From nose picking to sneezing into your hand – the 7 gross habits that can make you seriously ill, or even kill you
MOST of us are guilty of the odd nose pick when no one’s looking.
It’s also not uncommon to dash through our homes wearing the shoes that have been on our feet all day.
Some of us even like to use the corner of our bank cards to scoop the dirt out from under our fingernails.
Whatever your gross habit, and however harmless it may seem, it could actually lead to an array of health issues – from E. coli to tinnitus.
“While seemingly innocuous, they can have serious consequences,” pharmacist Debbie Grayson tells Sun Health.
So whether you sneeze into your hands or unload your supermarket shopping on your kitchen table, it’s time to nip these things in the bud – unless you want to suffer the consequences.
1. PICKING YOUR NOSE
NOT many of us can deny picking our noses in private. Some even do it for the world to see.
But if you’re a chronic picker, then you might end up in a spot of bother.
“The skin inside the nose is delicate and has a big supply of blood vessels that are found close to the surface,” says Debbie, also a nutritional therapist and founder of Digestion with Confidence.
“Regularly picking your nose can cause damage to the skin and blood vessels and increase the risk of nosebleeds. This can be made worse if you have dry nasal passages.
“Heating and air conditioning can increase dryness and irritation but this can also be the reason some people pick their noses.”
Superdrug Online Doctor, Dr Babak Ashrafi adds: “Your fingers carry germs, and when you pick your nose, you transfer those germs into your nostrils.
“This can result in bacterial infections such as nasal vestibulitis, a skin infection around the nostrils, or more serious conditions such as sinus infections, if bacteria enters the sinus cavities.
“Touching other surfaces or even your mouth and eyes after picking your nose can spread viruses or bacteria, increasing the risk of illness such as the cold or flu.”
Long-term or severe nose picking can damage the nasal septum, which is made up of cartilage, creating a hole that can cause difficult or noisy breathing.
Research has even associated nose picking with an increased risk of contracting coronavirus, as well as brain inflammation that can lead to Alzheimer’s.
The progressive condition affects 982,000 people in the UK and kills more than 74,200 every year.
Using your fingers or even cotton buds to clean your ears can increase the risk of damaging the delicate components
Debbie Grayson
If nasal dryness is the reason you can’t stop shoving your finger up there, Debbie recommends using a saline solution or dry nose spray, which will keep nasal passage moist, reducing irritation.
If your picking is more from habit, keep your hands busy in other ways.
Even twiddling a pen or squeezing a stress ball could be enough to take your mind away from your desire to pick.
“If you do pick your nose, use a tissue rather than a bare finger,” Debbie says.
“Keep your hands clean to reduce the risk of infection and keep nails short to reduce the buildup of dirt.”
Got scabs in your nose? See your GP, who can prescribe a nasal cream if appropriate.
2. SNEEZING INTO YOUR HANDS
GERMS are spread easily via coughing and sneezing, but are your hands really the best way to stop germs from showering all over the place?
As you likely know, no.
“Sneezing into your hands may not trap all droplets; some may get through between your fingers because bacteria and viruses are tiny,” says Debbie.
“Your hands are a primary way of spreading germs, so when you sneeze into them, you transfer viruses or bacteria – such as those from a cold, flu or even Covid-19 – directly onto your palms.”
All three can have serious consequences, including, in rare cases, death.
Dr Ashrafi adds: “Sneezing into your hands can contaminate common surfaces like doorknobs, phones or keyboards.
“This creates a cycle of cross-contamination, putting others at risk of picking up those germs.”
You could even develop an eye infection if you touch your eyes with your germ-laden hands, according to Debbie.
“Instead, always use a tissue to catch the sneeze if you can,” she adds.
“Sneezing into your elbow or upper sleeve can prevent contaminating your hands or spreading droplets around to other objects and people.”
3. OUTDOOR SHOES INSIDE
THINK about it. We wear our shoes everywhere – on the train, in the office, to the supermarket, at the park.
So it’s no wonder they can pick up an array of bacteria, germs and other gross substances from the surfaces we walk on.
According to Debbie, this includes E. coli, which can cause infections in your gut, as well as the bacteria Clostridium difficile, which can be picked up from bathroom floors and lead to diarrhoea, and worms and parasites from faeces and pesticides you might find in your local park.
“If these get into your body, you can end up dealing with nausea, vomiting and severe diarrhoea,” she adds.
In serious cases, this can be fatal.
It therefore makes sense to take your shoes off before walking around inside to avoid the risk of contaminating your home.
“This is especially true if your floors are covered in carpets and harder to clean than solid flooring,” Debbie says.
“If you have young children who are crawling on the floor, this increases the risk of them getting ill too.”
If you suffer from allergies, hay fever or asthma, it’s even more important to take your shoes off at the door as pollen, mould and dust can build up in your furnishings.
“Moisture from wet shoes also increases the risk of mould and mildew contaminating your soft furnishings, such as carpets and sofas,” warns Debbie.
A no-shoe policy is vital.
“Ensure family members and guests leave their shoes at the door and keep a pair of slippers or indoor shoes at the entrance to your home kept purely for indoor use,” suggests Debbie.
A sturdy doormat outside your front door also means you can remove most of the dirt and germs before stepping inside.
“If you do wear your shoes indoors, vacuum and mop regularly to reduce the risk of contamination and subsequent health issues,” she adds.
