Nasal Hair Removal: Which Method Is Best?

The best method of nasal hair removal is fast, safe, effective, and inexpensive. From waxing and lasering to trimming and cutting—which of these fulfills all criteria?

My Nose Hair

It was only when a friend drew my attention to the hairs poking from my nostrils that I realized such a thing even existed. I’d never noticed it before, neither in my own nose nor anybody else’s.

I went to the men’s room where the mirror confirmed my friend’s observation. I was appalled.

The subject busied my mind for a couple of years. Scrutinizing the nostrils of others, I became aware that I wasn’t the only one. But it seemed that older men were mostly affected; I was only 27 at the time.

This was before the internet had entered our everyday lives, so there was no information available at my fingertips. And I was too embarrassed to talk about it, even to my barber. As a result, my attempts to remove the hair were ill advised.

So, before you decide to tweeze, shave, or cut your nose hair, please read on.

Why Do We Have Nose Hair?

We all have nose hair. It’s part of the body’s defense mechanism, preventing dust and allergens from passing into the respiratory system. In fact, according to a study in 2011, the more we have, the better.

But with age, our eyebrows as well as the hairs in our ears and nostrils become increasingly sensitive to androgens, causing them to increase in density and length, particularly in men.

A man’s nose hair can grow to over six feet during his lifetime, which is obviously far too much of a good thing.

Nothing can be done to stop the growth, apart from regular hair removal.

Below, I review possible methods, including some I have not yet tried and those I shouldn’t have.

What Is the Best Method of Nasal Hair Removal?

Everything I Did Wrong

Having seen my nose hairs in the men’s room, the first thing I did on arriving home was pluck them out.

To get it over with, I worked as quickly as possible, sneezing constantly and my eyes streaming. It was horrendous.

Within a matter of weeks I noticed regrowth, which I attempted to shave. But my safety razor was too large to get anywhere near the hairs. So I tried with a pair of pointed nail scissors, but the result wasn’t thorough enough, and their sharpness worried me. So it was back to the tweezers and the pain. This I put myself through at least once a month.

I had no idea that plucking can cause ingrown hairs and infections like nasal vestibulitis.

And if I was going to trim with scissors, I could at least have used the right type: those designed for the nose and ears have rounded ends to prevent injury.

By the way, if you opt for scissors, it helps to tilt your head back a little and push the tip of your nose upwards. That way, you can see what you’re doing.

Luckily, I was able to put all this behind me when, by chance, I discovered a Remington battery-operated nose hair trimmer in a drugstore.

Braun beard and mustache clippers with a nose hair nozzle adapter — Nose hair nozzle adapters are often included with beard and mustache clippers.

The Nose Hair Trimmer

A nose hair trimmer is a small device with a nozzle that holds a fast-spinning blade.

You simply insert the nozzle into the clean nostril, turn on, and move in all directions. It’s completely painless, leaving sufficient hair so as not to destroy its defense function but not enough for it to be visible.

Ear hair can be trimmed in the exact same way.

It’s a good idea to turn the device on once the nozzle is in the nostril, as it can otherwise cause some tugging to begin with.

You’ll know when the trimmer has come into contact with hair since its tone will rise, but a magnifying mirror is useful in order that you can be sure to remove all hairs that are visible.

Nowadays, nose hair trimmers are available as elaborate sets that deal with all sorts of facial hair. You’ll also find nose hair nozzle adapters included with beard and mustache clippers.

For reasons of hygiene, the nozzle should be cleaned after every use. That is why many models are waterproof and can be washed.

As a mature man, I now have to trim every few days. But it takes only about 30 seconds, fitting in nicely with my grooming regimen. I do it directly before scraping away the stubble that connects my mustache with my nose, for which I use a Wilkinson Sword Precision Styler.

The Manual Nose Hair Trimmer

Just when I thought I knew all there is to know about nasal hair removal, a few days ago I discovered the convenient Silkslide Twizzer in a drugstore.

It’s a small plastic device with two blades within a conical-shaped guard. You just slip it into the nostril and give it a twist. It works in the same way for ear hair.

It tugs slightly, but it’s not uncomfortable enough to deter me from using it.

Working on the same principle, there are also robust-looking metal devices available, which I have yet to try.

I like the fact that these require no battery and take up little space. You could even slip one into your pocket if need be.

Nostril Waxing

Hot waxing has really taken off in the world of nasal hair removal. Your barber can do it for you, or you can buy a kit for home use.

Hot wax is applied to a rod-shaped applicator, which is inserted into the nostril. Once the wax has hardened, it is yanked out, taking the hair with it by the root.

Waxing can weaken growth over time to lessen the problem, and results are longer-lasting than with a trimmer. But it does remove more hair than necessary, thus compromising our respiratory system’s first line of defense.

And even if less painful than plucking, it can still lead to ingrown hairs and infections.

The Silkslide *Twizzer*, a manual nose hair trimmer.

Depilatory Cream

Hair removal cream is the one forbidden method I did not try, and is even more dangerous than plucking or shaving.

It works by breaking down keratin, which is a protein and the principal component of hair.

The smell alone would deter me, but its base chemicals would most certainly burn the mucous membrane.

Laser

Lasering is the most thorough and permanent method of nasal hair removal. In other words, it will certainly take away more hair than is healthy, and you won’t be able to reverse it.

Although generally considered safe, it could damage the mucous membrane. And it is costly, requiring several sittings to complete.

Removing Hair from the Tip of the Nose

As well as the problem of nostril hairs, some men, me included, have hairs sprouting from the tip of the nose. These are as coarse and bristly as beard hair, although sparser.

In my case, these hairs are very dark, so shaving or running over them with a nose hair trimmer makes it look as though I have blackheads. Waxing could be an option, but may lead to broken capillaries and permanent redness.

I’ve found that plucking is probably the safest and most foolproof method of removal. Working in the direction of growth, I carefully extract each hair and have so far experienced no pain or irritations.

Let me know in the comments if you have hair at the tip of your nose, and how you deal with it.

So, What Is the Best Method of Nasal Hair Removal?

For me, the best method of nose hair removal is that which is fast, safe, effective, and inexpensive; the battery-operated trimmer fulfills all these criteria.

I’d give the manual trimmer second place. It’s something I could fall back on in case my battery-operated device wasn’t working. It’s also convenient due to size.

Although not fast, scissors would be my next choice, but only those with rounded ends, designed specifically for the nose and ears.

There are just too many drawbacks attached to the other methods mentioned in this post, waxing included.

The hair trimmer does a perfect job in about 30 seconds. Then why replace it with something that could damage the mucous membrane, cause ingrown hairs and infections, reduce the respiratory system’s first line of defense against dust and allergens, and possibly cost a fortune?