Some people tend to remove nose hair, especially if it is long and protruding from the nostrils.. It is usually okay to shorten it a little, but it carries unexpected health risks.
Getting rid of nose hair and plucking it with wax or removing it with a laser is one of the fashion trends spread on social networking sites, which many imitate without knowing the harmful effects of this on them.
Benefits of nose hair
Nose hair has a very important vital benefit, which is filtering and purifying the air we breathe, thus protecting us from infection with viruses, bacteria and other airborne pathogens.
Nasal hairs are an important part of the body’s defense system, helping prevent dust, allergens, and other small particles from entering the lungs, according to healthline.
Risks of nose hair removal
Removing a lot of hair causes more sensitivity to these types of debris. Pulling hairs can also lead to irritation, infections, and ingrown hairs.
Removing too many hairs allows more particles to pass through the nose and then into the lungs. For some people, this may increase the risk of respiratory diseases, especially asthma.
A 2011 study looked at the relationship between the density of nasal hair and the development of asthma in people with seasonal allergies. Researchers found that the participants with the least amount of nasal hair were more likely to develop asthma than the participants with the most nasal hair.
Infection
Doctors and experts warn against removing nose hair, as it is usually harmful to health and can cause an increased risk of infection through the entry of germs and microparticles close to the follicles.
Pulling out individual hairs can lead to ingrown hairs and germs reaching the veins that carry blood from the nose and which meet the veins that carry blood from the brain.
This can cause encephalitis, which sometimes leads to the formation of pus-filled swellings in the brain, due to bacteria or fungi entering the brain tissue.
Preserving nasal hair
There are several ways to keep nose hair neat without removing it, by using only tools to thin it out to prevent it from sticking out of the nose.
Experts warn against using hair removal cream, noting that depilatories risk inhaling toxic fumes and burning the mucous membranes inside the nose.