Black sludge

Look, I’m gonna be blunt right out of the gate because I don't want to beat around the bush, but I really need to ask this openly. Ever since that nasty bout of the flu I dealt with about six months ago, whenever I blow my nose, I’m seeing these black specks in the mucus. At first, I actually thought maybe it was just some lint from my dark laundry or something getting caught up there, but lately, I haven't even been wearing much black, so clearly, that's not it. It looks honestly gross—kind of like someone dropped a bit of ink into clear liquid, leaving this dark spot right in the middle of the phlegm while everything else stays clear... has anyone else ever dealt with this? 🤷 😕 I’ve gotta admit, it’s starting to freak me out a little bit 😠

Could be makeup (mascara, eyeliner), smog, whatever...

Makeup isn't the issue here, for sure. But if we're talking about the actual situation... wouldn't everyone else be dealing with the exact same headache? :S

Smoking?

So, you asking me when someone should actually worry about a nosebleed?

Blood can turn dark once it oxidizes, so maybe that’s what you’re seeing. 🤷 It’s also totally possible you just popped a tiny capillary by blowing your nose too hard.

I smoke, but I don't think that's actually what's causing this... It just crossed my mind that EVENTUALLY, maybe it’s possible that when I'm using face wash, some of it gets up my nose and somehow works its way into my sinuses? I know it sounds totally unrealistic, but who knows, it might be possible 😉
I live out in Washington, D.C., but in a really gorgeous area where it's mostly just open fields and greenery on the outskirts

Does that only happen when you're being a complete pain in the neck?

I always get that same feeling whenever I’m out in some dusty field or wandering through a corn maze back home
even if my friends were hanging out with me, though I guess that’s probably not the case for you.🙂
You’re definitely breathing something in; there's gotta be some kind of dust in the air.

This happens to me whenever I wear eyeliner. Like, if my eyes end up watering a bunch overnight—maybe from the wind or just bright lights—then I’m definitely going to have smudges all over the place by morning and throughout the day.

So, my spit looks like this—that black stuff right in the middle. I have no clue what’s actually causing it, but my best guess is smoke exposure; look, I don't smoke myself, but I spend plenty of time hanging out in smoky coffee shops and crowded bars.
And then there's this thing with the black residue on my toothbrush... I honestly don't know if that could be tied to the saliva or not...
The most likely culprit in my mind is definitely the smoke, even though I've asked some smokers about their own experiences and absolutely nobody has dealt with anything like this. On top of that, I deal with this constant "scratchy throat" sensation and coughing quite frequently... it's possible the saliva is just refluxing back up, which would explain why everything is turning black. 🤷