Does 'face-fanning' really work?

[Heathcliff]

I think there may already be a thread about this, but I can't find it- so I'm starting this one.

We're probably all familiar with the practice of 'face-fanning'- where someone's going to sneeze and they wave their hand in front of their face, as if fanning air towards their nose.

It seems usually to be women who do this- a sort of girly act to try and coax the sneeze out. Anyway, I always assumed that people only did this to be cute- or did it out of frustration at the tickle.

However... I have lately become a closet face-fanner myself

Surprisingly, it does seem to help me get the sneeze out, when I have a tickle that's hovering on the edge.

I'm wondering if it's the light touch of the air fanned towards the nose, that causes a little extra tickle and urges the sneeze out...or, perhaps I'm imagining it.

So, is anyone here a face-fanner? If so, do you think it really does help you to get the sneeze out?

[Guest]

Never tried it, but I do think it's cute when accompanied with a very girly sneezer

[shy guy]

I've never tried it either, but I love seeing it done!

[Selene]

Hm, sounds like I should try it, but I agree, it is very nice to see it. Even as a girl, I like to witness some fanning but I actually never witnessed a guy fanning... *sigh*

[Lamborghini]

I've taken to doing it recently too because I found that it does indeed help, for me at least? Am I able to leave my caveman roots behind and do it in public? No. I've only seen girls doing it in public, thank goodness.

Lamborghini

[Joal 555]

I know not whether it works but I do know this..........

....it is soooooooooooo cute!

[Heathcliff]

Thanks for the sterling response on this, guys!

It's interesting to know it works for Lamborghini too. Although I should point out- like him, I would be far too embarrassed to do this in public! I've never observed another man face-fanning. I can't quite imagine seeing that!

[Sawyer]

I love seeing it done, and I love doing it too! Well, when I'm alone, that is.

I think that not only the air helps it, but the idea that fanning makes you that much closer to the sneeze. Like when it's teetering on edge, you THINK that it helps, so it does.

[sneezomania]

I think there may already be a thread about this, but I can't find it

Here is a thread about that topic.

[sneezerwoman]

I've never tried it, but I wonder if it works.

[Mitsu]

ive never done it, but if im outside and have the feeling like im gonna sneeze, usually i turn my face towards the wind, the breeze will easily coax the sneeze out.

[snuffles]

I've never done it, but my f coworker at my previous job used to do it all the time. The first time I saw her do it, I was a bit surprised as I thought this was something only done in movies. She used to sneeze a lot though from dust allergies ^^

[Feta Sneeze]

I actually can't stand face-fanning, simply because my mother has done it my whole life. And it disgusts me to even think about it. I cringe when I see it - cuz I always remember my mom.

[Just Older]

It does nothing for me. Neither makes a sneeze come out, or sends it away.

It was a knee-jerk reaction a couple times ... nothing I do on a regular basis, though. I'm think that it could work for some people, to get an extra bit of air moving around the nose.

Good question.

[sneezomania]

As I said in the other thread: I had face-fanning observations with a woman suffering from hay fever: Several times I saw her waving her hand in front of her nose before she sneezed. I guessed about the reason for that, and my guessed explanation was: She wanted to wave away the pollen in the air which made her sneeze.

But that's just a speculation, I never asked her about that. Maybe she thought that she could fan the pollen away indeed, maybe this was just an unconscious thing - don't know.

[Jessie]

I actually can't stand face-fanning, simply because my mother has done it my whole life. And it disgusts me to even think about it. I cringe when I see it - cuz I always remember my mom.

Hahahaha. That's so unfortunate!

I had never really given fanning much thought. I guess it's cute, but as people have already said it's more of a female thing, and I tend to prefer sneezy men...