If you've ever waxed before, you know that ripping out those hairs hurts. The pain is manageable, especially if you're removing hair from your eyebrows or your upper lip, but still — ouch. That might explain why nearly five million people have watched this video of a beauty vlogger getting her nose hair waxed.
Sepi Balini, a makeup artist and YouTuber, went to at Anastasia Beverly Hills Salon for the procedure. Watch as aesthetician Katrin slides a wooden stick dipped in wax into each of Sepi's nostrils, pinches the bridge of her nose, and quickly yanks out the stick. When she holds the stick up close to the camera, you can see how effectively it removed Sepi's hair.
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Sepi explains in the caption, "I only wax the front, not all the way. I know nose hair is necessary."
A lot of commenters are wondering if removing them could possibly be safe.
Those commenters are right to be concerned. According to Dr. Ted Lain, a dermatologist based on Austin, Texas, those hairs actually keep foreign particles (including dust, allergens, and other pollutant particles) out of your nose. Waxing can increase your risk of infection.
Worse, the sensitive tissue inside your nose (called mucosa) isn't able to withstand waxing the same way the skin on your face and body does. There's no protective layer of dead skin cells there.
"You can get burned, which is extremely painful, can take a long time to heal, and can lead to scarring," Dr. Lain says.
Plus, as Dr. Heidi Waldorf, the Director of Laser and Cosmetic Dermatology at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, points out, "Waxing intra-nasal hairs may cause a painful pimple from inflammation."
Derms confirm: it's better to skip this waxing procedure.
If your nose hairs really bother you, trimming is the way to go. Laser hair removal is also an option (unlike waxing, a laser can target the hair without damaging the tissue inside the nose).
Or, you know, just chill on the nose hair hangups! We all have it. And those hairs actually keep us healthy.
Hannah Orenstein is the assistant features editor at Seventeen.com. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram!
Hannah Orenstein
Hannah Orenstein is the author of several novels, including Meant to Be Mine (out June 7, 2022), Head Over Heels, Love at First Like, and Playing with Matches. She's also the Deputy Editor of Dating at Elite Daily. She lives in Brooklyn.
