Nose hair is a special kind of hair on our body that grows on the inside of our nasal cavity. Many people don’t like these dark inner nasal hairs, and sometimes they are too long to expose the nasal cavity and cause ridicule. Therefore, it is common to see people plucking or cutting their own nose hairs. In fact, nasal hair, as a part of our body’s immune system, should be protected rather than destroyed.
The basic role of nasal hairs are three: First: to block dust, bacteria, etc. in the air, as a “fence” to filter the air, so that the body gets relatively clean air.
Second: it can maintain the right temperature and humidity in the nasal cavity, the inhaled air for simple pretreatment, to prevent the airways and lungs from the impact of dry, cold air.
Third: nasal hairs can protect the olfactory nerve in the nose, enhance one’s sense of smell and increase appetite.
If a larger foreign body is encountered entering the nasal cavity, the nasal hairs will not only prevent its further movement, but will also transmit nerve signals to the brain, prompting a sneezing response to expel the foreign body from the nasal cavity.
If nasal hairs are cut or removed, the mucous membrane in the nasal cavity is exposed to the air and is vulnerable to various pathogens as well as allergens, cold air and other stimuli, resulting in inflammatory reactions. In mild cases, rhinitis and swelling occur, while in severe cases, symptoms such as erosion may occur. Therefore, it is necessary to protect the nasal hairs and not to destroy the tissues inside the nose at will.
However, many people would say that too long nasal hairs would look sloppy and cause embarrassment in important occasions. In this case, it is recommended to trim the nose hairs reasonably. You can use small scissors etc. to shorten the nasal hairs that stick out of the nose, but you should not cut them too short or even pull them out directly. Just trim it to a state that does not affect the appearance.
Trim nasal hairs as gently as possible to avoid damage to the mucous membrane inside the nose. If the nasal cavity is broken, the relatively high temperature and humidity of the nasal cavity will facilitate the growth of bacteria and cause infection.
Under normal circumstances, the nasal mucosa secretes a large amount of mucus, which, like nasal hair, acts as a filter and also increases the humidity of the inhaled air. When the mucus dries, it will solidify and harden, which is commonly known as boogers. Boogers sometimes adhere to the walls of the nasal cavity, and sometimes to the nasal hairs. At this time, it is unhealthy to dig your nose directly with your hand. Fingers are large compared to the nostrils and can break the nasal hairs with a little force, and the nails on your hands can also poke the mucous membrane inside the nose, which can easily cause infection. You should try to use the nasal washing method to remove the nasal stool, which not only helps to keep the mucous membrane inside the nose intact, but also helps to protect the nasal hairs.
The longer the nasal hair is, the more filtering ability it has. The picture of “Nanjing nasal hair” that was circulated on the internet a few days ago tried to link the level of air pollution with the length of nasal hair. In fact, nasal hair, similar to skin, is only the first barrier of immunity. It is not a complex structure, and can only play a preliminary screening role, while bacteria, PM2.5 and other small particles can not really be blocked by nasal hair. Therefore, the important thing is not to grow very long nasal hairs, but to maintain the normal number and density of nasal hairs in the nasal cavity so that they can play their role in blocking some of the foreign bodies.