Removing hair in your nose could be detrimental to your health

Nose hair is a natural part of the human body.

Although it is normal to have hair in the nose, some people find long hair that protrude from the nostrils a source of embarrassment which they wish to remove.

According to a Medical Doctor at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Dr Emmanuel Addipa-Adapoe, having long or thick nose hair is not always a bad thing.

“Nose hair serves an important purpose. It catches dust and debris in the air that would otherwise have become trapped in your upper nasal passage. Mucus in your nose lubricates your nose hair. Since the hair is typically lubricated, it also attracts and traps pathogens to keep you from getting sick, so why do you want to get rid of it?” he asked.

In an interview with The Mirror on some bad health practices in the midst of COVID-19, Dr Addipa-Addapoe said it was very common to see people, especially men, using small scissors to cut the hair in their noses because they saw it as a nuisance.

“Some people don’t like the way that long nose hair looks because of the association with ageing. Long nose hair may make you feel like you look older than you are. You may also feel like your long nose hair collects dried mucus and other debris, making hygiene a difficult,” he said.

According to Dr Addipa-Adapoe, nose picking was something that should - more than ever during this global pandemic - be avoided.

“But habits can be hard to break, especially those that you do without thinking. The nose is one of three main ways viruses can enter the body — the other two are the mouth and eyes. The nose has a number of defence systems to keep pathogens out, including hair at the front of the nostrils to block larger particles and the mucous membrane,” he explained.

Aside COVID-19, he said people who often removed the hair in their nose could easily contract tuberculosis (TB).
“TB infection is spread to others mainly by the airborne route. Coughing releases the TB bacilli into the air from the lungs of an infected person. This TB-contaminated air can then be breathed in by others, who may go on to develop TB infection and/or disease,” he told The Mirror.

Nose hair removal
These days, body hair of any sort can be removed in a matter of minutes.

Many grooming kits include scissors with rounded tips specifically designed for nose hair.

Many electric razors also come with a nose hair trimmer head.

Some people do laser hair removal of their nose hairs.

However, it is much more expensive than trimming.

During the procedure, a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon will heat the root of your hair with a laser and destroy it.

Tweezing is another effective and inexpensive way to remove facial hair.

This method works slightly differently from shaving.

Instead of removing hair with a razor blade, tweezers are designed to pluck or pull hair from the roots.

Things to avoid
Speaking to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Specialist, Dr Kamal Adams, on the same subject, he said there were some ways of removing hair from the nose that people had to avoid.

“For instance, using hair removal creams is something people must avoid. Hair removal creams may burn the delicate skin and mucous membranes inside the nostril. They may also produce toxic fumes which a person can breathe in through the nose,” he said.

Dr Adams said waxing or plucking nasal hair could lead to ingrown hair and infections.

Those methods, he said, could also damage the sensitive tissues inside the nostrils.

“Using pointed scissors is another thing a person should avoid. Trimming nose hair with nail scissors or other small scissors with sharp points can easily puncture the delicate mucous membranes inside the nostril, and this could lead to pain and infection,” he indicated.