Why are some people's belly buttons innies and some outies?

McGruff

Assuming the attending physician didn't bungle the job, the incidence of 'innies' and 'outies' appears to be random. The accepted procedure for cutting the umbilical cord, which is usually done a few minutes after birth, is to place two clamps on it near the junction with the kid--an ordinary surgical clamp on the placenta end and a special plastic gizmo on the kid end, a centimeter or two from the abdomen. Then you cut in the middle. Within a week or so the stub becomes necrotic (i.e., dead) and falls off, leaving, ideally, a concave scar. The vagaries of fetal development and the healing process being what they are, however, sometimes you get an 'outie,' which, apart from any embarrassment it may occasion at the beach, is harmless. http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_089.html Aug 23 02, 2:44 PM