Nose Hair Trimming: Don’t Pluck, Cut Only What Sticks Out
Don’t pluck nose hair. Use round-tip scissors or a trimmer and cut only the tips that stick out of your nostrils. Sein covers how far a trimmer goes in, what to check when it pulls or tickles, how to clean it, and which symptoms need a doctor.
Don’t pluck nose hair. Use small round-tip scissors or a nose hair trimmer, and cut only the tips that stick out of your nostrils. Put only the tip of the trimmer head in, and keep scissors outside the nostril. The short hairs left inside should stay.
You spot one hair sticking out of your nostril in an elevator mirror or under bathroom lights. You want to pinch it and pull it out. But a habit of plucking nose hair is named as one cause of infection at the nostril opening. Along with the steps for cutting, there’s a table of what to check first when a trimmer pulls hairs or your nose tickles.
If your worry is black dots in the pores on the outside of your nose, that’s about sebum, not nose hair. Sebaceous filaments vs blackheads and how to use nose pore strips cover that.
Is it bad to pluck nose hair?
It’s better not to pluck. Plucking or waxing can inflame the empty follicle, or make the hair grow back into the skin. Long nose hair itself does no harm to your body. The problem comes from removing it the wrong way.
Nose hair is a filter that catches dust when you breathe
When you breathe in through your nose, nose hairs catch small particles like dust and pollen. A thin layer of mucus coats the hairs, so particles stick well. What they catch moves to the mucus on the inner walls of the nose. Then it’s swallowed or goes out when you blow your nose.
One study also found a lower risk of asthma with allergic rhinitis in people with dense nose hair. Trimming because you don’t like the look is fine. But there’s no reason to clear out the inside of your nose.
Germs get in where a hair was plucked
Pulling a hair out by the root can lead to infection in the small hole it grew from (the follicle). This is called folliculitis. When the regrowing hair can’t get out of the skin and grows back into it, that’s called an ingrown hair.
An infection just inside the nostril opening is called nasal vestibulitis. Picking your nose or blowing it too often are causes, and plucking nose hair is named as a cause too. Start by breaking the habit of pulling out hairs one by one whenever your hand finds them.
Wax is no different. It pulls out many hairs by the root at once, and it can damage the thin lining inside the nose, which can make infection easier. Home nose waxing kits are not recommended for the same reason.
Don’t pluckWhat about the saying that plucking nose hair can reach your brain?
It isn’t a baseless scare. The veins around the tip of the nose and the nostrils connect toward the brain. So if a boil inside the nose spreads, it can rarely lead to a life-threatening condition. Still, mild nasal vestibulitis is common and usually easy to treat, and serious spread is rare.
Rather than worry, start with the habit of not plucking. If you’ve already plucked, leave that spot alone and watch it. Which symptoms mean you should see a doctor is covered at the end of this guide.
Nose hair scissors or a trimmer: which should you use?
Both work. Small round-tip scissors are easy for cutting a few hairs that stick out. A nose hair trimmer is easy for tidying many hairs at once. Whichever you use, keep it clean and go slowly.
If only one or two hairs stick out
Cut just their tips with small round-tip scissors. You never need to put the blades inside your nostril.
If you often see many hairs
A nose hair trimmer is easier. Choose one with a guard so the blades don’t touch your skin directly, and put in only the tip of the head.
If one or two hairs show again after the trimmer
Cut just the tips that stick out with scissors. Leave the short hairs inside your nose alone, and don’t push the trimmer in deeper.
Scissors: small, with round tips
Nose hair scissors are small scissors with short blades and rounded tips for safety. Small-bladed scissors like cuticle scissors or embroidery scissors can also cut hairs that stick out.
If you’re not buying new ones, first check the tip shape of the small scissors you have at home. If the tips are pointed, hold them so the tips don’t point into your nostril.
Trimmer: blades covered by a guard
Nose hair trimmers come in two types: rotary, with a round head tip, and linear, with the blade set in a straight line. A trimmer with a guard around the outside of the blades leaves short stubs of hair, and keeps the blades from touching your skin directly.
When choosing, check that the head tip is round and that the blades move inside the guard. A trimmer you can rinse with water is easier to care for after use. But whether you can wash it in water depends on the model, so check the manual.
Small round-tip scissors, and a trimmer head with the blades covered by a guard.
Pure Mizuki
Nose Hair Scissors
Pack of 2
The rounded tips suit trimming the ends visible outside the nostril.
View on Naver ShoppingCut only the tips that stick out of your nostril
There’s one rule when you cut with scissors. Keep the blades outside your nostril, and cut only the tips of the hairs you can see sticking out.
Using small cuticle or embroidery scissors usually is the safest way to cut any hairs that are protruding from the nostril.
