Q&A for How to Stop Picking Your Nose

Yes. If you end up peeling off a small amount of skin, your nose may start to bleed.

It's unhealthy, as opening up spots in your nose provides an attractive place for bacteria to settle. This may develop into an infection, but that's rare. Just stop picking: it's for the best.

Find something else to do with your hands until you you can get a tissue or handkerchief.

It's a habit, and habits relax us, it's as simple as that.

Try to let the scabs heal without picking them. Nose scabs are very sensitive, and the more you pick, the more they bleed. Let them heal by themselves.

Try keeping your hands busy. When they're busy, you don't have a chance to pick your nose, therefore you can't wipe it anywhere.

It depends on how much your nose is bleeding. If it is going crazy, then that's not good and you should ask your doctor for help. If it's dripping, run to a sink or bath and let it drain for a bit and then wipe it up. And perhaps stop picking it, to stop the bleeding from being triggered.

Yes. Picking your nose is unhygienic, and can spread disease and bacteria.

Yes. It's not healthy to pick your nose. It's not healthy to do anything compulsively. Try the tips in the article or seek professional help.

No. Many small children do it, but it should be discouraged. The glands in your nose produce a mucus to prevent bacteria from getting in direct contact with these glands. That is the mucus you remove when picking your nose. The mucus traps these bacteria inside; ingesting them is not a good idea.

Go to the bathroom as fast as you can. Try stopping the bleeding with your hands.

Go immediately to a bathroom and take tissues with you. If there isn't any bathroom just try to stopper it with tissues. See your doctor if you keep experiencing such bleeding.

Try to occupy your hands with an activity. If you pick at your nose scab, you might get an infection.

You can go to a restroom, wet your finger and gently rub some water on the insides of your nose. Alternatively, you could try a nose spray or even a Turkish bath. Most lunch counters, fast food restaurants and snack bars will give you some paper tissues if you ask politely.

No. Use nasal spray two times a day.

No. Not sure where you got that idea.

Just don't collect your boogers. It is unsanitary and will probably disgust people who see.

Yes, it is normal. We all have boogers in our nose, and they can be very annoying and make you you want to scratch at your nose. Always try to blow your nose before you start picking it, though.

No. Your nose is a gland which separates mucus. This is the substance you take out when you pick your nose. It is not part of the physical structure that supports your face. If you have pain, don't hesitate to contact your doctor immediately.

Yes. A nose bleed can be a symptom of many things, many of which are dangerous. If your dog has a nose bleed, contact your veterinarian for advice.

You could try a turkish bath, a type of sauna where the air is extremely humid, which brings a lot of moisture into your nose and mouth. It's also good for your health. Alternatively, try placing your head under a towel over a bowl of steaming water. You can perfume it or put some of the aloe/saline in it for added benefit. This has the same effect as the turkish bath. If the problem persists, seek medical advice.

Seek medical advice if the problem persists. If it's coagulated blood that is blocking your nose, you will simply have to wait until the underlying wounds have healed. If it's simply mucus, try letting it dry up. Mucus shrinks while drying, which should unblock your nose. If you have excess mucus, this might be a symptom of an underlying illness. In all cases, the best course of action is to stop picking your nose and seek medical advice if you need to.

Dip a Q-tip into a little petroleum jelly and stick it into your nostrils -- just don't push it up too far.

You could buy a handkerchief. They are reusable and can easily be washed.

The skin and hair follicles can get infected, which can spread to the brain and the rest of your body, but cancer is not caused by picking your nose.

A better understanding of the process might help you gain insight into what you are doing; the nose glands produce mucus to prevent bacteria from getting into direct contact with these glands. Once the mucus has served its purpose, it is naturally discarded through sneezing and dissolving. At that point, the mucus has trapped thousands if not millions of bacteria inside of it. Ingesting that is not beneficial.

See a doctor or a psychologist to help with your problem.

Consider clipping your finger nails, or cleansing your nose under the shower with wet fingers or tissues. Contact your doctor if you have serious scrapes in your nose, do not apply skin healing ointments or bandages without medical advice.

Soothe your nose with warm water. Put a towel over your head and breathe in steam from a hot water bowl. Use wet Q-tips to gently soak your nose and lessen the irritation. But whatever you do, don't open up the wounds again, it will just postpone the problem. It needs to heal.

The size and shape of your nose is determined genetically. Even gaining or losing a lot of weight usually will not the way the nose looks.