What role do nasal hairs called vibrissae play in the nose?

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Illustration showing different animals and their respiratory organs: a spider with book lungs, a chicken with lungs, a sponge with labeled inflow and outflow pores, a fish with gills, and a caterpillar with spiracles. — Respiratory system Different methods of respiration in animals.

In the human respiratory system, the vestibule—the area at the entrance of the nose—is lined with skin that bears short, thick hairs known as vibrissae.1

These hairs serve a protective function by acting as a filter at the very beginning of the respiratory tract, helping to trap large particles of debris from inhaled air before they can travel further into the nasal cavity and the rest of the airways.12