Nasal hair
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Nasal hair, or Nose hair is the hair in the nose. Adult humans have hairs in the anterior nasal passage. These hairs act as a fibrous filter for inhaled particles. Diffusion of ultra fine particles to the nasal hair occurs mostly for particles < 5 nm. Nasal hair has important implications for the health of the human body because a lack of nasal hair could invite the transport of potentially harmful particles into the respiratory system.
Nasal hair should not be confused with cilia of the nasal cavity, which are the microscopic cellular strands that, unlike macroscopic nasal hair, draw mucus up toward the oropharynx via their coordinated, back-and-forth beating.
Attraction
In some cultures, nose hair protruding from the nostrils may be thought of as unattractive, as is hair protruding from one's ears. A number of devices have been sold to trim the nose hair, including miniature rotary clippers and attachments for electric shavers. However, given the function of nasal hairs, many physicians recommend trimming them lightly, if at all.
References
- The anterior human nasal passage as a fibrous filter for particles,(1) Johns Hopkins University, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA