But don’t despair the big guns of medical research are being turned on that great question of our time; why do we get fluff in our belly buttons? What is it made of? And why is it usually found in men.
According to a paper in the Journal Medical Hypotheses (2009 volume 72 pages 623-5) written by a Dr George Steinhauser from the Vienna University of Technology it is made of textile fibres and collects in men’s navels due to the hair that traps it.
Unlike physiotherapists and sports medicine practitioners Dr Steinhauser had large numbers of subjects (503 pieces of fluff) and a long 3 year follow up period. The average quality of navel fluff was 1.82mg.