Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Are Boogers?What Do Boogers Do?How Are Boogers Made?What to Do if You Have a Lot of BoogersSummary
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Are Boogers?
What Do Boogers Do?
How Are Boogers Made?
What to Do if You Have a Lot of Boogers
Summary
Everyone experiences boogers (driedphlegm) daily. They may seem gross, but boogers are an essential part of your body’s immune system. But what are boogers made of and where do they come from?
Boogers are comprised of various substances including mucus, dirt, air pollutants, bacteria, and more. Mucus (which is snot before it dries into a booger) serves to capture bacteria and other substances and prevent them from invading your body through the nasal passages.
MOAimage / Getty Images
The mucus in our nose collects these harmful germs and substances and keeps them from getting too far into our bodies where they can make us sick.
What Is Snot?
Mucous membranes in the body—like the inside of the nose—are lined with a slimy substance called mucus. In the nose, it’s called phlegm or snot. When snot dries, it becomes a booger.
Preventing injury or damage to the nose is crucial to our immune system because a simple cut gives bacteria, fungi, and viruses direct, unprotected access to our body. Without mucus, we could be much more susceptible to dangerous, potentially life-threatening infections.
Boogers Can Be Different ColorsIf you’ve ever looked at a Kleenex after blowing your nose, you may have noticed a variety of colors. Many people are taught that your snot’s color will indicate what kind of problem your body is fighting. For instance, many people believe yellow or green snot is a sign of an infection.However, looking at your snot’s color as an indicator of a bigger health problem is a myth. In reality, the yellow or green color in boogers comes from immune cells called neutrophils.Neutrophils are the first responders to an infection in our body. When there is any sign of a germ inside your body, neutrophils are sent to destroy the intruder.
Boogers Can Be Different Colors
If you’ve ever looked at a Kleenex after blowing your nose, you may have noticed a variety of colors. Many people are taught that your snot’s color will indicate what kind of problem your body is fighting. For instance, many people believe yellow or green snot is a sign of an infection.However, looking at your snot’s color as an indicator of a bigger health problem is a myth. In reality, the yellow or green color in boogers comes from immune cells called neutrophils.Neutrophils are the first responders to an infection in our body. When there is any sign of a germ inside your body, neutrophils are sent to destroy the intruder.
If you’ve ever looked at a Kleenex after blowing your nose, you may have noticed a variety of colors. Many people are taught that your snot’s color will indicate what kind of problem your body is fighting. For instance, many people believe yellow or green snot is a sign of an infection.
However, looking at your snot’s color as an indicator of a bigger health problem is a myth. In reality, the yellow or green color in boogers comes from immune cells called neutrophils.Neutrophils are the first responders to an infection in our body. When there is any sign of a germ inside your body, neutrophils are sent to destroy the intruder.
Boogers play an important role in how our body protects itself. Whenever you breathe in dust, pollen, pollution, or germs, the snot and hairs in your nose collect it and keep it from wreaking havoc in another part of your body.
Virus and Bacteria Protection
There’s more to snot than just what you see. Our nasal mucus includes numerous antibodies in charge of activating our immune system when we breathe in bacteria or viruses through our nose.
Snot also contains a type of enzyme known as lysozyme, which destroys the bacteria and viruses in our nasal cavity.
Allergy Defense
When the body detects something foreign like pollen, it triggers a defensive maneuver known as anallergic reaction. Your body recognizes an irritant has entered your system. At this point, the body signals the release of a substance known as histamine.
The lining inside our nose contains the mucous membrane. This mucous membrane is responsible for creating the thick, slimy substance we all know as snot. When this mucus mixes with air and begins to dry out, it becomes a booger. The more a booger dries, the harder it gets.
Any time our body increases mucus production in the nose, we get more boogers. An increase in snot can be due to many things. You may be getting sick or already sick, experiencing seasonal allergies, or simply just be dehydrated. Sometimes, eating spicy food can make your nose run. Capsaicin—the ingredient that gives spicy food its zip—triggers mucus production.
Like so many things, mucus is primarily composed of water. When your body is dry or dehydrated, the mucus will be more dry and thick, creating boogers. Staying hydrated helps mucus stay in a more fluid state, which means fewer boogers in your nose.
If you suffer from seasonal allergies, an antihistamine is often recommended to reduce the reaction your body is creating when introduced to a large amount of pollen or dust.
You may also consider using a device known as aneti pot. This container holds sterile water which you can use to rinse debris and mucus from your nose and sinus cavities.
Ultimately, there are many reasons why you may be producing a considerable amount of snot. If you are concerned about the amount of boogers in your nose, it could be worth talking to your healthcare provider about your options to control nasal mucus production.
The Best Way to Pick Your Nose
Picking your nose is never the best idea, and it can be dangerous; however, it’s believed up to 91% of adults pick their noses.
First, there’s the risk of damaging the inside of your nose. Once you get a cut inside your nose,it takes time to heal properly. This, in turn, means there is a higher chance of being unprotected from germs when you’re breathing.
Second, your hands tend to be home to the most bacteria on your body because of the number of different things you touch throughout the day. If you introduce the germs on your fingers to your nose, you significantly increase your risk of getting an infection.
If you feel the inexplicable need to pick your nose, the best way to do it is with a tissue. Then, promptly wash your hands to avoid spreading the germs from your nose to yourself or someone else.
Is It Okay to Eat Your Boogers?Boogers often contain bacteria and viruses, so eating boogers could expose the body to germs. It’s not a good idea.
Is It Okay to Eat Your Boogers?
Boogers often contain bacteria and viruses, so eating boogers could expose the body to germs. It’s not a good idea.
While boogers may seem disgusting, they serve an important purpose. Comprised of a variety of substances, including dirt, air pollutants, bacteria, the dried-out snot keeps harmful germs from entering your body and making you ill.
An increase in boogers can mean you may be getting sick, dealing with seasonal allergies, or simply need to drink more water. To reduce snot, you can try taking an antihistamine or rinsing your sinuses with a net pot.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
NIH News in Health.Marvels of Mucus and Phlegm.
National Cancer Institute.Neutrophil.
Massachusetts General Hospital.A Line of Defense Hidden Inside the Nose.
British Society for Immunology.The secret life of snot.
UNC Health Talk.Mucus, Our Body’s Silent Defender.
Allergy & Asthma Network.Pollen Allergy.
Jefferson JW, Thompson TD.Rhinotillexomania: Psychiatric disorder or habit?
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
