This bad habit risks embedding and spreading bacteria in the body, but also causing lesions inside the nostrils.
- By picking your nose, we destroy mucus, an essential element of our respiratory defense system, which traps dust and allergens.
- People who regularly put their fingers in their nose were more likely to carry Staphylococcus aureus, a germ that causes mild to severe infections.
- This bad habit also causes lesions and abrasions inside the nose.
Growing up, many people tended to stick their fingers up their noses. As adults, some people have continued this bad habit, which may seem harmless but is not without health risks. As a reminder, boogers are formed from mucus. It is an essential part of our respiratory defense system. This biological filter traps dust, allergens and other unwanted particles before they enter our respiratory tract. By picking our noses, we alter this protective barrier and expose our respiratory tract to an increased risk of infections.
Staphylococcus aureus: regularly picking your nose promotes nasal colonization
In a study, published in the journal Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, British researchers showed that Staphylococcus aureus, a germ that causes several mild to serious infections, was often found in the nostrils of people who put their fingers in their noses. To reach this conclusion, they recruited 238 adults. They have made several medical appointments for illnesses affecting the ears, nose and throat. Next, they were screened for “nasal carriage” of Staphylococcus aureus. The results revealed a link between “the frequency of nose cleaning and the frequency of positive culture results and the load of S. aureus present in the nose.” Additionally, this bad habit can cause sores and abrasions inside the nose, allowing bacteria and microbes to easily invade the entire body.
Alzheimer’s, Covid-19: more risks because of this bad habit?
Another research, published in February 2022 in the journal Scientific Reportseven raised the possibility that picking your nose could allow chlamydia pneumoniae to spread to the brain, with potential consequences for cognitive health. “We are the first to show that this bacteria can pass directly through the nose and enter the brain where it can cause conditions that resemble Alzheimer’s disease. We have seen this happen in mice and the evidence is potentially frightening for human beings too”, said Professor James St John, author of the research, in a statement.
And that’s not all. In addition to the risks previously mentioned, scientists from Griffith University (Australia) found that regularly picking your nose was associated with an increased risk of contracting Covid-19. Indeed, the virus responsible for this disease is transmitted mainly through the respiratory tract, and by regularly putting our fingers in our nostrils, we increase the chances of the virus entering our body.
