# Picking your Nose **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 29, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-your-nose/185240 "2003-06-29T23:49:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scumbagsmanu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@scumbagsmanu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scumbagsmanu)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-your-nose/185240/1 "2003-06-29T23:49:59Z")
I know most people pick thier nose, but like to say they don’t. But can Picking your Nose make it bigger in anyway? Cheers ---
**Author:** ![Melanie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Melanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melanie)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-your-nose/185240/2 "2003-06-30T00:17:41Z")
Watch out coz there is a fine membrane at the top (I forget what it is called) that is quite poreous and bacteria can get through to the brain and cause brain damage. I was told this from a neuroscientist so since then I have been a bit paranoid. Maybe wash your hands before going the pick. I don’t see how picking could make it bigger unless you had your finger up there semi-permanently. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-your-nose/185240/3 "2003-06-30T00:26:32Z")
Have you a cite from a doctor on that, Melanie? ---
**Author:** ![Melanie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Melanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melanie)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-your-nose/185240/4 "2003-06-30T00:34:46Z")
samarm: “I was told this from a neuro…” So no I don’t have this in print but I can go look up the med journals if you are keen. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-your-nose/185240/5 "2003-06-30T00:43:26Z")
If you’re that worried about nose enlargement or brain damage, use a Q-tip. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-your-nose/185240/6 "2003-06-30T00:58:24Z")
> [@](#): > > Fourth, the fossil record is quite clear that there was a large-scale expansion of the nasal cavity about one million years ago. In many respects, this blossoming of the central portion of the hominid face was the last major factor that propelled Homo erectus into truly modern morphologies and behavior patterns, and the transformation was driven in large part by nose-picking. I can’t find any evidence that nose picking causes your nose to get bigger in the short term, but it appears to have an effect in evolutionary terms. Melanie: As this is GQ, people are expected to be able to back up their claims with cites. Your claim about the membrane may well be true but it isn’t part of the original question, so no I won’t ask you to look it up the medical journals. That could take hours! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-your-nose/185240/7 "2003-06-30T01:05:57Z")
After all that, I forgot to provice the cite! [http://www.calflora.net/primatenooz/nosepicking.html](http://www.calflora.net/primatenooz/nosepicking.html) ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-your-nose/185240/8 "2003-06-30T01:12:31Z")
**Cecil Adams** on [Can you die from picking your nose?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_270b.html) ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-your-nose/185240/9 "2003-06-30T01:16:47Z")
Asked and answered, should have guessed Cecil got there first. That was the cite you needed, Melanie. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-your-nose/185240/10 "2003-06-30T01:43:38Z")
**samarm** , I believe you will find that much of the data relied upon by Dr. Harrison in writing that article was stolen from the much-maligned Professor Mitsuo Ohhohoho. Ohhohoho presents much the same thesis as Harrison in an appendix to his groundbreaking _The Professor Mitsuo Ohhohoho Primate Identification Book and African Jungle Survival Guide_ ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-your-nose/185240/11 "2003-06-30T02:26:40Z")
Does the doctor happen to moonlight as the Japanese equivalent of our Santa Claus?😃 ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-your-nose/185240/12 "2003-06-30T02:28:04Z")
I meant professor:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-your-nose/185240/13 "2003-06-30T04:04:39Z")
Ohhohoho? Jeez. That guy must’ve had a rough childhood.