In front of bright light and a mirror
In a dark spot, it’s hard to see which hairs stick out and where the blades are. Move to bright light by a window or next to a lamp, and hold up a hand mirror so you can see under your nose.
Before you start, check that the scissors and trimmer are clean. Blow your nose once to clear the nostril opening, then begin.
Mirror and scissors in a bright spot 
Wipe your tools 
Blow your nose to clear it 
Cut hairs go in a tissue
What to do before you pick up the scissors and after you finish cutting.
Blades outside the nostril, a little at a time
Keep the scissor blades outside the nostril opening, and cut only the tips of hairs that stick out. Don’t chase hairs deep inside. Trimming only what you can see is enough for how your nose looks from outside.
Cut one or two hairs at a time, slowly, rather than grabbing many and cutting big. Keep your hand relaxed and move gently so you don’t scratch or cut yourself.
When you’re done cutting
After cutting, some cut hairs may stay at the nostril opening. Wipe the opening lightly with a dry tissue, or rinse it gently with lukewarm water.
Don’t touch or pick the spot you trimmed. Nose picking is also one of the causes of nasal vestibulitis.
How far should a nose hair trimmer go into your nose?
Put in only the tip of the head. Makers give different numbers for how many mm, so the directions for your own trimmer are the rule.
Check the blades before you turn it on
Before you turn on the trimmer, check the head for bends or cracks. If the blades or the guard are bent or damaged, don’t use that trimmer. Damaged blades can hurt your skin.
Don’t touch the blades with your fingers. As with scissors, blow your nose first to clear it.
Check bladesPut in only the head tip, turning it in and out
Turn it on, then slowly put the head tip into the nostril opening. For a round rotary head, the Philips guide gives about 5 mm as one reference. From there, move the trimmer slightly in and out while turning it, and hairs growing in different directions get caught by the blades.
Don’t press the blades hard against your skin. Pressing hard or pushing in deep can hurt your skin. If your trimmer has a flat side, try holding that side against your skin. If your product’s directions say something different, follow the manual.
When you’re done, wipe away hairs left at the nostril opening with a tissue. If your trimmer comes with ear or eyebrow heads, turn it off when you change heads.
| Source | How far in | How to move it |
|---|---|---|
| Philips (Dutch electronics brand) nose trimmer guide | Round rotary head about 5 mm, linear head about 12 mm | Move it in and out while turning the head |
| Panasonic (Japanese electronics brand) ER-GN70 manual | Insert the blade tip slowly, but not too deep | Move the body and cut with the blade tip |
| Panasonic ER430 manual | Insert gently, not deep (no number given) | Insert the blade tip carefully and trim |
Philips
Nose Trimmer NT3650/16
NT3650/16
Check the trimmer and included heads if you prefer a powered tool.
View on Naver ShoppingLeave the short nose hairs alone
It’s normal to have short hairs left inside your nose after using a trimmer. Those hairs keep on filtering dust.
Trimming only the hairs you can see is enough
From the outside, the only hairs that bother you are the ones sticking out of your nostrils. You don’t need to go over the same spot again and again to remove the short stubs a trimmer leaves, or cut inside again with scissors.
Cutting too much can irritate the inside of your nose, and it can get in the way of nose hair filtering dust. Trim just until nothing shows from outside, then stop.
How often should you trim?
There’s no set schedule. Nose hair grows back after you cut it, and it tends to get longer and thicker with age. Each time hairs stick out again, trim just the tips.
An article in the US fashion magazine Marie Claire said that once you’re used to it, about once every 1 to 2 weeks can be enough. Take this number only as a rough idea, not a rule. If you keep your tools clean and follow the method, there’s no need to worry about how often.
But if it seems like there’s infection inside your nose, don’t trim. This comes up again in the last section.
Why does the trimmer pull hairs, or why does my nose tickle?
Each symptom has a different first thing to check. Start by seeing whether it comes from the blade’s condition, how deep it goes, or how hard you press.
If it pulls, clean out the blades first
If it pulls hairs, stop right away and turn it off. Take off the blade unit and shake out trapped hairs and dust, or sweep them out with a small brush.
If it still pulls after cleaning, check whether the blades are damaged. If the blades or guard are dented, don’t try to fix them. Replace them. How to replace the blades depends on the model, so follow the manual.
| What happens | Check first | What to change next |
|---|---|---|
| Hairs get pulled instead of cut | Whether cut hairs are stuck in the blades, or the blades are bent or damaged | Take off the blades and shake out the hair. If they’re damaged, don’t use that trimmer |
| My nose tickles so much I can’t keep going | Whether the side of the trimmer is lifted off your skin | If it has a flat side, hold that side against your skin |
| Cut hairs stay stuck in my nostril | Cut hairs left at the opening | Wipe with a tissue or rinse gently with lukewarm water |
| It stings and there’s a little blood | Whether you went in deep or pressed hard | Stop for now, and don’t touch or pick at the cut |
| Hairs show again in a few days | Hair grows back after you cut it | When you see them, trim just the tips again |
| I have a pimple or scab inside my nostril | It may be a sign of nasal vestibulitis | Stop trimming and see a doctor |
Clean the trimmer and scissors every time you use them
Each time, shake out the hairs first, then clean it the way your model’s manual says. Whether you can wash it in water or wipe it with alcohol differs from product to product.
