# How come when I pull my nose hairs I sneeze? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 7, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-when-i-pull-my-nose-hairs-i-sneeze/602177 "2011-11-07T16:45:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-when-i-pull-my-nose-hairs-i-sneeze/602177/1 "2011-11-07T16:45:43Z")
Once I got into my mid 30’s, the follicle production in my nostrils became more polific. I have trimmed these hairs using a trimmer but not that often. The hairs don’t grow that fast, and I have found it easier to just pull them, or pluck them as they get to a certain length. But when I do pull them out, I have noticed that I will always sneeze after the hairs have been removed. I’m sure there’s some sort of nervous system reaction occuring that the pulling the hair from the follicle that triggers the sneezing reaction, but I don’t know, if it’s just me. So anybody else have this happen? What’s the reason? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-when-i-pull-my-nose-hairs-i-sneeze/602177/2 "2011-11-07T18:11:27Z")
I get the same thing. It also triggers the eye-watering reflex, so I guess it affects the same nerves as general irritation of the nasal passages, and your body thinks it has to flush out some irritant. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-when-i-pull-my-nose-hairs-i-sneeze/602177/3 "2011-11-07T18:37:34Z")
If your body could slap your hand, it would. Since it can’t, it does the same sneeze reflex that you get when dust gets up your nose. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-when-i-pull-my-nose-hairs-i-sneeze/602177/4 "2011-11-07T19:23:29Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > If your body could slap your hand, it would. Since it can’t, it does the same sneeze reflex that you get when dust gets up your nose. I don’t think it’s that. Because the plucking of the hairs isn’t the same as when dust or something else get’s in my nostrils. In fact, I don’t normally sneeze when that happens. And if the hair doesn’t come out of the follicle, there’s no sneeze. The sneeze occurs after it is plucked. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-when-i-pull-my-nose-hairs-i-sneeze/602177/5 "2011-11-07T19:27:44Z")
Maybe your body mistakes the sensation for an irritant in the naval cavity, and sneezes to clear it. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-when-i-pull-my-nose-hairs-i-sneeze/602177/6 "2011-11-07T19:45:58Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I get the same thing. It also triggers the eye-watering reflex, so I guess it affects the same nerves as general irritation of the nasal passages, and your body thinks it has to flush out some irritant. This. Same thing happens for me. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-when-i-pull-my-nose-hairs-i-sneeze/602177/7 "2011-11-07T20:37:46Z")
It’s an irritation in the nose, and the reaction to an irritation in the nose is a sneeze. Seems pretty straightforward to me. ---
**Author:** ![Lucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-when-i-pull-my-nose-hairs-i-sneeze/602177/8 "2011-11-08T13:37:10Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > It’s an irritation in the nose, and the reaction to an irritation in the nose is a sneeze. Seems pretty straightforward to me. Well, except, that it happens to me, too, but when I pluck my eyebrows. Eyes water, I sneeze. Does one of the facial nerves run through the whole general area, maybe?