Why You Should Think Twice Before Getting Your Nose Hair Waxed

As we age, it's natural for the hairs inside our noses to become longer and coarser, particularly for men. The reason for this is that our hair follicles become progressively more sensitive to our hormones over time (via Healthline). In turn, these hormones can alter the growth cycle of hair, extending the growth phase of nose hairs during our later years.

Regardless of how old one may be, anyone of any age may opt for nose hair removal for cosmetic reasons. If you've ever had a pimple on the inside of your nostril, however, you know how sensitive the inside of the nose can be. As a result, this can make slow and tedious methods of hair removal, such as tweezing, particularly painful. 

So what about methods of hair removal that are more quick and easy like waxing? It certainly seems appealing, seeing as waxing can keep hair regrowth at bay for longer periods of time than shaving or trimming can. Even so, it's best to know the potential risks of waxing your nose hairs before doing so.

When done professionally, a full nose hair waxing involves dabbing a small ball of hard wax onto the end of a wooden applicator. Once cooled, it's applied to the inside of the nostril, but only as far up as the ball of the nose. Left in place for a couple of minutes, the applicator is then pulled out of the nose by the technician.

However, it's important to note that not all waxing studios will offer nose hair waxing services. Additionally, it may be best for some individuals to avoid nose hair waxing altogether, such as those who smoke or people with asthma (via Byrdie). This is because our nose hairs play a vital role in our lung health, in addition to our overall health. "Nasal hair is like an air filter for your lungs: it lets fresh oxygen in while keeping dirt, bacteria, and toxins out," Dr. Max Malik, the medical director and founder of Cosmetics Clinic, told PopSugar. As previously mentioned, this can be particularly important for the respiratory health of those with asthma or people who smoke. It's also best for individuals with nose piercings to avoid waxing their nose hairs as well.

When waxing, it's not just skin tenderness and redness we're leaving ourselves susceptible to. Rather, waxing the insides of the nose can increase one's risk of ingrown hairs, weakened immunity, and skin damage (via PopSugar). Should germs make their way into the body through damaged skin, it also increases the risk of infection. One such infection, nasal vestibulitis, can occur when staphylococcus bacteria enter the body, which can cause pain, crusting, redness, and bumps or boils inside the nostrils (per Healthline).

"By waxing the nose hair away, you're in fact removing a layer of protection," Dr. Ross Perry, medical director of Cosmedics Skin Clinics, told PopSugar. The same is true when it comes to plucking or tweezing one's nose hairs. Therefore, if you'd rather err on the side of caution, experts agree that trimming is the way to go. Although it will require more frequent maintenance than waxing, shortening one's nose hairs is generally less risky (and painful) than yanking them out altogether.