Alcohol only if your manual allows it
As the table shows, advice on alcohol is split. Some advice says to wipe your tools with alcohol, but some trimmers say not to wipe them with alcohol. Using alcohol on a model that forbids it can crack parts or change their color.
So the manual comes first. If your model is washable, rinse it under running water, wipe off the water, then take off the blades and let them dry. If it can’t be washed in water, take off the blades and clear the hairs with a tissue or brush. For any other care, do what the manual says. Wipe scissor blades clean before and after each use.
Follow the manualDon’t share, even with family
Each person uses their own nose hair trimmer and scissors. Panasonic’s ER-GN70 manual says sharing with family or other people can cause infection or inflammation. Keep separate ones, even for family you live with.
When you’re done, put the blade cap on before you store it. Dropping or knocking it can easily damage the blades. Check the blades once more the next time you use it.
Don’t share| Source | How to clean | What it says not to do |
|---|---|---|
| Panasonic’s ER-GN70 manual | Put water and hand soap on the blades to make lather, rinse under running water, wipe with a towel and let air dry | Hot water, cleaners other than hand soap, alcohol, benzine, thinner |
| Panasonic ER430 manual | Take off the blades and wipe off hair and dust with a tissue. The whole body can be washed with water | Boiling water; wiping with alcohol, benzine or thinner |
| Philips nose trimmer guide | Clean thoroughly after every use | Not stated |
| Article in the US fashion magazine Marie Claire (includes expert advice) | Wipe with alcohol before and after use; take off the blades, rinse in warm water, then soak in rubbing alcohol for a few minutes | Sharing with other people |
Panasonic
Nose Trimmer ER-GN30
ER-GN30
Check the manual for how to clean the trimming head after use.
View on Naver ShoppingShould you see a doctor for a pimple or scab inside your nose?
Yes, it’s safer to see a doctor. A pimple, sore, scab or itching inside the nostril can be the first sign of nasal vestibulitis. In the meantime, take a break from trimming.
Suspect nasal vestibulitis if you see these signs
You may get pimples or sores inside or around the nostril, a very painful nose, or swelling and a change in color. The inside of the nostril may itch or bleed, and yellow crusts may form around the middle wall that divides the two nostrils. A pimple can also form under a nose hair (folliculitis).
The cause is usually a germ called staph (Staphylococcus). A doctor treats it with an antibiotic ointment or pills. Your care team decides which medicine and how much.
Don’t squeeze or pick
Don’t squeeze pimples or inflamed follicles at the nostril opening or on the outside of your nose. Don’t pick at scabs or sores, either. Wash your hands before you touch your face, and don’t blow your nose too often.
If nasal vestibulitis keeps coming back, be sure to tell your doctor. They can decide if you need other tests.
One hair in the mirror, the next time you see it
Let’s go back to the opening scene. If you see one hair sticking out of your nostril in an elevator mirror, don’t pluck it with your fingertips right there. At home, sit by a bright window or lamp, hold up a hand mirror, and cut just the tip with round-tip scissors. That’s it.
If you often see many hairs and got a trimmer, read just two lines of the manual on the first day. One is how far to put it in, and the other is how to clean it. Those are the two things each model describes differently.
Questions before you pick up nose hair scissors
Nose hair naturally tends to get longer and thicker with age. This is explained by long exposure to the body’s hormones, and the same thing may make ear hair and eyebrows grow longer. Longer nose hair is not harmful in itself, so just trim the tips that stick out.
Only if the product says it can also be used for ear hair. Even those products say not to put it deep into the ear canal. For hair around the ear, move the blade tip slowly along the rim of the ear. If you use the same blades for your nose and ears, clean them after every use.
It depends on the model. The Panasonic ER430 manual says that with use once a week for about 1 minute at a time, the blades last about 3 years. That is the standard for that model. With any product, check the blades for bends or damage before use. If they’re damaged, don’t use them, and replace them as the manual says.
Three rules to keep at the tip of your nose
With nose hair, cut, don’t pluck, and trim only the tips you can see outside the nostril. Put in only the tip of a trimmer head, and follow your model’s manual for depth and cleaning. If you get pimples, scabs or pain inside your nose, stop trimming and see a doctor.
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