Removing unwanted nasal hair can be a difficult and painful process. In general, a person should first try to trim the nose hair with an electric trimmer or small pair of scissors. Plucking nose hair should be the last resort, because this method can lead to painful ingrown hairs and infections. While some people can pluck nasal hair with only their fingers, a pair of tweezers can help get a better grip on the hair and reach farther into the nose. A person should always use caution when working around the delicate areas of the nasal cavity.
The first step in getting rid of unsightly nose hair is to closely inspect the interior of the nose in the mirror and try to determine the best method of removing the hairs. Before plucking nose hair, some people may wish to begin by trimming the nasal hair with an electric trimmer. This is a device with a round cutting attachment designed to manage hair in the nose and ear cavities. This is usually the safest method, but the trimmer may not be able to remove all of the unwanted hair.
Other people may wish to use a small pair of sharp scissors to perform the initial trimming. This is useful to reach areas that an electric trimmer may have missed, because scissors can be used at different angles to clip the hair. Using scissors does come with the risk of cutting into the delicate nasal passages. Cuts in this area have a tendency to bleed for long periods of time, and a trip to the emergency room may be necessary for even fairly minor nicks.
If trimming is ineffective, then a person may need to try plucking nose hair. This method may allow people to remove hair from deeper in the nose, as well as follicles that other methods may have missed. The plucking can be performed using either tweezers or the tips of the fingers to pull out the unwanted hair. Before plucking nose hair, a person should always wash his or her hands thoroughly and disinfect the tweezers to avoid introducing bacteria and viruses into the nasal cavity. Some people may find it easier to pull the hair after a hot bath or shower.
When plucking nose hair, a person should only try to remove hair that is easily visible, because nasal hair helps filter out dust and other materials from the lungs and air passageways. A person also should take care when using tweezers with sharp points. Such tweezers can scrape the sides of the nasal passages, leading to bleeding and injury to the interior of the nose.
