NHS doctor warns against common grooming habit that ‘can kill you’

An NHS doctor has warned that a common act of grooming can cause a life-threatening medical condition.

In a video he uploaded on his Instagram account, Dr Karan Rajan warned you should “never pull out your nose hairs”.

Explaining the hidden danger of the common habits he says: “You have two types of nose hairs.

“You have microscopic cilia, these filter mucus and send it to the back of the throat where it ends up in the stomach, and vibrissae, the big ones you want to yank out.”

The doctor told people not to pull out their thick vibrissae nose hairs – even if they find them unsightly – and instead opt for a trim.



Dr Karan Rajan explains the purpose of nose hair

He says: “These [nose hairs] keep out large particles from making it into the back of the nose.

“If you pluck these big boys, germs around the follicle can get inside, causing infection.”

Showing a diagram of a woman’s nose and mouth, he continues: “Because of the danger triangle, it can cause brain infections.

“That’s because the same veins that carry blood out of the nose meet up the veins that carry blood out of the brain.



Dr Karan Rajan tells people to use a trimmer instead of tweezers
Dr Karan Rajan tells people to use a trimmer instead of tweezers

“So if the germs end up back there in the brain, it can cause inflammation in the brain, sometimes resulting in brain abscess.

“This is incredibly rare but can cause serious problems for people with weak immune systems.

“So next time, just trim it.”

The video was watched more than 10,000 times since it was uploaded on Monday (August 23) and viewers were divided.

One person shared: “I once pulled one out and felt like dying, it hurts so much and I kept sneezing and coughing like crazy.”

Someone else argued: “But the nose trimmer leaves the hairs feeling so prickly and itchy.”

According to the NHS website, the risk of developing a brain abscess is extremely low in England but it is a life-threatening condition and should be treated as soon as possible.

Brain abscess can develop after skull fractures, ear infections, sinusitis, dental abscess, or even pneumonia-causing bacteria or viruses spreading into the brain via the blood.

Dr Karan is also active on TikTok and has a YouTube channel about medicine.

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