A nose hair clipper is a personal grooming device used to trim excess hair in the nostrils and ears. Most devices use a set of small rotary blades protected by a chrome or stainless steel housing. A battery-powered electric motor is used to turn these blades, and external combs protect the skin from contacting the blades directly. Individual hairs are guided into the cutting zone and safely trimmed off. A quality clipper can usually be rinsed under water while in use. The entire device can often be immersed for thorough cleaning and sanitizing between uses.
Not all grooming aids command the same level of respect for their work, but a nose hair clipper does perform a vital service for the user and there are few other devices which can duplicate its function. Nasal and ear hairs are important filtering agents that protect and defend their respective hosts, but they become unsightly if left unchecked. For those who want to perform a very thorough grooming regimen, clipping the nose hair is important.
The basic technique for trimming unwanted ear and nose hair is to activate the nose hair clipper and carefully insert it into the proper canal. As individual hairs enter the cutting chamber, sharp rotary blades slice through them cleanly. Some nostril hair is necessary for protection against dust and germs, so the user shouldn’t aim for complete nasal baldness. The most unsightly nose hairs protrude from the nostrils and may blend into the mustache area. A beard and mustache trimmer can maintain the mustache line, but only a specialty clipper can successfully trim back the protruding nasal hairs.
A clipper can also be used to remove excessive ear hair from the external canal area. A mirror should be used to guide the clipper to the right spots. Unlike the nasal area, many people prefer to trim ear hair completely down to the skin line.
A quality nose hair clipper can be purchased wherever other electric shaving products are featured. There are also manual models that act like nail trimmers — the unit is inserted into the nasal passages and two blades come together to clip off the excess hairs.
There is one small drawback to ordering a nose hair clipper through a mail-order catalog, at least according to urban legend. Because these grooming aids are considered to be a little idiosyncratic, customers have been known to be put on some very unusual mailing lists. The philosophy among direct mail marketers is that customers who purchase clippers or other unusual devices may also be interested in even more esoteric services or products.