If you want to breathe more freely through your nose, sooner or later you'll end up with two products: the nasal strip, which is stuck on the outside of the nose, and the nasal dilator, which goes into the nostrils. Both want the same thing, namely to keep the front part of the nose open. In everyday life, however, they feel quite different.
How the two work
The nasal strip sits across the lower bridge of the nose. Elastic ridges in the strip want to bend straight and pull the skin over the nostrils outward. The nostrils are thus pulled outward from the outside.
The nasal dilator, also called a nose clip or nasal dilator, is usually a small plastic or silicone arch with two ends that are pushed into the nostrils. It pushes the nostrils apart from the inside. It is also available as individual tubes or cones per nostril.
A review of over-the-counter products compared both groups and found evidence for a measurably freer nasal airflow for both external strips and certain internal dilators (JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery, 2016). Which product is better suited therefore depends more on the wearing experience than on theory.
The comparison in everyday life
| Nasal strip | Nasal dilator | |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | outside on the skin | inside in the nostril |
| Wearing experience | slight pull on the nose, barely noticeable after a short time | foreign body sensation in the nose, some get used to it, some never |
| Hygiene | single-use product, fresh for every night | reusable multiple times, must be cleaned regularly |
| Visibility | visible, except for transparent strips | hardly visible from the outside |
| Fit | usually two sizes | often sets with multiple sizes to try out |
| Cost | ongoing, per piece | one-time, until replacement |
| Skin | adhesive can irritate sensitive skin | pressure can irritate the mucous membrane |
What for whom?
If you generally find something in the nose unpleasant, the strip is the obvious choice. It does not touch the mucous membrane and is simply removed in the morning. The same applies to sports: A dilator can slip with sweat and movement, a well-fitting strip probably not.
If you want to save money in the long term and have no problem with the feeling in the nostril, a dilator is cheaper. Good cleaning is then important, otherwise the whole thing quickly becomes unhygienic.
Our honest opinion: Try both if you are unsure. Many know after two nights what works for them.
Test AirStripes
AirStripes are transparent, active ingredient-free nasal strips in S/M and L. The 10-pack for €6.99 is enough to find out if the external variant suits you. How to stick them on correctly is shown in our instructions.
