incision at the base of my belly button, which was fine. Second lap they did an incision at the top of it, well that caused a fold of skin to form, I'm okay with that but it's kind of left my belly button squashed which makes me think air isn't getting to it as well as it used to - it's healed fine without any probs. I can dry it out with a cotton bud and add talcum powder but it's just odd and annoying as it can get a little irritated if I don't dry it daily and smells kind of like damp all the time - not overpowering, just there.

Is there anything I can do? I'm not fussed about going to my GP for it as they'll just say leave it, and the fold would be cosmetic.

I'd prefer alternative / natural treatment to keep it dry / help it stay dry / stop it smelling damp. Talc works for about 12 hours, that's why I was looking into Diatomaceous Earth - we use it for lots of other stuff but never used it on sensitive areas / healing.

[marti323]

Sorry to hear about this. I don’t really have an answer to this but I would say do try to find an alternative solution that’s more natural than talcum powder. Weren’t there warnings about talc causing ovarian cancer? But I think it’s when women use it around the vaginal area. Just wanted to give you a heads up. Sorry I don’t mean to scare you.

[luthien in reply to marti323]

thats okay, it's why i am looking at natural stuff!

[Thecraftyadder]

This is a random suggestion but I used it when I had wet eczema in the folds of skin round my ears . I found just using a hair dryer on the area after showering really helped to keep them dry. I'm just wondering if that would work to really dry it out thoroughly...

[luthien in reply to Thecraftyadder]

good idea!

[Sfarre]

Yes mine was doing that for months! It turned out there was still surgical glue inside that my body was trying to expell. One evening last month, a huge chunk of the stuff just popped out, and now it is 100% fine. I agree with the others that talcum powder isn't a good idea. Try not to worry too much, if its not smelly or has lots of pus or other gunk coming out, it is probably fine to just leave alone.

[luthien in reply to Sfarre]

thanks, yeah i dont want to use talc, the DE stuff is more natural.

Ahh that glue sounds awful, I only had stitches on my belly button incision, the other three were glued, those are all perfect.

perhaps it's because i know it smells a bit so i am aware of it, and it's always there so yes maybe i need to just not worry!

[Sfarre in reply to luthien]

Ah ok. If you didn't have glue, then maybe it is the stitches trying to come out. Hopefully they will do it sooner rather than later for you!

[luthien in reply to Sfarre]

They've come out months ago! Took about 3 weeks, but all out.

I've had a bath and let it soak, seems to be a bit better now.