# Will I damage anything if I pluck this hair out? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 27, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232 "2009-01-27T15:42:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/1 "2009-01-27T15:42:53Z")
Plucking is my preferred way of getting rid of unwanted facial hair. Now that I’m getting up into my late 30’s, hairs seem to pop out in new areas. For the first time, I noticed a friggin hair making it’s way out of my right ear hole. When I discovered my first nose hair a few years back, I plucked it. This has served me well so far. However, with this ear hair, I’m concerned it might be attached to something important. I don’t want to take the chance of damaging my eardrum or something. By the way, I’m aware of facial hair trimmers and actually have a couple. I just feel better with plucking to kill off the little bastards. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/2 "2009-01-27T16:03:01Z")
The “outer ear” consists of the ear canal and the pinna (which is what helps collect sound and focus it on the ear drum). The only thing an ear hair would be attached to would be the ear canal. I think it would be safe to pluck it. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/3 "2009-01-27T16:13:25Z")
When would plucking hurt the drum? Pluck away! ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/4 "2009-01-27T16:33:14Z")
Done, although it hurt. Once I did it, I could feel that it wasn’t from deep inside the ear, so no issues. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/5 "2009-01-27T17:29:19Z")
As a confirmed plucker, my suggestion (non-medical) is never to pluck internal nose hairs (you often get a little infection there) but OK to pluck hairs from the ear. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/6 "2009-01-27T17:32:01Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > For the first time, I noticed a friggin hair making it’s way out of my right ear hole. Hold it, you have _one_ ear hair? Ho, boy, just wait a few years. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/7 "2009-01-27T17:52:40Z")
Careful, it might be a load-bearing hair. Pluck it, and your ass falls off. ---
**Author:** ![TPWombat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@TPWombat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TPWombat)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/8 "2009-01-27T19:41:28Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > Careful, it might be a load-bearing hair. Pluck it, and your ass falls off. Or a Lernaean hair. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/9 "2009-01-27T20:42:16Z")
> [@PoorYorick](#): > > Hold it, you have _one_ ear hair? Ho, boy, just wait a few years. I’m pretty sure that there are already more. With mirrors and angles, I can’t see any others. I would ask the girl I’m seeing, but she’s only 27 and I don’t want to scare her yet. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/10 "2009-01-27T21:19:38Z")
Nose and ear hair is actually the bottom end of head hair. As you get older, the hair sinks down through your skull, and emerges root-first out of your nostrils and lugholes. This is why they are so thick and wiry. Of course, if you pluck 'em out, that’s one less hair protruding through on top of your head, so beware. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/11 "2009-01-27T23:10:10Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Nose and ear hair is actually the bottom end of head hair. As you get older, the hair sinks down through your skull, and emerges root-first out of your nostrils and lugholes. This is why they are so thick and wiry. > > Of course, if you pluck 'em out, that’s one less hair protruding through on top of your head, so beware. They’re almost impossible to push back in though. ---
**Author:** ![wunderkammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ed8c4c/32.png) [@wunderkammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wunderkammer)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/12 "2009-01-27T23:51:10Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Nose and ear hair is actually the bottom end of head hair. As you get older, the hair sinks down through your skull, and emerges root-first out of your nostrils and lugholes. This is why they are so thick and wiry. > > Of course, if you pluck 'em out, that’s one less hair protruding through on top of your head, so beware. Unfortunately, if you try to tug them back up from the head side, you usually overshoot and lose the whole hair. ---
**Author:** ![T.Slothrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@T.Slothrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.Slothrop)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/13 "2009-01-28T04:07:43Z")
This thread of course causes me to answer that commonly asked question: “How do really tough guys shave ?” We don’t. We use a ball-peen hammer and pound the hairs in and then bite them off on the inside. ---
**Author:** ![wunderkammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ed8c4c/32.png) [@wunderkammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wunderkammer)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/14 "2009-01-28T04:45:53Z")
_That’s_ why tough guys don’t manscape. You’d get a punctured lung! ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/15 "2009-01-28T05:36:37Z")
Didn’t you see that Sci-fi channel ad a few years ago? You’ll unravel! ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-damage-anything-if-i-pluck-this-hair-out/483232/16 "2009-01-28T13:48:25Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Now that I’m getting up into my late 30’s, hairs seem to pop out in new areas. As you advance into your prime ear and nose hair years, you might find it interesting to check out **Cecil’s** take on the subject: [Why do older men have hair growing in their noses and ears?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/835/why-do-older-men-have-hair-growing-in-their-noses-and-ears)