We’ve written before about how everything from your nails to your hair can reveal information about your health.
And now, it seems snot is up for inspection (yes, really).
If you’ve ever had a nasty cold, you may have noticed your mucus shifting from transparency to a neon, Flubber-like green (never fun).
But other colours can indicate health issues like infections and wounds. So, we thought we’d share what each hue means:
1) Transparent
Ear, nose, and throat doctor and plastic surgeon @dr.sina shared that transparent mucus means you’re probably OK as this is your snot’s natural hue.
You produce a litre of it a day, the doctor shared ― so it makes sense to get comfortable with the clear stuff.
2) White
White mucus can be dehydrated mucus, or “early stages of an infection,” Sina says.
When you’re infected, your white blood cells amp up production in order to fight the illness. This may show in your snot (oh, fun).
3) Yellow
Yellow snot can be a sign that an infection has taken a firm hold, Dr. Sina says. “Once it starts to get yellow, you’re really in the battle,” he says. “Those white blood cells are rushing to the site to fight.”
If you’re wondering why your snot is yellow at this point if the WHITE blood cells are flooding in, it’s because so many fallen white blood cells have died already by this point, says Sina. This changes the hue.
4) Green
”Once it turns green, if you didn’t know it already, you’re sick,” Sina says.
It could be either viral or bacterial ― but whatever your body’s fighting has led to a LOT of dead white blood cells by this point.
5) Pinkish or red
This is due to blood in your mucus ― but you likely don’t need to panic, Dr. Sina says.
“Don’t be surprised if this happens after infection, allergy, or smelling irritants,” he says.
Alyssa Smolen, an advanced practice registered nurse at OSF HealthCare agrees, adding that “As long as it’s a relatively small amount of blood mixed with mucus, it’s not something to fret over. If bleeding is continuous and does not stop with pressure, you should be evaluated by a health care provider.”
7) Brown
This is simply older blood ― the same rules as pinkish or red snot apply in this case, OSF Healthcare says.
8) Black
Black snot might be a more serious sign, experts at Healthline say. This might be caused by smoking, pollution, coal mining, irritants, or fire ― and it can be a sign of serious fungal infection, too.
Black snot might also be a sign of the highly contagious and dangerous respiratory disease tuberculosis, or it could signify heart valve disease, lung cancer, and other serious conditions.
See a doctor if you notice this.
And, while the explanations we’ve given for different colours of mucus apply to a lot of cases, there are rare exceptions to all of them. For instance, an excess of even the seemingly harmless transparent mucus can signify bronchitis or allergic rhinitis; red snot can betray pneumonia.
Even if you have “normal” yellow, clear, or green snot, Healthline advises that “if you have other serious symptoms, such as a high fever, chest pain, or shortness of breath, or if you’ve been coughing up blood, then seek medical attention.”
And “If your mucus or phlegm is black, very dark, or tinged with blood, see a doctor right away,” they warn.
You can watch Dr. Sina’s video here: