Picking your nose?

Ryuk1990

Is there any scientific evidence suggesting that picking your nose over a long period of time can make your nose bigger?

SW VandeCarr

Have you done a literature search on nose picking? We would prefer that you do some research on your own so that you are better equipped for a scientific discussion when you post.

hypatia

You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose,but you can't pick your friends nose.

Borek

Urban legend.

stevenb

Most definitely. Children do this all the time, even in public. Look how fast their noses grow.

And, it seems Einstein never shedded this bad habit. Just look.

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SW VandeCarr

A lot of it has to do with finger size and willingness to "go deep".

stevenb

How does one find the appropriate wording to write a proposal to obtain the long term funding for such a research study? Anyone with such skill is welcome to help me write my next proposal. Name your fee!

SW VandeCarr

Your proposal should be entitled: "Proposal for a long term cohort study of the consequences of rhinotillexomania in children." This study is good for at least 20 years of funding.

stevenb

You're hired !!!

SW VandeCarr

Hey. I've worked on both sides of the fence on research grant funding. They'll think "rhino... what?" and be too embarrassed to ask what it means. It's about children so it must be important!

EDIT: That's only at the first level of review however, so don't get your hopes up too much.

Newai

Why does this even matter? I think it's safe to assume that most people pick their noses as much as the next guy/gal, yielding no significant or observable affect in size.

bobze

Your nose and ears continue to grow throughout life. Speculative on my part here; but I wonder if this has anything to do with this myth?

Ivan Seeking

I knew this was going to get ugly!

bobze

Sorry its that slap happy time of night where everything funny appears quadruply so

SW VandeCarr

Actually it does get ugly. While there doesn't seem to be any evidence that chronic nose-picking causes noses to be larger than they otherwise would be, there are serious possible consequences from compulsive nose-picking (rhinotillexomania) including perforation of the nasal septum, chronic bleeding, and local infection with possible intracranial extension. The linked case report concerns penetration into the ethmoid sinus.

http://www.ajnr.org/cgi/reprint/18/10/1949.pdf

Proton Soup

the key to nare hypertrophy is progressive overload. start small, using just the pinky. then, over a period of months to years, work your way up to the thumb.

PhysDrew

That would be an interesting study. Paricularly the implications for the findings to be applied to other areas of the body that are frequently played with.....