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How Does Picking Your Nose Affect Your Health?

By Kalyani Sakharkar

A lot of individuals have this bad habit of picking their nose. Definitely not in public but may be when no one's watching, they don't shy away from spending minutes together picking their nose. Picking on the nose is not just an unpleasant view for someone, but also a bad habit that may affect your health.

Picking your nose can lead to health problems and ill effects on your well-being. It is not only unhygienic, but also very unhealthy for your immunity. You can rupture your internal skin or even septum between your two nostrils if you are too rough. Avoid putting your nose through all that stress and avoid the following ill effects of nose picking.

nose picking damage

Side Effects Of Picking Your Nose:

Here are some of the most common ways in which nose picking may be affecting your health and hence should be completely avoided.

1. Bleeding From Nose

For habitual nose pickers, this can be a common occurrence. Aggressive nose picking can easily damage or rupture your internal nose skin. It is far more delicate than your external skin and can be scrapped off while you are picking your nose with sharp nails. Bleeding nose will need time for complete recovery; but obsessive nose pickers cannot wait that long before they start picking again, Hence, inflicting more damage.

2. Rupturing Your Nasal Septum

In certain extreme cases, nose picking can also damage your internal nose septum. It is a thin layer of cartilage separating the two nostrils. People who use nails to scrape of the mucus from their noses can damage their septums and lead it to bleed. These injuries are usually difficult to heal and can cause irritation and pain, and hence should be avoided.

3. Contracting Infections

When you put your finger inside your nose for picking, it can trap some mucus and dirt under your fingernails, thereby becoming a breeding place for the germs and bacteria to thrive on. These bacteria can find a way into your body and give rise to another infection. Make sure not to compromise on your immunity by this bad habit.

4. Is Extremely Unhygienic

One of the most disgusting reasons that one should stop picking nose is that the hands used for nose picking can sometimes be unwashed when we have food or apply a lotion or do any such tasks. It is an extremely unhygienic habit that can have severe ill effects on your health.

5. Pimples In The Nose Hair Follicles

Some people have sensitive skin that is prone to act out even in the smallest of stimuli. For such people, nose picking can be extremely painful and should be completely avoided, as it can irritate their nasal skin and cause pimples in the hair follicles of the nose. They are very painful and also very unhealthy. It is one of the worst ways that nose picking affects your health.

6. Lead To Sinusitis In Some Cases

If a person is suffering from cold and has blocked sinuses, constant picking of the nose can lead to the development of sinusitis in some cases. The bacteria from your fingernails can cause infection and lead to further inflammation. Sinuses can trap these bacteria and due to insufficient drainage, it can easily multiply in number and breed to form bigger infections in your nasal cavity.

7. Other Infections

Sometimes, you can also introduce a foreign bacteria or virus if you use dirty hands to pick your nose. This can very easily transfer from your nose to your trachea and further inside your body through the air flow channel. This can be a severe ill effect of nose picking, as you can contract very harmful infections through this way. Make sure you always wash your hands before you try to clean your nose. Also, wash your hands after you have cleaned your nose using a tissue.

Maintain proper nasal hygiene and use a slight amount of normal petroleum jelly if you experience extreme dryness or irritation. It will not only keep your nose well lubricated but also help in healing any skin abrasion or wound caused by excessive nose picking.

Avoid picking your nose to keep away from these unhealthy side effects. It may sometimes become a habit for people and later can be difficult to get rid of. Avoid using your fingers to clean your nose, instead use a wet towel or a tissue to get rid of the stuffiness or dryness in your nose.

Initially, it may take time to get used to but eventually, it will be for the better. If you notice or experience any irritation or unusual dryness, consult a doctor.

We hope this information was useful and can help you understand why picking nose can have so many harmful effects on your overall health. Let us know if you have any questions. We will be glad to answer them for you.

Story first published: Monday, May 14, 2018, 12:43 [IST]
Read more about: health wellness