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The brain has learned to ignore our nose.
It is essentially filtered out of our field of vision to create a perfect picture.
But doctors say we ignore our noses at our peril. They warn that the nose can be a window into our health and a signal of underlying conditions.
Dr. Dan Baumgardt from the University of Bristol in the UK has revealed five conditions that can occur on your nose.
Doctors have revealed five conditions that can be detected on the nose (stock)
An example of acne rosacea (stock)
Red skin but no pimples
If your nose is full of red pimples, blackheads and whiteheads, then chances are you are suffering from acne.
If the skin around the nose and cheeks becomes red, but no pimples develop, this probably indicates another condition: acne rosacea.
This is an inflammatory condition that occurs when small red blood vessels in the skin become inflamed and dilated, allowing more blood to flow to the area.
Scientists don’t know what causes the condition, but suspect it may be related to genetics, an overactive immune system or activities of daily living.
According to experts, middle-aged and older people are at greatest risk of developing acne rosacea.
The condition may not be curable, but it can be managed with medications, antibiotics and lifestyle changes, said Dr. Baumgardt, writing in The conversation,
He also warned that someone with this condition may also suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis.
It is estimated that more than 16 million Americans suffer from acne rosacea.
The condition rhinophyma is depicted above
Nose becomes red and swollen
In some cases, the nose may become bulbous, red and swollen.
According to Dr. Baumgardt, this is a warning sign of rhinophyma, a skin condition in which the skin on the nose becomes much thicker.
According to experts, the condition is caused by rosacea, an inflammatory skin disease.
This can cause blood vessels to widen, which doctors say can stimulate growth.
Previously, some doctors have suggested that the condition is linked to excessive alcohol consumption, although this is disputed in some quarters.
Treatment usually involves plastic surgery to reshape the nose and reduce the newly formed bulbous tip. It is rare, but mainly affects men.
Dr Baumgardt said: ‘In some cases, rosacea can cause the skin of the nose to grow and thicken. This condition is called rhinophyma.
‘Like other visible skin conditions, it can lead to dramatic changes in appearance and have a serious impact on the patient’s self-confidence.’
The above shows lupus pernio, which is a warning sign for sarcoidosis
Nose has blue or purple spots
In some cases, the skin on the nose may turn blue or purple in certain areas, such as on the ears, cheeks, fingers or toes.
According to Dr. Baumgardt, this could be a warning sign for the inflammatory disease sarcoidosis.
In this condition, the immune system begins to attack tissue in the body, triggering the formation of granulomas, or clumps of white blood cells.
These can disrupt circulation, causing less blood to flow to the skin and causing the discolored patches known medically as Lupus pernio, or Wolf’s Nose.
This condition carries the risk of granulomas developing in other parts of the body, such as the lungs, heart, and kidneys, increasing the risk of complications in these organs.
The condition is treated with medications, including steroids, that can calm the immune system.
Sarcoidosis is relatively rare in the United States, with an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 cases diagnosed each year.
About one to eight percent of patients die from the condition, with death caused by bleeding in the lungs or heart failure. These can be caused by granulomas that disrupt the blood flow or cause blockages in the organs.
Scientists aren’t sure what causes sarcoidosis, but they think exposure to certain pesticides or insecticides and genetics may play a role.
Loss of sensation in the nose may be a sign of trigeminal trophic syndrome (Stock)
Loss of feeling
According to Dr. Baumgardt, if you lose feeling in your nose, you may have a nerve disorder.
The trigeminal nerve controls chewing and sensation in the face, nose, and the area around the nostrils.
But if this nerve is damaged, a person may feel numbness in the area or a feeling of pins and needles. This is a condition called trigeminal trophic syndrome.
According to doctors, the nerve can be damaged by injury, such as a stroke or infection, or as a result of previous facial surgery.
The condition can be treated with medications or electrical nerve stimulation to restore feeling to the area.
It is a rare condition, with only about 200 cases described in the medical literature to date.
Men with big noses
Some experts claim that the size of a man’s nose can reveal the size of his penis.
The claims are based on a Japanese study which found that nose size was more closely related to penis length than height or body weight.
Dr. Rena Malik, a urologist in California, revealed the article, saying, “There is one study, it’s a Japanese study, where they only looked at Japanese men, so there are some limitations — but essentially they measured all of these body parts and the length of the penis.
“And what they found was that nose length was related to penis length, not hand length or foot length.”
Others have previously suggested that the size of a man’s hands or feet may be an indication of the size of his penis. However, the evidence for this claim is not strong.
There is also some evidence that regular alcohol drinking can cause an enlarged nose, a condition called rhinophyma (see above).
