A nasal strip is basically a small spring that you stick on your nose. It sounds unremarkable, and that's exactly what it is. Still, it's worth a closer look, because whether the strip makes a difference depends almost entirely on where and how it sits.
The narrowest point is at the front
Most people imagine that the air has to overcome obstacles deep inside the nose. In fact, the bottleneck is quite far forward: right behind the nostrils, where the soft nasal wings meet the firmer part. Medical professionals call this area the nasal valve.
The problem with this area: The nasal wings are soft. If you breathe in forcefully, for example when running or if your nose is already somewhat blocked, they pull slightly inward. The opening gets smaller, exactly when you need more air.
Try it: Place a finger next to one nasal wing and pull the skin very gently toward your cheek. Most people immediately notice that more air flows through on that side.
What the strip does
A nasal strip provides exactly this pull, but on both sides at once and without a finger.
The strip contains flat, elastic ribs. When you stick it on the curved nose, they bend and want to return to their straight shape. This restoring force gently pulls the skin over the nasal wings outward. The nasal entrance becomes slightly wider and is less likely to collapse when you breathe in.
This is pure mechanics: No active ingredient enters the nose, and nothing is triggered, reduced, or treated. That's why the effect varies so much from person to person. For someone with soft, rather narrow nasal wings, it is clearly noticeable, while for others it is barely felt.
Why position makes all the difference
The most common mistake: The strip sits too high, on the hard nasal bone. There is nothing there that it can pull up. It must be placed on the lower part of the nose bridge, roughly where the nasal wings begin, and the ends should rest on the wings.
Two other things help:
- Clean, dry skin. Cream or skin oil under the adhesive, and the strip will come loose at the corners after an hour.
- The right size. If the strip is too short, the ends won't pull in the right place. If it's too long, it will stand out. That's why AirStripes come in S/M and L.
You can find illustrated instructions here: How to apply a nasal strip correctly.
What studies say
That external nasal strips measurably widen the front part of the nose is well studied. In a measurement using rhinometry, which is the precise measurement of the airflow and cross-section of the nose, both values increased with the strip (Gosepath et al., 1997). A review of over-the-counter nasal dilators comes to the same conclusion (JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery, 2016).
Beyond that, the claims get thinner. For better athletic performance, measured by oxygen uptake or heart rate, a meta-analysis found no effect in healthy athletes (Dinardi et al., 2021). So anyone who promises you more endurance is exaggerating. What remains is the feeling of breathing more freely through your nose, and for many, that is exactly the reason they wear nasal strips.
All the studies mentioned were conducted with other products, not with AirStripes. They describe how this type of strip basically works.
How does it feel?
For the first few minutes, you will clearly notice the strip: a slight pull on the nose, a little unusual. After a while, most people forget about it. When removing it, it's best to work slowly from the ends toward the middle, otherwise it will pinch.
AirStripes are transparent, which is why you can barely see them on the skin. This is practical if you want to wear them not only at night, but also during training or on the go.
