The best nasal strips for men: what to look for, and our pick

The best nasal strips for men span the nose with both ends lying flat, hold on clean, oil-free skin through the night, and lift the sides of the nose firmly enough that you can feel the difference. Men tend to snore more and have oilier skin, and they're more likely to have sleep apnea, so the checks before you buy matter as much as the strip. A beard, on the other hand, makes no difference at all. This guide covers fit, skin, the warning signs to check, who strips suit and the strips we recommend.

Do nasal strips work for men?

Nasal strips work for men the same way they work for anyone: a springy band lifts the sides of the nose outward so air has an easier path in. In a 1997 study in Laryngoscope, an external nasal dilator widened the nasal valve in all the demographic groups the researchers measured among 53 athletes.

Cleveland Clinic lists being male among the risk factors for snoring, and it lists nasal strips among the things that can help keep the nasal passages open. Our guide to how nasal strips work explains the mechanics in more detail.

What does the research say about nasal strips for snoring?

Nasal strips have small but real evidence for snoring linked to a blocked nose, and none of it looks at men separately. In a 2000 trial in the European Respiratory Journal, 12 people with chronic rhinitis, a long-lasting stuffy or runny nose, snored less often with a strip than with a placebo strip, about 173 snores an hour compared with 258. The strips didn't change how loud the snoring was, or their sleep quality.

That last point matters for men, because a 2019 review in the European Respiratory Review notes that men tend to snore more intensely than women. A strip may cut how often you snore without making the snoring you still do any quieter. And a 2016 meta-analysis found nasal dilators improved nasal breathing but didn't improve obstructive sleep apnea, with no significant change in the apnea-hypopnea index in 147 patients. Strips are a tool for nose-related snoring, not for apnea.

Do men need bigger nasal strips?

Men don't automatically need bigger strips, because fit depends on your nose rather than your sex. A 2022 study in Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology built 3D models of the nasal airway from scans of 16 people and found its volume and surface area were significantly larger in men on average. But the authors said these differences may not significantly influence how the nose works, and the study was very small.

So check the fit on your own nose rather than buying by sex. Titan's instructions place the strip just above the flare of the nostrils, on the soft part of the nose rather than the bony bridge. On a wider or larger nose, look for these signs during a daytime trial:

• The strip reaches far enough to sit on both sides of your nose, with each end lying flat.
• You can feel the sides of your nose lift when you press the ends down.
• The strip stays below the bony bridge.
• The ends are still flat when you take it off in the morning.

If a strip feels like it's stretched across your nose with no lift, or the ends keep peeling, the fit may be the issue. Our guide to nasal strip sizes explains how strips differ, and extra strength vs regular nasal strips covers how firm the lift is.

How do you keep nasal strips on oily skin?

You keep nasal strips on oily skin by getting the oil off first. Titan's instructions say to wash and dry your nose and skip moisturizer, because oils stop the adhesive from gripping. That one step solves most problems with strips sliding off.

It's a step many men need more than most. A 2013 study of 300 adults in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science found that men's skin produces more sebum, the skin's natural oil, than women's at every age, and that men's sebum stays stable as they get older while women's declines.

A few habits help:

• Wash your face before bed and dry your nose fully before the strip goes on.
• Put the strip on before any moisturizer or aftershave balm, and keep those off your nose.
• Press the ends down firmly for a few seconds after applying.
• If you sweat at night, keep the bedroom cool and check the edges before you settle down.

Our guide to nasal strips on oily skin has more ways to keep them in place.

Does a beard matter for nasal strips?

A beard doesn't matter for nasal strips, because the strip sits on the soft part of your nose just above the nostrils, well away from your beard or mustache. That's a real difference from mouth tape, which sits over the lips and has to grip through facial hair. If you've struggled with mouth tape and stubble, strips are an easy place to start. Our guide to the best mouth tape for beards covers the tape side.

Why should men check for sleep apnea first?

Men should check for sleep apnea first because they're at higher risk, and nasal strips don't treat it. The NHLBI says sleep apnea is more common in men than women, and that men are more likely to have serious sleep apnea and to be diagnosed at a younger age. The 2019 review in the European Respiratory Review says obstructive sleep apnea has long been considered a male disease, with male-to-female ratios of 3:1 to 5:1 in the general population.

The NHLBI lists these common signs of sleep apnea:

• Breathing that starts and stops during sleep
• Frequent loud snoring, which it notes is more common in men
• Gasping for air
• Daytime sleepiness and tiredness
• Dry mouth
• Waking up often during the night to urinate

You may not know about the first three until someone tells you, so ask a partner what they've noticed before you start. Our page on sleep apnea warning signs explains what to look for.

What should men look for in nasal strips?

The checklist below covers what matters most, with the reason behind each point.

Who do nasal strips suit?

Nasal strips suit men whose nose feels narrow or stuffy at night, who snore and notice it's worse with a blocked nose, or who breathe through the mouth because the nose feels tight. They also pair well with mouth tape for men whose mouth falls open at night, as long as the nose is clear enough to breathe through all night. Our guide to mouth tape and nasal strips together explains how the two fit.

They're not the right first step if your nose has been blocked for weeks, if one side is always blocked, or if you have any signs of sleep apnea.

When should you see a doctor?

See a doctor if you snore loudly and a partner has noticed gasping, choking or pauses in your breathing, or if you're sleepy in the day despite a full night in bed. See one too if one side of your nose is always blocked, or if congestion lasts for weeks. If you're buying strips for a partner who is pregnant, she should ask her midwife or doctor before trying them.

We don't recommend mouth tape for children.

Our pick (paid partner): TitanAir Nasal Strips

Our pick for men is TitanAir Nasal Strips. They aren't made only for men, and we haven't tested or ranked nasal strips ourselves. This is our recommendation, based on how Titan describes its strips against the checklist above.

Titan describes TitanAir as drug-free external nasal dilators with flexible spring-loaded bands, and says the adhesive stays put and leaves no residue. Its instructions match the checklist for oily skin: wash and dry your nose and skip moisturizer, because oils stop the adhesive from gripping. The strip goes just above the flare of your nostrils on the soft part of the nose, not the bony bridge, and comes off by loosening it with warm water and peeling slowly from the ends inward.

Titan's product page doesn't list separate sizes, so use the first few nights to check the fit on your own nose. Titan says the strips are third-party tested and PFAS-free, and its 30-night guarantee gives you time to judge them. They're designed to pair with Titan Mouth Tape, which Titan says is made to grip through stubble and beards.

Read next

• Nasal strip buying guide: 8 things to look for
• The best snoring solutions for men
• The best nasal strips for snoring

* This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or health condition. Talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your health.