4. BAGS ON SURFACES
CONVENIENT it may be, but popping your handbag on an indoor surface could be a major hygiene hazard.
“We ladies often place our handbags down on the floor in shops and toilets to free our hands up for simple tasks,” Debbie says.
“This means that germs and other substances transfer to the parts of the handbag in contact with the floor, which can then be transferred to work surfaces, increasing our risk of illnesses and infections – particularly in food preparation areas in the kitchen.”
A hook or dedicated storage space for your handbag is a much better idea than placing it down on the nearest surface, says Debbie.
“I’d also always recommend a backpack-style handbag that easily rests on your back to reduce the need for you to put it on the floor.
“If you do place your handbag down on a work surface, always clean that surface before cooking, even if you only placed your handbag down momentarily.”
The same goes for your shopping bags after going to the supermarket – avoid placing them on your kitchen worktops, and if you do, keep them clean!
5. FINGERS IN YOUR EARS
AS the saying goes, you should never put anything in your ears smaller than your elbow.
So you guessed – nothing, including your fingers – should be making its way inside yours.
“Using your fingers or even cotton buds to clean your ears can increase the risk of damaging the delicate components of the ear, especially the eardrum – an extremely thin membrane,” Debbie says.
“It also increases the risk of pushing ear wax further into the ear and blocking them more.
“This can increase the risk of tinnitus – a ringing or buzzing sound in your ears.”
Dr Ashrafi adds that damage to the eardrum could even lead to “potential hearing issues” down the line.
Plus, anything on your hands can contaminate the ear and cause irritation and eczema – a chronic skin condition characterised by dry, itchy, inflamed skin.
It can also cause ear wax complications.
Debbie explains that wax is waterproof. Its role is to protect the ears.
Excessive ear wax can be the result of excess water in the ears from swimming or bathing.
If you need to clean your ears, resist the urge to stick a cotton bud in there. Instead, try olive oil.
“Insert two to three drops of olive oil in your ear whilst lying on your side,” Debbie says.
“Stay laying down for five to 10 minutes. Repeat this three to four times a day for three to five days.
“Lumps of earwax can fall out of the ear over approximately two weeks.
“You can also get saline based sprays for cleaning the ears too.
“Though if you have stubborn ear wax, see a GP or nurse to have it safely removed.” You can also book an appointment at Superdrug’s earwax removal service.
6. EYELASH PICKING
THIS is a habit you need to stop, pronto.
“Repeatedly picking at your eyelashes can cause them to become weak, brittle, or even fall out,” Dr Ashrafi says.
“Worse still? Doing it with unwashed hands or nails, which can lead to infections.
“Eye infections include blepharitis, inflammation of the eyelid; conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, the infection of the transparent membrane that lines your eyelid and eyeball; and even styes, which are painful bumps on the eyelid caused by infected glands.”
The most disgusting celebrity habits
THERE must be something in the water… but perhaps some of these celebrities wouldn’t know, given how little they seem to come into contact with it.
Singer Lizzo once admitted she refuses to wear deodorant – and smells “better” as a result.
And she’s not alone. Speaking in 2005, when asked what a man should smell like, Dallas Buyers Club actor Matthew McConaughey replied: “A man. I haven’t worn deodorant in 20 years.”
Cameron Diaz, Julia Roberts, and Bradley Cooper are all known for not putting on deodorant too.
Jennifer Lawrence once revealed she has “peed in some sinks”, adding: “When two girls go into a bathroom, someone’s gotta take the sink.”
And Jessica Simpson said doesn’t brush her pearly whites every day because she “doesn’t like her teeth to feel too slippery”.
Meanwhile, Twilight star Robert Pattinson once admitted he hadn’t washed his hair in six weeks.
When asked in an interview with Extra if it was true, the actor said: “I don’t really see the point in washing your hair.
Jake Gyllenhaal once told Vanity Fair: “More and more, I find bathing to be less necessary at times” – and it would seem Hollywood couple Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis agree.
Discussing personal hygiene on the Armchair Expert podcast, Ashton said: “I wash my armpits and my crotch daily, and nothing else ever.”
Mila added: “I don’t wash my body with soap everyday. I wash pits and t**s and slits and holes and soles.”
Eyelash picking can be a symptom of trichotillomania, which is when someone can’t resist the urge to pull out their hair.
“This may need behavioural or medical support,” says Debbie.
“Keeping busy or using a stress ball or fidget toy can help when you’re stressed.
“Keeping your nails short also makes it harder to pull on the lashes and can be a good preventative.”
If you’re struggling with irritation or an infection, Debbie suggests using an eyelid wash or some boiled and cooled water with a little baby shampoo on a daily basis.
This can keep irritation and swelling under control.
7. CREDIT CARD CLEANING
IF there’s dirt lingering under your nails, you’ll likely want to remove it.
But a dirty credit card is not the utensil you need.
“Using a credit card or other random object to remove dirt can injure the nail bed as objects with sharp edges can accidentally cause cuts or bruises to the delicate skin beneath your nails,” Dr Ashrafi says.
“Using unclean objects to clean your nails can introduce bacteria into the nail area, increasing the risk of infection.”
Always use proper nail cleaning tools, such as nail brushes or cuticle removers, which are specifically made to clean your nails.