Talk:Nose picking

we can add:

• Nose hairs will fall out. When picking nose continuously, then the nose will cause hair loss. In fact, nose hair has function as a filter dust and pollution. Without nose hair, then the disease and infection can enter the body.
• You could die. Inside your nose, there is ethmoid bone, this bone separates the nose from the brain. if you stab this bone, the brain fluid would leak, and you will die. ^[1] —Preceding unsigned comment added by 188.161.166.219 (talk) 17:42, 17 April 2011 (UTC)

No we can't. A blog is not a reliable source.--Charles (talk) 19:00, 17 April 2011 (UTC)

you're saying MD don't write blogs? or what MD write aren't reliable? Ebaychatter0 (talk) 22:26, 19 August 2012 (UTC)

The name rhinotillexis comes from Greek, not Latin. --90.177.208.162 (talk) 21:08, 19 July 2011 (UTC)

Way outdated citations of a sketchy claim by a single doctor in an oddly specific part of Germany with no publication record other than an associated press article bodes for a dubious, if not completely unfounded, claim. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Rawnoodles10 (talk • contribs) 10:46, 12 January 2012 (UTC)

Does "nose-picking" necessarily involve eating the mucus? Isn't nose-picking just the act of taking the mucus out of your nose finger-wise? -- Petru Dimitriu (talk) 09:47, 29 September 2013 (UTC)

I have come to the conclusion that the picture is inaccurate. The man is posing and pretending to pick his nose, but is not in actuality. His hand is facing the camera and parallel to his face, and also the finger is not performing any action. The picture is visually appealing but does not represent the action. I suggest replacement. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 162.246.173.62 (talk) 07:01, 21 June 2016 (UTC)

noses of some people are more effecient, which do not allow any dust particles to go in the respiratary system. It is necessary to clean the nose by nose picking by using fingers. It is also necessary to grow nails to some extent for deep cleaning. It is safe to use fingers than any outside instrument. Waman damle (talk) 05:50, 2 October 2018 (UTC)

TLDR; nose picking can be a vector for germs http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/52/4/1800599

Aethalides (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 19:52, 13 October 2018 (UTC)

The redirect Digital trauma has been listed at redirects for discussion to determine whether its use and function meets the redirect guidelines. Readers of this page are welcome to comment on this redirect at Wikipedia:Redirects for discussion/Log/2023 September 2 § Digital trauma until a consensus is reached. Clarityfiend (talk) 09:11, 2 September 2023 (UTC)

@Discospinster

"Alien hand syndrome and other too-weird-not-to-be-true stories" by Allan Bellows is a pop science book made by the creator of weird-but-true fact website Damn Interesting.com. While the book does indeed report on the findings of one Fredrich Bischinger, neither Bellows nor the book's publisher Workman Publishing Company (subsidiary of Hatchette Book Group) constitute as a reliable source for medical science review. as WP:MEDRS states:

"Additionally, popular science books are useful sources, but generally should not be referenced on Wikipedia to support medical statements (see #Popular press)."

Additionally, substantiating a claim with a Times Union (Albany) article is also not recommended by WP:MEDRS (even more so considering Times Union does not specialize in medical journalism):

"The popular press is generally not a reliable source for scientific and medical information in articles. Most medical news articles fail to discuss important issues such as evidence quality, costs, and risks versus benefits, and news articles too often convey wrong or misleading information about health care."

Lastly, the Article from Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center, while being from the medical wing of a university, is still not a preferred source. WP:MEDRS prefers review articles (especially systematic reviews) published in reputable medical journals, academic and professional books written by experts in the relevant fields and from respected publishers. Additionally, the OSUWMC article does not back Bischinger's apparent support of habitual nose picking and mucophagy, moreso coming from the angle of the practice not causing harm to the immune system.

.'In a way, I’d say you’re already doing it, Otto says. 'We make about a quart of mucus a day, and most of it we swallow.' The mucus in your nose travels from the sinuses to the nasal cavity, where it catches particles that you inhale through your nose. Then that mucus heads to your stomach. You may sometimes see headlines touting booger-eating as a way to boost the immune system. But because boogers are made from the same ingredients as the mucus we swallow every day, Otto says eating boogers doesn’t matter much to your immune system.'.

I removed the "Benefits" paragraph because it's sources, while might be RS in a different field, does not constitute RS in Biomedicine. You seem to be an active contributor to this article and I'd hate for this to turn into an edit war. I'm placing this topic here as a justification for my edits for you and other contributors. I hope you can understand. Cawfeecrow (talk) 09:30, 14 December 2025 (UTC)

I was just going on the fact that one of the articles was from a medical school. ... discospinster _talk 17:20, 11 January 2026 (UTC)

That one is the most reliable of the group, I agree. But as I've mentioned, that doesn't back the whole "benefits" message of the sentences before, just that it isn't a harmful practice (in the opinion of Doctor Bradley Otto). I can leave that sentence alone for now with a better source tag attached, if you'd prefer that. Though, I still am a bit concerned about undue weight as it is a weaker source per WP:MEDRS.

Are we in agreement that the Bischinger/DamnInteresting and the Times Union claims can be removed? Cawfeecrow (talk) 17:39, 11 January 2026 (UTC)