# Are stomach hairballs inevitable when eating facial hair? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 27, 2012, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stomach-hairballs-inevitable-when-eating-facial-hair/638997 "2012-10-27T02:03:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stomach-hairballs-inevitable-when-eating-facial-hair/638997/21 "2012-10-28T02:50:06Z")
If you shared this with us, I just shudder to think what kind of videos you were sharing with the Snackpit! ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stomach-hairballs-inevitable-when-eating-facial-hair/638997/22 "2012-10-28T02:54:34Z")
The [vid I shared with the snackpit](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzJ9n1ErosQ) I’ve also [shared here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15605948&postcount=39) somewhat later. There were some people there who either thought I was some enormous land whale (as you can see I am obese but certainly not of the kind that can’t fit in a char) or was just making up that my shower door was tiny. I had the last laugh, I think 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stomach-hairballs-inevitable-when-eating-facial-hair/638997/23 "2012-10-28T02:55:38Z")
Is your question about hair balls resulting from eating facial hair, followed by a video of you eating your own facial hair, your way of telling us that you are stopped up? (BTW, there is no need for a video response.) ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stomach-hairballs-inevitable-when-eating-facial-hair/638997/24 "2012-10-28T03:04:20Z")
I have never experienced any problem from eating my own facial hair. I don’t eat very much at all (I might also note at this point I also eat my nostril hair when it is long). But when you read stuff about the problems it causes I wonder if I’m storing up issues for the future. Especially now that I am on a health drive thing. For years I didn’t see doctors abuot anything then suddenly I am now on 5 drugs a day and probably more coming up, not to mention getting a free personal trainer from our evil socialised medicine system ™ and so on. Basically my plan is to be a completely different person physically in two years time, it is ridiculous the state I’ve got myself into. (I get the personalised trainer for free because I am technically a mental health patient due to having been addicted to drugs) ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stomach-hairballs-inevitable-when-eating-facial-hair/638997/25 "2012-10-28T03:10:37Z")
Just don’t post a video of you eating either the facial hair or the nostril hair of your personal trainer. ---
**Author:** ![NotBob13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e19b73/32.png) [@NotBob13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotBob13)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stomach-hairballs-inevitable-when-eating-facial-hair/638997/26 "2012-10-28T05:01:39Z")
According to this link ( [Rapunzel syndrome | TrichStop.com](http://trichstars.com/rapunzel-syndrome) ) there is a 37.5% chance of someone who eats hair developing a hairball. I’ve never had a problem, and I have a nervous habit of eating my beard hair, I will go trough a period of slowly eating 10-20 full hairs over a few days, then not do it again for 6-12 months. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stomach-hairballs-inevitable-when-eating-facial-hair/638997/27 "2012-10-28T05:12:18Z")
> [@Simple\_Linctus](#): > > I might also note at this point I also eat my nostril hair when it is long Oh good god, why are you telling people this? (And how long can one’s nose hairs get?) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stomach-hairballs-inevitable-when-eating-facial-hair/638997/28 "2012-10-28T05:22:49Z")
Well, they feed cats Petromalt, which causes the hair to pass thru the system. It has mineral oil in it. I suggest a heaping tablespoon of that orange fiber powder in a large glass of water. One dose of mineral oil, then wash it down with the fiber water. You should also mention this to your MD next time you go in. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stomach-hairballs-inevitable-when-eating-facial-hair/638997/29 "2012-10-28T08:45:47Z")
> [@Simple\_Linctus](#): > > (I might also note at this point I also eat my nostril hair when it is long). Why is this possible and why would one take nature up on this possibility?! THERE IS NO GOD ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stomach-hairballs-inevitable-when-eating-facial-hair/638997/30 "2012-10-28T09:23:44Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Oh good god, why are you telling people this? (And how long can one’s nose hairs get?) I dunno, but it’s gotten me to think there should be an alternate **Rapunzel** fairy tale called **Repugnant.** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stomach-hairballs-inevitable-when-eating-facial-hair/638997.md?page=1)