The Garlic Nose Trend Is Going Viral, but Not Everyone Is Psyched About Its Effects

A 29-year-old personal trainer named Rozaline Katherine (@rozalinekatherine) became an overnight sensation on TikTok after posting a video about a natural remedy that aims to relieve nasal congestion.

The short clip charts her experiences with the simple and cost-effective life hack that only requires two garlic cloves and about 10-15 minutes of your time. As Rozaline writes in the captions, the method — which has since then become known as the Garlic Nose Trend — works wonders.

Rozaline's short clip has attracted 4.4 million views so far. It inspired several TikTok users to give the unorthodox home remedy a try and post short clips about their experiences. But not everybody reported the same results.

A TikToker named @daniaudas labeled the Garlic Nose Trend a "TikTok hack fail." As a short clip uploaded on June 24, 2021, evinces, she encountered several issues while giving the method a try.

First off, the garlic clove she intended to use turned out to be too big. She decided to cut it into smaller pieces. Soon enough, she started to experience an unpleasant, burning-like sensation on the inside of her nose. She removed the garlic cloves after 20 minutes, only to learn that the experiment did not yield the desired results.

"Throw me into the stew, I guess?" she remarked. "I smell like garlic now."

Another TikToker named Hannah Milligan (@hannahmilligan03) took to the social media platform to share her sense of disappointment as well. As a short clip posted on June 18, 2021, shows, Hannah too used two pieces of garlic with the hope of unblocking her sinuses — but the life hack proved to be a letdown.

"I hear if you put garlic in your nose, it clears your sinuses," Hannah wrote. "Pours wine and waits 20 minutes. Removes said garlic from the nose. Ready for sinuses to pour but not crap."

The main advantage of the Garlic Nose Trend is that it only requires two pieces of garlic, which most people tend to have stashed away in their kitchen cupboard. While it beats traditional cures like a nasal spray or a Neti pot when it comes to convenience, it likely won't deliver similar results.

As otolaryngologists like Dr. Neil Bhattacharyya, M.D. warn, the method can yield unpleasant side effects. As Dr. Bhattacharyya told Shape Magazine, putting garlic in your nose can cause contact dermatitis, a type of skin inflammation.

"You can even get irritation after just one use," Dr. Bhattacharyya said. "Some garlic cloves are really strong, and if you get enough leaching of the chemicals and oils into your nose, it will definitely irritate it."

"I would not put full garlic cloves or pieces in your nose," Dr. Purvi Parikh, M.D., a New York-based allergist, said. "It can get stuck and exacerbate blockage and congestion."

For those determined to make the most of the pieces of garlic knocking about in their home, Dr. Parikh recommends a mellower strategy. Instead of using raw garlic, some may wish to consider crushing it up, putting it in boiling water, and inhaling the steam.