Picking your nose might not be as harmless as you think. A doctor has explained why you should avoid this common habit.

Sticking your fingers up your nose could cause tiny abrasions in your nasal cavity, making your nose more appealing to some pesky bacteria.

Dr Karan Raj took to his TikTok to share “why you should probably avoid picking your nose”.

Speaking in the video, the doctor said: “As you mine for gold, your fingernails are causing tiny abrasions in your nasal cavity. These abrasions bleed and become food for germs that live there.

“One common and dangerous germ is Staphylococcus aureus, which is a common cause of skin infections like abscesses and some types of pneumonia, as well as food poisoning.”

The doctor noted that while healthy people might not be at risk from this, immunocompromised individuals should beware.

Dr Raj added: “A lot of people pick their noses and they are fine.

“For healthy individuals, nose-picking is rarely the cause of serious problems but can pose a problem for those with weaker immune systems.”

Despite the risk being high for people with poorer immune systems, the doctor urged even healthy individuals to rethink the habit.

He said: “Having fewer germs like Staph is generally a good thing, even for healthy people.

“So, if you’re a picker, it’s not the end of the world, but you might want to consider reaching for a tissue before you go digging, or blow your nose.”

What’s worse, a recent study has warned that people who frequently pick their noses are at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

The research from a team at Western Sydney University explained that neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease might be partially caused by viral, bacterial and fungal pathogens entering the brain through the nose and the olfactory system.

Chronic nose-picking, medically known as rhinotillexomania, introduces germs into the sensitive nasal cavity that cause inflammation in the brain, which has been linked to the onset of the mind-robbing condition.

Another recent research found that healthcare workers who pick their noses are more likely to get Covid.

Of 219 participants in the Dutch study, 17 percent of those who admitted to nose-picking tested positive for the virus.

The research team explained the role of nose-picking in spreading the virus could be underestimated.