Nose Hair Trimming: How-To Guide

For many, trimming your nose hair is one of those necessary processes that also happens to be somewhat unpleasant to talk about.

The problem with the perceived embarrassment of nose hairs is that not trimming your nose hair properly can lead to unfortunate consequences that include infection, pain, and persistent hairs. While trimming your nose hair can be a relatively simple process, that doesn’t mean there aren't certain pitfalls to avoid.

So before you start trimming your nose hair, be sure to consider these tips that will ensure you’re doing so as safely and effectively as possible.

Use Proper Lighting

This tip sounds obvious, but you’d be amazed at how many people overlook it.

If you’re just using the overhead lighting in your bathroom to trip your nose hairs, you may be doing it wrong. While it’s possible that lighting is sufficient for your needs, it’s much more likely that it isn’t offering sufficient coverage. If that’s the case, you not only run the risk of missing some hairs but also potentially hurting yourself in the process.

A makeup mirror or similar device would be best for nose hair trimming. If that’s not an option, then to be sure to angle yourself so that you’re getting the best light possible from what you have.

Only Use Specialized Scissors or Nose Hair Trimmers

In a pinch, you may have resorted to using a normal pair of scissors to trim a rogue nose hair. While that can work, it’s generally a bad idea.

The most obvious downside to using regular scissors or even another kind of specialized scissor to trim your nose hair is that they increase the risk of cutting yourself. Not only is the skin in your nose rather sensitive, but as you probably already know, it’s awkward to cut nose hair in the first place. Trying to do so with the wrong tools is twice as difficult.

You can purchase specialized nose hair trimming scissors that are easily recognizable due to their more rounded edges.

Make Sure to Clear Your Passageways

For the purposes of hygiene and effectiveness, it’s very important to clear your nose before and after trimming your nose hairs.

Not doing so may result in an excess of mucus and other dried materials. This can lead to whatever tool you happen to be using becoming dirtier than necessary. It can also make it harder to get to your nose hairs.

Fortunately, this process is rather simple. Just thoroughly blow your nose before trimming your nose hair, and thoroughly blow your nose after your done in order to remove loose hairs. By doing so, you remove a lot of potential risks.

Don’t Try to Remove All of Your Nose Hair

You’ll notice how we constantly refer to this hygienic process as trimming your nose hair. Well, that’s because you’re supposed to trim it and not remove it entirely.We understand that nose hair can be annoying, but it’s not there to annoy you. Nose hair actually helps protect your body against incoming pathogens. Actually, it’s a surprisingly effective (call it underrated) part of your body’s immune system. Nose hair also helps regulate the temperature and moisture of your nose and ensure that everything is working properly.

By removing your nose hair entirely, you potentially open yourself up to infections and other unpleasant experiences. By simply trimming the hair to the skin, you should still have enough left over to ensure it’s performing its essential functions.

Never Pluck Your Nose Hair

You’ve likely heard in the past that plucking hairs is a bad idea. Well, that’s certainly the case when it comes to plucking your nose hair.

The problem with plucking is that it’s a rather “violent” way to remove excess hair. By that, we mean that the process of plucking can lead to problems like ingrown hairs and infections due to the consequences of the forceful act itself. It’s quite possible that infection can have serious consequences.

Even if you don’t quite buy into that, it’s enough to know that plucking is an inefficient, painful, and simply dirty way to address your nose hair problems. Just don’t do it.

Buy a Nose Hair Trimmer

Our last piece of advice is, perhaps, also the most useful.

If you want to avoid most of the potential problems with plucking your nose hair, then you can simply buy a nose hair trimmer. Most good trimmers retail for $20 or less and are designed to easily and thoroughly complete this necessary process.

Trimmers are more accurate than scissors, and they tend to last for quite a long time. Unless you’re on a tight budget, there’s really no reason not to buy one if you regularly trim your nose hair.

Resources— GQ, Men's Health, Healthline

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