Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesGetting Rid of ThemTreating NosebleedsPreventionSeeking Medical Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Getting Rid of Them
Treating Nosebleeds
Prevention
Seeking Medical Care
Seeing bloody boogers can be shocking, but it is not often a cause for concern. Bloody boogers occur as a result of damage to the delicateblood vessels in the nasal tissuethat lines the inside of your nose.
Actions such as picking your nose or blowing too hard are enough to damage the surface of the nasal tissue and trigger bleeding. Minor bleeding results in the formation of blood boogers. Heavier bleeding can lead to a more constant flow of blood from your nose, known as anosebleed (epistaxis).
Treatment for bloody boogers often involves keeping your nose moist and avoiding picking and other actions that trigger bleeding. It may also require working with your healthcare provider to change medications that trigger bleeding.
This article dives into the ins and outs of bloody boogers. It explains all the potential causes, treatments, and ways to prevent them.
raquel arocena torres / Getty Images
What Are Boogers?Boogers are pieces ofmucusthat have dried in your nose. Mucus is a natural substance that traps particles like bacteria, viruses, pollen, and dust in your nasal passages to prevent them from traveling to your lungs.When the sticky mucus traps these particles, tiny hairs called cilia move the mucus and debris to the front of your nose. The mixture of mucus and particles remains there until you blow your nose. If it remains inside your nose long enough, the mucus and debris dry out and become a booger.
What Are Boogers?
Boogers are pieces ofmucusthat have dried in your nose. Mucus is a natural substance that traps particles like bacteria, viruses, pollen, and dust in your nasal passages to prevent them from traveling to your lungs.When the sticky mucus traps these particles, tiny hairs called cilia move the mucus and debris to the front of your nose. The mixture of mucus and particles remains there until you blow your nose. If it remains inside your nose long enough, the mucus and debris dry out and become a booger.
Boogers are pieces ofmucusthat have dried in your nose. Mucus is a natural substance that traps particles like bacteria, viruses, pollen, and dust in your nasal passages to prevent them from traveling to your lungs.
When the sticky mucus traps these particles, tiny hairs called cilia move the mucus and debris to the front of your nose. The mixture of mucus and particles remains there until you blow your nose. If it remains inside your nose long enough, the mucus and debris dry out and become a booger.
What Causes Bloody Boogers?
Mucus consists of water and long molecules called mucins that combine to form a clear gel.
Bloody boogers can appear as red or pink. This can happen if your nasal tissue becomes irritated while boogers are in your nose. The mucus in your boogers absorbs the blood, which changes your boogers from clear to red.
Common Causes
The tissue in your nasal passages is very delicate and vulnerable to damage that can trigger bleeding. The risk of bleeding increases if the nasal skin becomes dry and cracked. Common causes of bleeding in your nose include:
Causes Due to Health Conditions
The following health conditions can make your nasal passages more likely to bleed, resulting in bloody boogers:
Heavy alcohol use can increase your risk of nosebleeds because alcohol dilates the superficial (surface) blood vessels inside your nose. This makes them more vulnerable to bleeding from injury or contact. It also interferes with your blood’s normal ability to clot, increasing the time needed for bleeding to stop.
Bloody boogers can also be a sign of an undiagnosed health condition such ashereditary hemorrhagictelangiectasia(HHT), or Osler-Weber-Rendu disease. This causes abnormalities in the blood vessels that line your nasal airways and other mucous membranes.
Medication-Related Causes
Causes of Frequent Bloody Noses
How to Get Rid of Bloody Boogers Safely
Getting rid of bloody boogers safely requires using a tissue instead of bare fingers. Without a tissue, you’re more likely to nick or scratch the inside of your nose and trigger a bloody nose. Wash your hands before putting a finger into your nose to avoid spreading dirt and germs into your nostrils.
Avoid excessive picking or digging since those actions can trigger bleeding. Tugging at dry boogers stuck to the side of your nose can damage the sensitive tissue and cause a nosebleed.
To remove deeper boogers or those that are stuck to nasal tissue, apply a few drops of saline nose drops to moisten the area and loosen the boogers.
How to Treat Nosebleeds
Nosebleeds can occur suddenly. They involve blood that flows freely, usually from one nostril. If blood continues coming from your nose, treat the nosebleed with the following steps:
How to Stop a Bloody Nose
How to Prevent Bloody Boogers
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
While bloody boogers usually aren’t a cause for concern, persistent bleeding or a bloody nose that doesn’t stop can be a sign of a serious condition. Contact a healthcare provider if you have any of the following symptoms with bloody boogers:
Get immediate care if you have bloody boogers or bleeding from your nose with any of the following symptoms:
When to Worry About a Nosebleed
Summary
While the sight of bloody boogers can be unsettling, they are rarely a severe problem. Boogers form when mucus and germs, pollen, or dust mix and dry out in your nose. Their red color results when they blend with blood that leaks from the vessels in your nasal tissue.
The causes of bloody boogers usually involve bleeding linked to nose picking, blowing too hard, or an injury. Other factors like certain drugs and medical issues can also dry out the nasal tissue and increase your risk of bleeding.
Contact your healthcare provider if bloody boogers occur often, with frequent nosebleeds, or involve other symptoms like weakness or a head injury. In some cases, blood in your nose can be a sign of an unmanaged health problem or the effects of certain drugs.
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.
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Penn Medicine.Yuck! My snot is green: a look at what your mucus says about your health.
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Meirinho S, Relvas R, Alves G.Drug-induced epistaxis: an often-neglected adverse effect.Curr Drug Saf. 2018;13(2):74-83. doi:10.2174/1574886313666180213090943
Mayo Clinic Health System.Nosebleeds: from minor annoyance to serious situation.
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